A6 Grumbachtalbrücke

Assembly start of the 2nd construction phase of the Grumbach Valley Bridge near St. Ingbert

In April 2023, construction work on the 1st construction phase of the Grumbach Valley Bridge was completed and traffic was diverted to the newly constructed structure. Following the demolition of the existing structure and the construction of the first substructures, our assembly team has now set up the construction site for the assembly of the steel structure of the 2nd construction phase (substructure 1) for the Mannheim direction of travel.

In the first assembly phase, two auxiliary supports were erected over the past few weeks to store the 262-tonne steel structures. The first large components were then transported overnight from our plant in Darmstadt to the construction site in Saarland using heavy goods vehicles. There they were first turned on the ground and then lifted into their final position using two 650 tonne mobile cranes. Once the steel parts had been successfully lifted into place, the component joints were welded and then coated with corrosion protection.

A total of 22 sections and 6 cross beams for the entire substructure are assembled in this way.

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BW3-1 Overfly

Overfly structure at Nuremberg East motorway junction moved to final position

Big praise for our project management and assembly team! Last Thursday, the final shifting of the 588 m long ‘Overfly structure over the A9 motorway at the Nuremberg East junction into its final position was completed with great precision.

Now the shunting rockers can be dismantled and the stacking towers erected so that the 8600 tonne steel structure can be stacked to its final height. The yellow front fork has fulfilled its function for moving the steel superstructure including the 5 pairs of pylons standing on it using the incremental launching method and can now be dismantled.

The ‘Overfly’ construction project comprises the construction of a 6-span bridge that spans the Nuremberg East motorway junction and crosses the A6 (Heilbronn – Amberg), the A9 (Berlin – Munich), the Amberg Munich ramp (2x) and the distributor carriageway (Berlin – Amberg).

Donges SteelTec manufactured and assembled the 588 m long six-span steel composite bridge, which impressively spans the individual support spans of 115 m with a total of 5 pairs of pylons. Up to 55 stranded cables form the cables of the stay cables. 8600 tonnes of steel were required for the construction of the flyover.

The incremental launching method of the steel composite deck slab with pylon spans of 64.00 m + 4 x 115.00 m + 64.00 m = 588.00 m over flowing motorway traffic posed a particular challenge for this bridge structure.

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A3 Steigerwald Motorway

Successful pylon installation on the Steigerwald motorway

Another milestone was reached on the A3 Steigerwald motorway last Wednesday: the pylons of the BW314a structure were successfully moved into position by the Donges installation team. This bridge is the twenty-first of a total of 22 planned steel structures and the first cable-stayed bridge in the project.

The pylons are technically challenging as they are inclined in two directions when viewed from above. The cross-section tapers towards the top. The pylons were assembled using two mobile cranes. Thanks to a hinged construction, the mobile cranes were then able to erect the pylons safely and precisely. There was a critical tilting moment during which the pylon swung through on the crane hook. This method made it possible to bring the pylon into a vertical position in a controlled manner and at the same time anchor it to the intended attachment points.

The bridge was planned almost exclusively with the help of 3-dimensional models, which made the construction and assembly planning much more precise.

In terms of steel construction, the BW314a structure is probably the most beautiful and challenging bridge on the Steigerwald motorway. As a cable-stayed bridge, it will attract attention above all through its architectural aesthetics.

With the successful erection of the pylons, the major project is nearing completion, at least as far as the steel construction is concerned.

The A3 Steigerwald motorway is a major infrastructure project that is of great importance for both local and national traffic.The expansion and modernisation of the route is expected to significantly improve road safety and traffic flow.

The client and the companies involved can look back with pride on the work carried out so far, which has paved the way for a modern and efficient transport artery through the Steigerwald.

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BW3-1 Overfly

Penultimate shifting cycle of the Overfly bridge over the Nuremberg East motorway junction successfully completed

The penultimate shifting cycle of the Overfly bridge structure was successfully completed by the Donges SteelTec assembly team.

The so-called extradosed bridge was moved into its final position using the incremental launching method. The steel superstructure of the bridge is prefabricated in sections at one end of the bridge on the pre-assembly site. From there, it is then moved to the opposite end of the bridge.

