A new case of Prokop? The works at the Novi Beograd station are being carried out due to problems with the bearing capacity of the structure and without a permit

Oct 13, 2025

Link to original article: https://forbes.n1info.rs/biznis/novi-slucaj-prokop-radovi-na-stanici-novi-beograd-se-izvode-zbog-problema-s-nosivoscu-konstrukcije-i-bez-dozvole/

Photo: Forbes Serbia

The work on the rehabilitation of the pillars that hold the bridge on which the Novi Beograd railway station is located is being carried out without approval. The reason is the need to ensure a higher load capacity of this bridge, which is used by the Soko train, Inter Regio and Beo train, and which was built 55 years ago .

As can be seen from the system for issuing construction permits, the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure obtained the location conditions for the execution of works in June of this year.

Then the Ministry submitted a request to obtain a decision on approval for carrying out works on the reconstruction of the bridge at the railway station. However, they were rejected on August 15 .

This was followed by a new request that was filed in the system on September 22. Its resolution is ongoing .

However, as we have seen on the ground, the works on the poles are taking a long time, which suggests that they are being carried out without obtaining approval. At the construction site on Friday, we found a mixer pouring concrete into the foundations of the columns closest to the stairs that passengers use to climb the platforms.

There was no assessment of the condition or rehabilitation

As can be seen from the available documentation, there are a number of statements that indicate the state of the construction of the station .

In the conceptual solution, it is first stated that the construction of the bridge ” was not carried out in its entirety according to the originally prepared project documentation “. In this regard, it is stated that the number and diameter of piles on some foundations were changed, while some track supports were repaired by adding cables for prestressing due to the quality of the concrete that did not correspond to that of the project.

It is also added that work was done at this station as part of the project to modernize the railway from Belgrade to Subotica. And that the documentation from 2015 shows that certain works were carried out at that time – adding new layers over the platform corbels, raising the height of the platform, installing a new track, coating the structure with protective coatings. Specifically, additional layers of concrete, styrodura and asphalt were placed over the existing platforms. However, a static check of the bridge structure itself was not performed.

“However, even then, an assessment of the existing state of the structure was not carried out, nor was any of the main structural elements rehabilitated,” the conceptual solution states.

Furthermore, it can be seen that this year studies were done on the assessment of the condition of the bridge’s supporting structure, as well as field and laboratory tests and measurements on the bridge’s supporting structure.

What did the report on the situation show

Work on the construction of the railway station bridge began in September 1968 and was completed in June 1970 .

The report on the assessment of the state of the structure showed that the structure has been in operation for more than 50 years, and that “there were no serious rehabilitation interventions, especially those that would be accompanied by appropriate calculations, except for the rehabilitation of certain track supports (immediately after construction) in which the designed grade of concrete was not achieved”.

It is also noted that in the meantime there have been multiple changes in the regulations, which is why the concept of budgeting is different today compared to that time. The railway load schemes were also changed, whereby the load was “additionally increased by a coefficient whose value is 1.21”.

It is also worth noting that in the original project, apart from the losses due to the friction of the cables, other current losses of the prestressing force were not considered. Time losses due to shrinkage and flow of concrete were not considered either, “and they are not negligible, especially since it is a statically indeterminate construction with several immovable supports.” “Impacts due to temperature change and temperature difference were also not taken into account (except for the pillars),” the document states.

Field tests

Field and laboratory tests and measurements determined that in the majority of structural elements, a lower class of concrete strength under pressure than that provided for in the original project was achieved. On the other hand, the dimensions of the characteristic elements of the structure, as well as the dimensions of the foundation feet and depths correspond to the designed dimensions.

Also, the number and arrangement of cables for prestressing, as well as the arrangement and amount of installed reinforcement on the parts where the tests were carried out do not differ in relation to the original project. However, one more observation is added.

“A macroscopic and detailed visual inspection revealed numerous defects and damages , most of which do not threaten the load-bearing capacity of the structural elements, except for prefabricated corbels and prefabricated niche plates, while the durability of all elements of the bridge structure is reduced.”

What the control calculations showed

The project documentation states that by analyzing the results of the control calculation of the main girders for the limit states of load capacity and for the limit states of usability, it can be concluded that “the main railway girders do not meet the required conditions for the limit state of load capacity…”. It is added that rehabilitation measures are needed.

When it comes to the so-called of the prefabricated frames used for the construction of the platforms, it was found that those located on the end passenger platforms and on the luggage platforms have a satisfactory load capacity and no reinforcement work is needed, but that this is necessary for the middle passenger platforms because they do not meet the requirements in terms of load capacity (they lack longitudinal and shear reinforcement ).

Even the platform supports on most axles do not have a satisfactory load capacity from the aspect of control calculation.

Finally, “structural rehabilitation measures” are also required for the main cross-beams of the platform, as well as for the pillars.

“The control calculation of the bridge structure showed that most of the structural elements do not meet the required conditions for the limit state of bearing capacity , as well as the condition for limiting the stress in the concrete for the limit state of usability for the planned period of exploitation,” the project states.

The reasons for this, it is noted again, are the change in regulations, the change in the railway load scheme and the fact that certain losses were not considered in the original project.

Necessary remedial measures

“In order to ensure the required load capacity, stability and usability of the supporting structure of the bridge, it is necessary to apply appropriate structural rehabilitation and/or strengthening measures , as well as appropriate non-structural rehabilitation measures in order to ensure the durability of the supporting structure of the bridge in the projected exploitation period”, it is stated at the beginning of the section on the necessary measures.

Among other things, it is planned to reduce the span in part of the structure by adding new columns in the middle of those spans. They would be placed under the track support.

It is also necessary to increase the cross-section of the columns of almost all bridge structures. While the columns in the two axes would be additionally stiffened.

The addition of a device for receiving seismic forces and braking forces, replacement of individual bearings of all bridge structures and increasing the load-bearing capacity of the elements of the span structure using CFRP material were also proposed.

WE DISCOVER Prokop station will be reconstructed due to the appearance of cracks: Much smaller reinforcement than designed was installed

Works

The following description is found in the description of the pillars in the available documentation. “Due to significantly greater horizontal influences due to temperature, braking and seismic influences, large bending moments occur on the columns. The built-in reinforcement, its characteristics, as well as the dimensions of the columns themselves do not have sufficient capacity to carry the specified loads (42% below capacity). Therefore, it is planned to strengthen the columns by adding 30 centimeters of new concrete around the circumference of all middle columns, with appropriate new reinforcement.”

What we were able to notice when visiting the construction site is that a structure made of thick reinforcement is being added around the columns. Formwork is then added and concrete is poured, which increases their cross-section.

Large pits were dug in two rows of columns near the stairs to the platforms. Concrete is poured into them to strengthen the foundations of the columns.

It can also be seen that some of the pillars have already been expanded while some are being prepared for pouring.

Ministry without response

Forbes Serbia sent questions to the Ministry of Construction regarding these works at the Novi Beograd station.

We wanted to receive confirmation as to whether the works have been carried out or are currently being carried out, and from the moment of issuing the location conditions.

We also asked if any of the problems listed in the location conditions affect the safety of traffic and passengers.

However, we did not receive an answer.