I New trends in prestressed concrete bridges

Michel Virlogeux

This paper aims to give an overview of the recent evolution in the design and construction of prestressed concrete
bridges worldwide. Several major trends are evidenced. Certainly those which have the larger influence for the
industry due to their wide applications are the development of external prestressing, now systematically used in
some countries for medium span bridges; the emergence of high performance concrete which extends the
possibilities at the -me time as improving the durability of concrete siructures; and the more and more frequent
assmiation of steel and concrete to constitute compMite bridges of different iypes and composite elements in
bridges, allowing for many innovative structures. Considering more specific applications, a section is devoted to
cable-stayed bridges which received very interesting development during the last ten years; and another section
evokes the more and more extensive use of h e a y prefabrication in large projects, with elements up to several
thousand metric tons. The paper concludes with a word on bridge architecture, showing that good structural
designs can produce elegant prestressed concrete bridges.

M. Virlogeux
Consulting Engineer and
Designer
Foreword
This paper was initially prepared as a keynote
lecture for the FIP 1994 Congress in Washing-
ton. As this lecture had been a last minute
replacement, it has not been published in the
proceedings. Since then, it has been updated
several times to be finally published in Struc-
tural Concrete.
It aims to give an ovewiew of the major
wends in the design and construcfion of con-
crete bridges including the association of steel
and concrete and the development of new
materials.
Rapid development of external
prestressing
One of the major trends in the recent evolution
of prestressed concrete bridges is the increas-
ing use of external prestressing.
Modern applications of external
prestressing
External tendons were used in the first applica-
tions of prestressing either as the final solution
or as a first step to bonded prestressing ten-
dons. But with the development of prestres-
sing sptems. the idea was almost abandoned.
The use of external tendons became an
obligation in France in the seventies when
we had to install additional prestressing ten-
dons in existing bridges built by the cantilever
method when thermal gradients, friction
losses and hyperstatic creep effects had been
underestimated. This allowed for a rapid devel-
opment of an adapted techndogy with ducts
in high density polyethylene (HOPE).
The idea carne wry YXM of using these
external tendons for the erection of new
bridges; the first applkations were in the US
by lean Muller, at the time associated with
Eugene Figg, for the bridges in the Florida
Keys. Very soon after, we developed new soh-
tions in France, for different iypes of bridges.
Design and erection techniques
in his first applications, Jean Muller anchored
all external tendons at the piers, in a thick
anchorage cross-beam, with deviations in the
spans. we totally the concept and
almost all applications where external tendons
have been anchored in the spans, in blisters or
diaphragms, revealed heavier and more com-
plex.
But this efficient solution has an evident
drawback the complete span must be erected
before the installation of external tendons and
something must balance self-weights. The
organisation of extemal tendons is thus totally
dependent on the erection technique.
Span by span erection. All the first applica-
tions of external prestressing by Jean Muller
were for bridges built span by span with
precast segments. Each new span was
erected on a mobile truss which supported
the precast segments before the closing with
the previous span by a wet joint and before
the installation of external tendons: Long
Key, Channel Five, Niles Channel and many
others (Figures 1-3).
Alternative techniques were developed in
the US and in France: with a launching gantry,
lifting the assembled span, such as for the
Seven Mile bridge or for the access spans to
the Sunshine Skyway bridge; with a temporary
cable-staying system such as for the Vallon des
Fleurs and la Banquiere viaduN in France;
with a launching gantry suspending all precast
segments from the previous span, such as for
the Bubiyan bridge; or with a launching beam
supporting all segments such as used by Freys-
sinet for the bridges on the Romulo Bettan-
court motorway in Venezuela (Figure 4) or
for a series of viaducts in Bangkok (Figure 5).
This technique has k e n recently intr*
duced in Japan with the erection of the Yatomi
viaduct near Nagoya by the Japan Highway
CorPoration 6).
Construction by the balanced cantilwer
method. For bridges built by the cantilever
method, we developed a new concept with
internal and external tendons: self-weight
(and the weight of mobile carriages) is
balanced by internal tendons which remain
in the upper nodes of the Cross-SeCtion to