The incremental launching method makes it possible to avoid interfering with traffic as far as possible, as the bridge is moved across the motorway junction above the clearance of the lanes.

The Overfly bridge, including the already installed pylons and cables, is shifted in 6 cycles with a maximum shifting distance of 115 metres. The 50-metre-long stem spade bridges the free spans during the shifting process and compensates for the deflection of the bridge due to its own weight when it hits the next pier. Shifting takes two days per cycle. It takes place on special shifting rockers and is carried out with the aid of special shifting plates that allow the steel structure to slide forwards successively. This allows the shunting load that the hydraulic presses have to apply to be reduced accordingly.

The composite steel construction, which is 588 metres long in total, spans the individual support spans of 115 metres impressively with a total of 5 pairs of pylons. Up to 55 stranded cables form the cables of the stay cables. A total of approx. 8,600 tonnes of steel will be used for the 588 m long bridge.

The components of the 6th cycle will be assembled over the next few months. The final shifting will take place in autumn 2024.

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Engineering performance at its best!

Bar arch bridge for the western regional bypass in Frankfurt lifted into place with great precision.

Darmstadt, 03.06.2024. In a spectacular operation, the 1300-tonne tied-arch bridge with a span of 113 metres was installed in its final position over the railway tracks of the Frankfurt-Mannheim line at the Waldstadion in Frankfurt am Main on Friday. This makes the future route of the Regional Tangent West (RTW) clearly visible for the first time: its light rail vehicles are scheduled to run over the bridge from 2028.

The Donges SteelTec assembly team began preparations for the final assembly of the bridge on Wednesday. In order to hoist the steel colossus into position, it was first stored on two huge mobile platforms (SPMT) in the days leading up to its installation. The self-propelled modular transporters with their 288 individually steerable wheels were set in motion late on Corpus Christi evening and manoeuvred the bridge as close as possible to the tracks. A lattice boom crawler crane then took over on the opposite side of the tracks and gently lifted the steel giant over the tracks.

A total of 500 tonnes of counterweights were needed so that the crane monster could hold half the bridge load of 680 tonnes. These were brought in by 20 articulated lorries, while 70 lorry transports were needed to erect the crane. For hours on Friday morning, the bridge was suspended from the crane on one side while it was attached to the eastern abutment. At midday, the crane then lowered the striking tied-arch bridge onto the western abutment, accompanied by applause from the numerous spectators. The work seemed slow, but the time pressure was great. Deutsche Bahn had only closed the railway line between Niederrad and the airport for 24 hours.

The Donges team on site was visibly satisfied and proud of the smooth installation process. ‘On a lift like this, it’s important that everyone knows what their job is and that everyone communicates well with each other. We are an experienced and well-rehearsed team and recognise our responsibility for the safety of those involved and the structure. A big thank you to everyone who made this great engineering achievement possible,’ says the responsible Donges project manager, Aaron von der Heyden.

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Ground-breaking ceremony for the Mainflingen Bridge

On Thursday, 2 May 2024, the official start of construction of the Mainflingen Main Bridge took place. Over the next 7 years, the replacement construction of the 450 metre long bridge will be realised by the consortium Adam Hörnig Baugesellschaft mbH & Co. KG and Donges SteelTec GmbH. The current bridge is a three-span tension chord construction with a span of 62.5 – 135 – 62.5 metres. It is followed by a 190 metre long foreshore bridge in prestressed concrete construction.

The federal government is investing around 192 million euros in this construction project. It is due to be opened to traffic in 2031

A 3D model of the Mainflingen Main Bridge, which was created on the basis of BIM planning, gave the guests on this day an impression of this challenging bridge construction project.

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EÜ Erbach – New project for our bridge construction team

A new tied-arch bridge will be built near Bad Camberg in 2025

Congratulations to our bridge construction team on the new contract! Together with the construction company Albert Weil AG, we have been commissioned by DB Netz AG to build the new Erbach railway overpass near Bad Camberg.

