Transportation and assembly of temporary bridge - Albert Channel
Transportation and assembly of temporary bridge - Albert Channel
Samenvatting
While writing this report, the construction is ongoing of the Oosterweel Connection project of the ring of Antwerp ongoing. This project is about completing the ring of Antwerp from West to North around the city. This project aims to improve the connectivity around the city and the port of Antwerp. A collaboration between different companies manages the project under the name ‘ROCO’. The project is part of a bigger development project in Belgium enacted by the state.
In this project are parts of the ring road redeveloped. In order to replace the road, the old road must be demolished. In this research, we are zooming in on the viaduct of Merksem, which is going to be replaced with a lowered road section. This is a problem as the viaduct is part of the ring of Antwerp.
To minimise the impact on traffic, ROCO is going to construct a temporary reroute. This temporary route will replace the 3-lane road and make it possible to work on one direction of the ring without cutting off the traffic.
A bridge is required to go over the Albert Channel for this temporary route. ROCO designed a tied arch bridge which has to function for 10 years until the completion of the new connection. ASK Romein Hillebrand is tendering for this contract and therefore needs to work out how this bridge is going to be built and transported.
In this report, the transportation and installation of a temporary bridge over the Albert Channel are analysed and worked out. The bridge cannot be transported in one piece as it has to pass under several bridges when it is transported from the construction facility of ASK Romein Hillebrand in Flushing to Antwerp. Different options are analysed to analyse the best method of transport, 3 options to transport the arch and 2 options to transport the bridge deck. A multi-Criteria Analysis chooses the best option; this option is further worked out.
The transport and installation methods are analysed to verify the feasibility of the best options. In this analysis are aspects checked as bending, internal 3D stress, support locations, stability, and internal forces. Tools such as SCIA Engineer 21.1, AutoCAD, Eurocode 1, and excel for hand calculations are used for this analysis.
This research shows that the best way to transport the bridge is to remove the arch from the deck and transport each arch in 3 sections on top of the bridge deck. This is the cheapest and easiest way to transport the bridge and later assemble it. The bridge will be set next to the channel in Antwerp, where it will be assembled. The order of assembly is to place the side arch sections first on support towers; a support tower will temporarily support these sections, and the hangers will be placed next. Continuing, the middle arch section will be placed on top of the support towers and slowly lowered while the hangers are installed underneath (from the middle to the sides). For this, the hangers are checked on buckling to verify if they are able to support the bridge’s arch. Continuing can the arches be welded together, after which the crossbeams can be installed. When the crossbeams are installed, the support towers can be removed. Now the remaining hangers, which were obstructed by the support towers, can be installed.
As a measure to comply with the stress-free installation requirement is a construction proposed around the main beam of the bridge to transfer loads of the arches’ support towers around the main beam to a support tower underneath. This method avoids unusual and heavy loads and stresses on the main beam, which is undesired. Now the bridge is complete, can it be moved over the channel to its final position for at least the next 10 years. The purpose of the bridge after its 10-year lifespan is still unclear.
Organisatie | HZ University of Applied Sciences |
Opleiding | Civiele Techniek |
Afdeling | Domein Technology, Water & Environment |
Partner | Hillebrand B.V., Ritthem |
Datum | 2022-07-01 |
Type | Bachelor |
Taal | Engels |