A Figure 1 Erection sequence for the Long Key bridge, Florida
A Figure 2 Erection of the Long Key
bridge, Florida (Courtesy of Figg and
Muller)
'Y Figure 3 Tha external tendons in a side
span of the iong Key bridge, Florida
(Courtesy of Figg and Muller)
w 1
A Figure 4 Romulo Bettancourt
Expressway. Venezuela: installation of
precast segments on erection beams
(Courtesy of Freyssinet)
A Figure S Bangkok Expressways,
Thailand one of the launching beams to
suspend precast segments (Courtesy of
Freyssinet)
have no tendon in the webs and to maintain
all practical advantages of external prestres-
sing; after the closure of the span, external
tendons are installed from suppori to sup-
port, anchored in thick cross-beams on sup-
poN and dwiated in the spans (Figure 7)
The first application was for the la Fleche
bridge where cantilevers were built on scaf-
A Figure 6 Yatomi Viadwt Japan: the
segments of one span suspended from the
launching beam
foldings on the banks and installed by rota-
tion around the piers. But many other
applications followed, among which the
most important are the R Island bridge,
the Chevire bridge and the Arrt Darr via-
duct (Figures 8-1 O).
The most recent applications have been for
the new High Speed Train line between Lyon
and Marseille. The French Railways accepted
external prestressing for several bridges includ-
ing the Avignon viaducts which were built
from precast segments As regards the distri-
bution of external tendons, our design has
been amended by the contractor, Eouygues
and G T M following an idea already applied
A Figure 7 Internal cantilever tendons and
final external tendons in a bridge built by
the cantilever method
_* * ,
A Figure 8 The launching beam of the li
Island bridge reaching a new pier
(Couriesy of G. Forquet SETRA)

A Figure 9 The installation of a pair of
new segments in the R Island bridge
(Courtesy of Bouygues)
A Figure 10 The Chevir bridge over the
river Loire (Courtesy of G.Forquet S E W )
in the eighties by Jacques Fauchart, the exter-
na tendons are not anchored at the supports
to reduce the weight of the on-pier segment
elements; they are anchored in the spans on
blisters in such a way to double their effective
number in the mid-span zone (Figures 11.
12).
Construction by the incremental launching
method. For bridges built by the incremental
launching method, we developed soiutions by
sieps with Claude Servant, Michel Piacidi and
Jacques Combault.
The first step consisted of using internal
tendons during launching, installed in the
upper and lower nodes of the cross-5ection;
some straight and temporary external tendons
might be installed to increase prestressing
forces when necessary. Ater launching. exter-
A Figure 11 The Avignon viaducts during
erection. Over the river Rhone (Courtesy Of
Bouygues)
Figure l2 The Avignon viaducts Over
the liver Rhome (COufiWY Of BOUYgWs)
iQ8
A Figure 13 Internal tendons installed before launching the boxgirder and final
external tendons in a classical arrangement. (a) in construction: (b) in service
nal tendons are placed with a classical design:
anchorage at the supports and deviations in
the spans (Figure 13). Temporary external ten-
dons, if any, are removed and the internal ten-
dons might be organised in such a way that
some are removed since this is unfavourable in
the final situation. Some internal tendons can
also be added, in the lower nodes in the spans
or in the upper nodes at the supports (Roque-
billere and Poncin viaducts).
The final solution is more efficient. A part
of the permanent external tendons-generaliy
half of them-is installed in the box-girder
before launching, balanced by as many exter-
nal temporary tendons which have an opposite
layout and thus are called antagonist tendons;
this results in axial prestressing forces as neces-
sary. After launching, temporary antagonist
tendons are detensioned and re-used. one by
one, as final external tendons with a classical
layout: anchorage at the supports and devia-
tions in the spans (Figure 14). Of course, inter-
nal tendons can be placed in upper and lower
nodes all along the bridge before or after
launching in the zones where they are effi-
cient. The concept has been developed by
steps: Marseille no. 33 viaduct, Val de Durance
viaduct, Amiens viaduct, Charix viaduct and
the access spans to the Normandie bridge
where the final system has been fully applied
for the first time (Figures 15-18). Temporary
straight external tendons have been used dur-
ing launching in some applications such as for
the Charix viaduct.
We had to oppose some contractors who
aimed at building bridges with horizontal
external tendons only, installed before launch-
ing. This results in a poor distribution of per-

