Construction time 6 years
A strategic infrastructural work, immediately ready for construction and a driving force for economic growth, assigned at the end of a long international tender process, which makes possible the creation of one of the largest metropolitan systems in the Mediterranean, motivating both the development of the railway network in Sicily, and the construction of the Salerno-Reggio Calabria-Messina-Palermo high-speed/high-capacity railway axis. This is what the Engineering Director underlined today Webuild Michele Longo, during a parliamentary hearing at Joint Commissions VIII (Environment, territory and public works) and IX (Transport, post and telecommunications) regarding the construction of the stable connection between Sicily and Calabria.
“The Bridge over the Strait of Messina – he underlines – it is a highly innovative work and will be the longest suspended in the world, with a total length of 3,660m and a span of 3,300m. The Eurolink Consortium, which won the tender for its construction and of which Webuild is the leader, is made up of an international grouping of companies among the most qualified in the world in the design and construction of bridges” Longo declared. Webuild alone boasts a track record of 1,018km of bridges and viaducts built in Italy and abroad, including the Second and Third Bosphorus Bridges in Turkey and the Genoa San Giorgio Bridge in Italy.”
“The bridge over the Strait of Messina is an immediately ready-to-build work. As soon as the addendum for reinstatement of the contract has been signed, the project can start. The duration of the executive design is expected to be 8 months, while the time required for the construction of the bridge will be just over 6 years. Webuild, as leader of the Eurolink Consortium, has the sole interest of carrying out the work and therefore makes itself available to the country to start the works as soon as possible”, continued Longo.
From a technical point of view, “the studies carried out and developed over time have led to the elaboration of aa type of aerodynamically stable deck (“Messina Type Deck”), which is already successfully used (abroad) for the new construction of long-span bridges, such as the Chanakkale Bridge in Turkey, which is currently the longest suspension bridge in the world”, continued Longo .
“The deck accommodates two road carriageways with 3 lanes in each direction (two for travel and one emergency) and a double-track railway track, allowing vehicular traffic flow of 6,000 vehicles/hour and passage of up to 200 trains/day ”, he stressed
“The bridge has a maximum height in the center of about 74m above sea level and guarantees a 600m wide navigation channel with a minimum navigable clearance of 65.5m in height, which respects the world standard of 65 metres, allowing for an easy passage to all the boats that transit today in the Mediterranean. The Bridge as designed is stable and safe. The aerodynamic stability of the deck is guaranteed for winds of up to 300 km/h, with unrestricted passability on the bridge up to winds of 150 km/h. For the aspects related to seismic checks, the bridge has a structural integrity requirement compatible with an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 Richter, superior to the Messina earthquake of 1908 “, he concluded.
Source-www.adnkronos.com