Dismantling of service railway bridge - International Rhine-Stream-Control

Bridges, Infrastructure

Building category

Earth- and soil engineering, Solid construction, Steel construction

Construction method

Detail planning, Planning of structural framework

Performed services

Inland

Region

October 2018

Processing time from

March 2020

Processing time until

DI Rudolf Pernkopf

Project manager

DI Sascha Grujic

Substitute project manager

Internationale Rheinregulierung, Rheinbauleitung Österreich

Client

Frame bridges

Type of bridge

Description of project

The former service railway bridge crossed the Rhine at km 73,38 from Mäder (A) to Kriessern (CH). On grounds of flood protection (incomplete freeboard resp. danger of jams) and due to the enormous efforts for an uplift and renewal/a new building of the bridge the International Rhine-Stream-Control (IRR) decided to dismantle and excavate the service bridge completely.

Description of tasks

  • Planning and creation of the dismantling-/demolition concept for the steel framework bridge as well as the reinforced concrete pillars on the foreland and in the main channel of the Rhine
    • Maximum span in the main channel 2 x approx. 37 m (weight 67 t each)
    • Maximum span on foreland approx. 15 m
  • Detailed analysis of variants incl. cost estimate as basis for the optimal decision making regarding the dismantling method
    • Collapse/lowering of the bridge section on to a large-scale temporary filling in the Rhine underneath the bridge
    • Securing of the bridge sections with replacement beams and step-by-step dismantling directly above the main channel
    • Lifting of the bridge sections above the Rhine in one piece: survey of several types of cranes (220 t, 500 t, 1000 t) in combination with different fill cubage in the riverbed of the Rhine
    • Lifting both bridge elements as well as the steel concrete pillars in the Rhine with a 1000-tonnes crawler crane of the Emil Egger plc. was determined as the preferred alternative. This meant great advantages regarding safety at work and water protection (hardly any work had to be carried out above the river) and a minimal effort in earthworks (no fill in the cross section).
  • In-situ survey and exact weight determination of the steel framework bridge elements
  • Structural recalculation of the existing bridge
  • Planning of access roads to the construction site in Austria and in Switzerland
  • Support of the International Rhine-Stream-Control regarding the creation of tender offers
  • Monitoring of construction during the period of realisation

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