ia:
13)
A ngwe 14 Final external and temporary antagonist external tendons installed before
launching, with additional external tendons installad after laUnchin9 the boxgirdar: (a)
in constructbn; (b) in service
A Figure 15 The Amiem viaduct over the
river Somme (Courtesy of Campenon
ernard)
A Rgure 16 The Charix viaduct on the A40
motorway (Courtesy of Claude Servant for
UTRA-Spie Batignolles)
manent stresses-even when fullfilling code
requiremenwnd cannot be compared to
designs where external tendons are deviated
in the spans, counteracting by their deviations
60-70% of vertical gravity forces
These concepts were later developed in
A Due to the size of these projects, and for a
A Figure 17 Normandie bridge: bunching
South access spans (Courtesy of G.
Forquet, SElA)
A Figure 18 Normandie bridge: final and
temporary external tendons in the central
cell of the boxgirder during launching
(Courtesy of G. Forquet. SETRA)
Germany by Professor Eibl with slightly differ-
ent designs
Construction from complete spans. We shall
describe later very large projects which are
now multiplying all over the world and
which are producing an evolution in design
and construction. They call for prefabrication
in very large units and for heavy lifting.
greater efficiency. the idea came of ereaing
bridges from complete spans, prefabricated-
and orestressed-on a vard and later installed
with suitable equipment. If the bridge is made
of a series of simply supported spans, directly
installed on the supports, the tendons can be
placed on the prefabrication yard with an
adapted design, either internal or external;
the situation is more complex when the design
aims a t restoring a continuous deck from the
complete spans
Cowl-Consult .DroDosed
. - for
such a desian
the access spans to the Eastern Bridge of the
Storebaelt. The precast un& were shorter than
the final spans and prestressed with external
tendons; they were lifted between the piers
and installed on temporary supports anchored
to the piers. The gap between two successive
units was later filled by concreting the on-pier
segment with its main cross-beam; and then
prestressing tendons were installed to balance
all loads. mainly very shori tendons upon sup-
ports to extend the existing external tendons in
the precast units on both sides.
We did not consider such a design very
efficient. when invited to give an opinion.
but we failed to propose a better one.
We kept this problem in mind and the solu-
tion came naturally when we discovered a
similar solution proposed by Trafalgar and
Campenon Bernard for the Central viaduct of
the Vasco de Gama bridge over the River
Tagus in Lisbon.
As the erection technique was still open,
we recommended installation of the precast
spans on temporary bearings on the piers
themselves, just leaving a short gap between
them for a wet joint. We organised an adapted
bracing system, with the final shape of a V
centred upon the final bearings, which is
divided into two inclined cross-beams in the
fabrication situation. one in each of the two
adjacent spans. also adapted to the position of
the temporary bearings. External tendons
installed in the prefabrication yard are
anchored-at each end-in the higher part
of the inclined cross-beam. as usual; they are
balancedqn the simply supponed situation-
 A Figure 21 A precast span of the Central
viadua of the Vasco de Gama bridge,
installed on i t s supports; there are three
it>,
external tendons per web in the first
series in side spans

countries. In the United States, Jean Muller

and Eugene Figg have separately designed
many important bridges and viaduN pre-
stressed with external tendons and mainly
built from precast segments. The American
Segmental Bridge Institute (ASE) is helping
very much the development of these ideas
and techniques. The American Concrete
Institute (ACI) organised a seminar during
its Fall Convention in Houston, in 1988,
:,
r, , devoted to external prestressing and its
development. Many researches have been
A Figure 19 Construction and prestressing sequences for the Central viaduct of the performed at universities, mainly in Austin
Vasco de Gama bridge, built from fully precast spans: (a) presressing tendons installed in
under the direction of John Breen. and an
the prefabricated spans; (b) prestressing tendons instailed after closing on support (right
AASHTO code has been established for seg-
span): (c) prestressing tendons installed after closing on support (left span); (d) transfer
mental bridges, mainly oriented towards
of load from the temporary to final bearings
externally prestressed ones.
In France, 80% or more of very large road
by internal tendons installed in the lower span, crossing in the upper cross-beams
bridges are now built with external tendons,
nodes with the necessary number of them which constitute the upper part of the bracing
mainly under our influence when we were in
anchored on supports After erection. as system. resulting in an absolutely continuous
charge of the SETRA large bridges division
manv external tendons are installed in each system of external tendons. Some short inter-
nal tendons are tensioned on supports in the
lower nodes to avoid tensile stresses locally in
the lower slab (Figures 19-22),
This concept has been developed by the
contractor, Trafalgar (now Kvaerner) and
Campenon Bernard. but It is more appropriate
to describe the construction of this viaduct
later, in the chapter devoted to heavy prefab-
rication

