AMAZING GRACE

This article reports an interview with A Low, a designer of the bridge in the Oresund Fixed Link. The 27km long road and rail link between Denmark and Sweden is expected to become a key part of a new economic region. Its completion on time, within budget, and without outstanding claims, is excellent. A Low of Ove Arup has been involved closely with the Oresund Project from its start, and led several of its bridge design teams. Arup was part of the ASO Group which won the competition to provide the concept design for the crossing in 1983. Unusually, the client had only outlined the concept and its parameters, and gave the designers full scope to use their expertise. One relevant factor in designing the 8km long bridge, with its central cable-stayed spans, was resistance to impact on the piers by ships in the busy sea channel and on the towers by aircraft. Extensive numerical studies had to be made to achieve the optimal balance between bridge efficiency and aesthetics. It was decided not to have cross members linking pairs of pylons but to have the pylons standing free. On the completed high bridge, the four towers now rise 204m above sea level, and the cables are anchored to the superstructure every 20m. The cast-in-situ concrete upper deck carries the motorway, and the lower steel box the railway tracks.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03077683
• Corporate Authors:

  EMAP CONSTRUCT LIMITED

  151 ROSEBERY AVENUE
  LONDON,   United Kingdom  EC1R 4QX
• Authors:
  • CRUICKSHANK, J
• Publication Date: 2000-7-6

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 32-3
• Serial:
  • NEW CIVIL ENGINEER
  • Issue Number: 1362
  • Publisher: EMAP CONSTRUCT LIMITED
  • ISSN: 0307-7683

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aesthetics; Bridge piers; Bridge towers; Bridges; Cable stayed bridges; Design; Economic efficiency; Fixed routes; Highways; Mathematical models; Railroad tracks; Underwater tunnels
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency
• Geographic Terms: Denmark; Sweden
• ITRD Terms: 9107: Aesthetics; 3455: Bridge; 3434: Bridge pier; 8028: Denmark; 9011: Design (overall design); 5911: Efficiency; 3363: Fixed link (transmaritime); 2755: Highway; 6473: Mathematical model; 3417: Stayed girder bridge; 8109: Sweden; 3440: Tower (bridge)
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Economics; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00799658
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Oct 6 2000 12:00AM