Bridge btw Paris and Barcelona

MAVERICK

Member


Located in southern France, the bridge will connect the motorway from Paris to Barcelona at the point where it is interrupted by the River Tarn, which runs through a wide gorge between two plateaus. Despite its huge length, journey time over the structure is expected to be just one minute. Designed by British architect Norman Foster and French bridge engineer Michel Virlogeux, it is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world. A reading of the topography suggested two possible approaches: to cross the river, the geological generator of the landscape; or there was the challenge of spanning the 2.5 kilometers from one plateau to the other in the most economical manner. The road has two lanes in each direction and cost €400 million. Water, air, noise … everything is regularly checked on these work sites employing over 500 people for 39 months. This will be recouped by the builder, Eiffage, under a 75-year concession.



The Millau Viaduct’s sustainable development outlook guarantees it trouble-free operation for 120 years. The Millau Viaduct is an artistic and engineering marvel. It is the tallest vehicular bridge in the world, with one pier’s summit at 343 metres (1,125 ft) —slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower and only 38 m (125 ft) shorter than the Empire State Building. The bridge has the optimum span between cable-stayed columns. It is delicate, transparent, and uses the minimum material, which makes it less costly to construct. Each of its sections spans 342m and its columns range in height from 75 meters to 235 meters - higher than the Eiffel Tower - with the masts rising a further 90 meters above the road deck. To accommodate the expansion and contraction of the concrete deck, each column splits into two thinner, more flexible columns below the roadway, forming an A-frame above deck level. This structure creates a dramatic silhouette - and crucially it makes the minimum intervention in the landscape.



It uses the minimum amount of material, which made it less costly to construct: the deck, the masts rising above the road deck and the multi-span cables are all in steel. Construction work used approx. 127,000m of concrete, 19,000t of steel-reinforced concrete and 5,000t of reinforcing steel for cables and 85,000 cubic meters of concrete - enough to fill London’s Albert Hall. In total, the viaduct weighs 290,000t.



The bridge’s construction broke three world records:
* The highest piles in the world: piles P2 and P3, 244.96 and 221.05 metres in height respectively, broke the French record previously held by the Tulle and Verrieres Viaducts (141m), and the world record previously held by the Kochertal Viaduct (Germany), which peaked at 181 metres;
* The highest mast in the world: the height of the mast atop pile P2, peaks at 343m.
* The highest road bridge deck in the world, which is 270m above the Tarn River at its highest point. Only the bridge deck of the Royal Gorge Bridge (321m) in Colorado, United States is higher, and is considered the highest bridge in the world
However, the roadbed of the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado in the United States tops this with its roadbed which towers 1,053 feet (321 meters) above the river below. Based upon height of roadbed, the Royal Gorge Bridge is the highest in the world while based upon mast height, the Millau Viaduct is the highest in the world. Regardless of which is the highest, the Millau Viaduct is the clear winner in terms of length and beauty.



Construction began in October 2001, and by November the following year, the highest pier had already reached 100m in height. Launching the deck started in February 2003, and was completed by May 2004. When it opened on 17 December 2004, the spectacular Millau Viaduct set new standards in both planning design and construction - without mentioning the record it set as the largest cable-stayed bridge in Europe.
 
Top