Title: Viaduct over Ulla River in the Atlantic High Speed Railway Line: A composite (steel-concrete) truss world record

Author(s): Millanes Mato, F.; Ortega Cornejo, M.; Estévez Sánchez, Rubén A.

Publication: ACHE

Volume: 66

Issue: 277

Appears on pages(s): 165 - 190

Keywords: Steel structure; Truss; Double composite action; Balanced cantilevers; Lifting; Launching

DOI:

Date: 1/5/2015

Abstract:
With the commissioning of the Atlantic High Speed Railway Line between Pontevedra and A Coruña, in the spring of 2015, the viaduct over the river Ulla has achieved the world record in the typology of high speed composite truss bridge, with three main spans of 225 + 240 + 225 m. This exceeds the Nantenbach Bridge over Main River in Germany, which held the record since its conclusion in 1993 with a 208 m span.This article describes in detail the design and the main features of the viaduct, the new system of quality control of the execution implemented with great success. A description is also presented on the complex and outstanding construction processes used for the execution of the deck of the bridge and the foundation of the piers located on the river, with the exceptional temporary works that have been fabricated ex profeso for the execution.