Project Description

AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION WITH VSL HEAVY LIFTING FOR SINGLE SPAN BRIDGES

The Spanish Ministry of Civil Works decided to improve the access road to the Alpujarras area and build the Lanjaron viaduct in the province of Granada. Due to the depth of the valley to be spanned and the necessity to preserve the rests of a historical bridge built in the 11th century, it was impossible to use intermediate bearings and a launching solution was adopted.

The structure, which had to be launched, was a bow string formed by two parallel trusses with a single span of 114 m and a weight of 504 t.

VLS Spain, supported by the Heavy Lifting expertise from VLS Switzerland, was awarded the contract for the launching works including the design, supply and installation of temporary structures.

After the construction of the structure, the launching operation was carried out in two distinct phases. To cover the first 64 m, the structure was loaded with a counter-weight and was moved with the help of two VSL SLU-70 units. From this advanced position, the cables for the second phase were installed from the extremity of the bridge to the towers and concrete structures installed at the other side of the valley.

The principle of the movement during the second phase was like the effect of a fishing line that would take one extremity of the bridge from the opposite abutment and would pull it across the valley. 

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