Genuine Concrete Bridges Mega Projects?

Mega Projects in Concrete
Genuine Concrete Bridges = Mega Projects?

Mike Schlaich
If we use mega in the sense of very important, yes, concrete bridges can be mega
structures. Formability and ductility are two of the main characteristics of structural
concrete and if these properties are exploited well, we obtain elegant and at the same
time robust structures. Integral bridges with no bearings and expansion joints,
continuous or compositely acting concrete bridges, mega or mini in size, thus can
be built, leading to low life-cycle cost and to high building culture. This applies to all
types, railroad, road and pedestrian bridges independent of their size. However, very
large-span concrete-only bridges are rare because they are not genuinely congruous to
the material. The reason is that the strength/mass relation of the material, which is
lower than that of steel or wood, does not favour mega bridge projects in the sense of
span only.
Keywords:
Concrete bridges, cable-stayed bridges, genuine bridges, conceptual design.
Mike SCHLAICH
Prof. Dr. sc. techn.
Technische Universitt Berlin
Germany
www.ek-massivbau.tu-berlin.de
Schlaich Bergermann und

Partner
www.sbp.de
Mike Schlaich, born 1960 in ClevelandOhio, received his civil engineering and
Dr. degree from the ETH Zrich. He is
managing director of Schlaich
Bergermann und Partner, Consulting
Engineers, Stuttgart, Berlin, New York
and Professor at the Technische
Universitt in Berlin.
Genuine Concrete Bridges

This paper elaborates on the issues mentioned on the previous page. Examples from the authors own
practices are presented showing genuine concrete bridges where the application of the above principles
helped to reduce quantity of material and to improve quality of appearance.
1. Highway overpass at Kirchheim near Stuttgart, Germany [ 1 ]

This basically standard overpass over a 6-lane highway was improved aesthetically by making use of the
sculptural formability of concrete. It is shaped following the internal force or moment diagram
respectively.
69,72
Fig. 1 Longitudinal section
Fig. 2 Elevation
Fig. 3 View from below
2. Curved pedestrian bridge over the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal at Kelheim,

Germany [ 1 ]
This unique bridge does not only make use of the formability of concrete following a wide curve, but also
of the special and surprising load bearing behaviour of such 3-dimensional structures: it needs to be
suspended only on one side.
Fig. 4 Plan and elevation
Fig. 6 Cable support
Fig. 8 Elevation (Concrete deck)
Fig. 5 Pylon head
Fig. 7 Suspension only on one side
3. Highway bridge over the Danube at Ingolstadt, Germany [ 2 ]

This cable supported bridge, where the footpath follows the cable geometry, is a genuine concrete bridge.
Its inclined columns on either side, skew in plan, are free formed and sculptural, a challenge for the
formwork carpenters.
Fig. 9 Elevation
Fig. 10 Cross section at main span and at pier
Fig. 11 View on stress-ribbon footpath
Fig. 12 Elevation
4. Concrete cable-stayed bridge to Evripos island in Greece [ 1 ]

The deck is a simple solid concrete slab for easy free-cantilevering construction. It is monolithically
connected to the pylons no bearings, no joints to withstand temperature effects and the high seismic
loads to be assumed in Greece thanks to the ductility in concrete.
36
90
Fig. 13 Elevation
Fig. 14 Monolithic connection of deck to pylon
Fig. 15 Elevation
215
90
36
5. Ting Kau cable-stayed bridge in HongKong [ 3 ] [ 4 ]

This long-span bridge in fact a mega project with 3 masts and 4 spans was designed to achieve
minimum wind resistance. The concrete masts are formed elliptically to achieve an optimum section for
aerodynamics. The deck is composite, common for larger spans, a concrete slab on a steel grid to provide
axial stiffness with minimum weight.
Fig. 16 Elevation and plan
Fig. 18 Free cantilevering deck during construction 2x275m
Fig. 19 Elevation (longitudinal stabilising cables for central mast)l
Fig. 17 Main tower: mast with

transverse stabilising cables
6. Vivekananda Bridge at Kolkata, India (designed by CES/IBT)

Extradosed bridges use cable-supported concrete box girders which can be built traditionally by free
cantilevering. Their concrete masts are low in height and, therefore, respectful with their surroundings, in
this case a historic railway bridge and the close by Dakshineshwar temple.
Fig. 20 Free cantilever construction
Fig. 21 Opening day
Fig. 22 Multispan extradosed concrete bridge 7x110 m
7. Extradosed bridge at Wittenberge, Germany [ 5 ]

So far, no extradosed bridges are built in Germany. Shown here is a proposal for an Autobahn-crossing of
the Elbe river. For medium spans and low masts, extradosed bridges are good solutions and concrete is
the right material.
Fig. 23 Vertical section
Fig. 24 Typical cross section
Fig. 26 Elevation
Fig.25 Section pylon
References
[ 1 ] Holgate, A, The Art of Structural Engineering - The Work of Jrg Schlaich and his Team, Edition Axel
Menges, Stuttgart/ London, 1997
[ 2 ] Werwigk. M., Schlaich M. The Glacis Bridge in Ingolstadt, Germany Design and Construction, Cable
Supported Bridges Challenging Technical Limits, IABSE Conference Seoul 2001, ETH Zurich, Volume 84,
pp 40-41
[ 3 ] Bergermann, R., Schlaich, M., Ting Kau Bridge, Hong Kong, Structural Engineering International (SEI),
March 1996
[ 4 ] Bergermann, R., Schlaich, M., Monoleg Towers with Transverse Stabilising Cables, Structural Engineering
International (SEI), November 1998
[ 5 ] DEGES, Deutsche Einheit Fernstraenplanungs- und bau GmbH, Elbebrcke Wittenberge, Dokumentation
des Realisierungswettbewerbs, Berlin, Mai 2008 (in German)

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Mega Projects in Concrete

Genuine Concrete Bridges = Mega Projects?

Schlaich Bergermann und

Genuine Concrete Bridges

1. Highway overpass at Kirchheim near Stuttgart, Germany [ 1 ]

Fig. 1 Longitudinal section

Fig. 3 View from below

2. Curved pedestrian bridge over the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal at Kelheim,

Fig. 4 Plan and elevation

Fig. 6 Cable support

Fig. 8 Elevation (Concrete deck)

Fig. 5 Pylon head

Fig. 7 Suspension only on one side

3. Highway bridge over the Danube at Ingolstadt, Germany [ 2 ]

Fig. 10 Cross section at main span and at pier

Fig. 11 View on stress-ribbon footpath

4. Concrete cable-stayed bridge to Evripos island in Greece [ 1 ]

Fig. 14 Monolithic connection of deck to pylon

5. Ting Kau cable-stayed bridge in HongKong [ 3 ] [ 4 ]

Fig. 16 Elevation and plan

Fig. 18 Free cantilevering deck during construction 2x275m

Fig. 19 Elevation (longitudinal stabilising cables for central mast)l

Fig. 17 Main tower: mast with

6. Vivekananda Bridge at Kolkata, India (designed by CES/IBT)

Fig. 20 Free cantilever construction

Fig. 21 Opening day

Fig. 22 Multispan extradosed concrete bridge 7x110 m

7. Extradosed bridge at Wittenberge, Germany [ 5 ]

Fig. 23 Vertical section

Fig. 24 Typical cross section

Fig.25 Section pylon

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