ALE reach first bridge launch milestone in Serbia

ALE has reached the first project milestone of the Zezelj bridge launch in Novi Sad, Serbia, and has completed the launch of the first section.

The global heavylifting providers were contracted by Azvi to perform the bridge launch. The project started in June 2017 and involves jacking and weighing, as well as launching two arches and two span sections. ALE has deployed jacks, load cells, hydraulic winches and pontoons, as well as a skidding system, a ballast system and a bespoke gantry designed especially for the project.

The first manoeuvre consisted of jacking-up the first bridge section, weighing 4,750t, using 16 jacks with 7,600t capacity.

In order to make the project as cost and time effective as possible, ALE has sought alternative engineering solution by adapting the height of the gantry for several river levels and using a modular steel structure with the combination of hydraulic jacks on top the main columns.

Francisco Gómez, Project Engineer for ALE, said: “We have a team of bridge experts working on this and, by finding a solution that will allow the client to install the bridge with a range of 4m between the water levels, we are reducing the project costs and optimising the overall duration of the project so the remaining building work of the railway infrastructure can continue.

“By providing beneficial solutions such as these, we can showcase our capabilities in the sector. Now we have completed the engineering phase, the first jacking operation, and launching operations of the first bridge section, we can continue to progress to the next stage of this complex project.”

The project is expected to complete in October 2017.