Approx. 720 tonnes of steel are required for the 2-track tied arch superstructure with reinforced concrete abutments. The entire steel structure will be manufactured at our plant in Darmstadt and then transported to the construction site in central Hesse using heavy goods vehicles. There, the components will be welded together at the pre-assembly site to form the approx. 60 metre long bar arch and then the supporting structure will be driven into its final position in October 2025 using SPMTs (Self-Propelled Modular Transporters). A particular challenge for our assembly crew will be to install the bridge precisely during a shutdown period.

 

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Lifting in the new foot and cycle path bridge over the B426 in Mühltal

Special geometry of the bridge requires a high degree of precision from our welders

After 10 weeks of production, the foot and cycle path bridge over the B426 in Mühltal, Hesse, was lifted into place in the night of 16 to 17 February 2024. The bridge has created a publicly accessible footpath and cycle path between Rheinstraße and the Ruckelshausen business park, which also provides access to the Riese & Müller company car park.

The biggest challenge when lifting the centre section of the bridge was to simultaneously insert the 4.5 m wide and 23 m long steel structure into six differently orientated supports with the help of two cranes during the lowering process. The two stairway sections were placed to the north and south of the bridge during the night and will be welded in place over the next few days. A total of 114 tonnes of steel were used for the bridge, including the superstructure, stairs, supports, railings and steps.

Special praise is due to the welding specialists at Donges SteelTec. They met the special welding requirements of the geometrically demanding steel bridge with great precision.

 

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New suspension bridge over the River Main

Sophisticated assembly concept – Donges SteelTec scores with many years of experience and expertise in bridge construction

The consortium consisting of Adam Hörnig GmbH and Donges SteelTec GmbH was commissioned by the federal motorway authority Autobahn GmbH with the replacement construction of the Main bridge near Mainflingen. Our company’s expertise and many years of experience in the field of bridge assembly was a particularly important aspect in the successful acquisition of the contract.

The old Main bridge at Mainflingen on the BAB 45 motorway is being replaced by an elegant bridge with a tensioned chord structure.

At the location of the bridge, the River Main forms the state border between Mainhausen in Hesse and Kleinostheim in Bavaria. A slender steel composite construction and the low overall height of the bridging structure ensure that the replacement structure blends harmoniously into the varied river landscape.

The two superstructures have a total length of 450 metres. The 260 m long river bridge is designed as a three-span continuous girder in pure steel construction for the main supporting girders in the longitudinal direction of the bridge and in composite steel construction for the cross girders and carriageway slab structure. The supporting structure consists of a steel trough with box-shaped longitudinal girders and is spanned by chords, which are also box-shaped. The tension chord construction allows a slender centre span of 135.00 m above the river Main with two equal side spans of 62.50 m each. The slenderness in the centre of the span is approx. L/45. The tension chords are supported by approx. 15.00 m high pylons.

The displacement of the pylon locations compared to the existing structure results in a symmetrical situation along the Main axis.

The installation specialists from Donges SteelTec face a particular challenge. Due to the one-piece cross-section of the existing bridge, it is not possible to demolish half of it. The first superstructure (RiFa Gießen) of the A45 over the Main must therefore be built in a lateral position and later shifted crosswise over a length of 450 metres. The assembly of the steel structure is just as challenging. This will be constructed at the final position above the foreland on both sides of the Main on skidways and shifted longitudinally over the Main. The approx. 500 tonne centre section is then floated in over the Main, lifted and welded.

The entire construction project will last until 2031 and is an important milestone in the redevelopment of the German bridge landscape.

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Reconstruction of the Ahrtal railway

Donges SteelTec manufactures and assembles the steel structures for nine railway bridges

In the course of the flood disaster in July 2021, large parts of the Deutsche Bahn rail network in the Ahr valley were destroyed. Now, bridges and railway embankments along the route are to be rebuilt in a highly water-resistant manner. The main focus is on the bridges. The former round arch bridges are to be given a slimmer construction during the reconstruction in order to offer the (flood) water as little surface of attack as possible.

Donges SteelTec has been commissioned to manufacture, deliver and assemble the steel structures (4300 t) for nine steel trough bridges. The contract also includes workshop and assembly planning as well as all corrosion protection services, bearings, transition structure and railings.

We are pleased to be able to contribute to the reconstruction of the Ahr valley and are convinced that the decision to build the new bridges sustainably in steel construction is an additional measure to increase resilience against possible future flood events.

 

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