A Figure 20 The abutment of a precast Extension of external prestressing A Figure 22 Installation of the second
typical span for the Central viaduct of the series of external tendons in a typical span
Vasco de Gama bridge, with the inclined Development of external prestressing Exter- of the Central viadua of the Vasco de
diaphragm t o anchor external tendons nal prestressing is now developing in many Gama bridge
because we consider as a major factor the
increased construction quality permitted by
external prestressing. And with the collabora-
tion of Freyssinet, we developed the concept
of replaceable external tendons, ignoring-at
the beginning-that we only reproduced the
ideas of Dischinger and Lossier.
French contractors exported these ideas:
Bubiyan bridge in Kuwait (Bouygues). Amou-
guez bridge in Morocco (Spie Batignolles).
Design offices too. mainly lean Muller Interna-
tional: viaducts of the Monterey mass transit
system (Mexico), viaducts of the Bangkok
motorways (Thailand). viaducts of the Romulo
Bettancourt motorway (with Freyssinet). Gian
bridge in Vietnam (Freyssinet and Setra).
The idea developed in Germany, Switzer-
land and Austria under the influence of Profes-
sor Eibl. Applications also exist now in
Belgium. in Italy, in Spain, in Portugal, in
Czech Republic, not forgetting the Confedera-
tion bridge in Canada which will be described
later.
7e British and German bans. We must men-
tion the ban of internal tendons which has
been decided by the authorities in Great
Britain for some years and the recent speci-
fications which forbid internal tendons for
some applications in Germany. These deci-
sions came from the corrosion of internal
tendons which developed in some bridges
due to poor grouting, producing one or
two accidents and expensive rehabilitations.
We fully understand the goals of the rele-
vant Authorities who consider necessary a
strong improvement of construction quality
and the organisation of a serious quality assur-
ance before restoring the use of classical inter-
nal and grouted tendons. But it must be clear
that-though we consider externally pre-
stressed structures efficient, allowing for a
very high quality-internal tendons constitute
a very good solution when they are conveni-
ently designed, installed, tensioned and
grouted; they cannot be replaced by external
tendons for short spans.
More generally, we must add that there is a
great danger that a higher quality will never be
reached if adapted contracts are not prepared.
All over the world, Administrations are less
concerned by the technical aspects of con-
struction; increased competition-more inter-
national-leads to lower prices and non- stressing systems that strands are independent
qualified civil servants are not in a strong posi- from each other in each tendon, eliminating
tion to prefer experienced designen and con- the risk of a brutal rupture.
tractors with higher prices. Construction We cannot overestimate the advantage of
quality can only come from good designs, external prestressing: when an external tendon
from works made by qualified and experienced is poorly grouted and breaks, we know it and
man-power and site managers with the con- can replace it; with internal tendons, it can go
venient site control, with specialised contrac- completely unnoticed.
t o n for specialised works.
In all countries, Administrations must be Conclusion. Finally, we can consider that
conscious that they take a direct and impor- design and construction are now well mas-
tant part of responsibilities when they give tered, including the behaviour of externally
contracts to unqualified designers and con- prestressed structures up to failure. We
tractors or when they give a contract such a must avoid excessive specifications, such as
low price that it is clear that, for example, no for the Severn bridge where the length of
serious control can be taken. external tendons was limited to 40% of the
span length; we must convince owners that
Grouting problems in external tendon.% external prestressing is an improvement,
Unfortunately, s o m w e r y few-external especially for railway bridges, and we can
tendons also had to suffer from poor grout- expect that it will have more and more suc-
ing. In a conference in Karlsruhe devoted to cess.
external prestressing. Walter Podolny
revealed that some external tendons broke
in the US due to a local defect in grouting. Bridges supported from below
And four external tendons broke in France in
the same conditions. A last word should be given about bridges
The problem is rather serious due to the supported from below by cables, reproducing
risks for inspectors and workers inside the a solution used during the 19th century for
box-girders: when a first strand breaks at a steel bridges with steel tension-members in
given place, it is reanchored in the grout by place of cables. The Truc de la Fare bridge,
bond even with limited confinement produced over the A75 motorway, is an excellent exam-
by HDPE ducts; its tension is then locally trans- ple (Figure 23) but the best is the Osormort
ferred, almost totally, to the remaining viaduct designed by Javier Manterola near Bar-
strands; when a second and a third strand celona (Figure 24).
break in the same area, due to corrosion, the But this is not really external prestressing:
tension increases even more in the last strands. very important stress variations can develop in
If enough strands are broken, the tension can the cables-depending on the deck flexural
surpass the yield strength in the remaining rigidity-as high or even higher than in
strands, producing a brutal rupture. cable-stayed bridges. As for the extradoued
Very severe safety requirements were spe
c*ed for the replacement of all external ten-
dons in one of the four bridges concerned in
France and the problem is to be solved in the
last three. In future, it will be possible to limit
at the same time risks and the safety require-
ments with an adapted monitoring system
either ater an accident, or better, during the
bridge lifetime.
An evolution of the prestressing technology
is needed, either by improving the grouting
technology and conditions (back to construc- Figure 23 The Truc de la Fare overpass
tion quality!), to such extent that bad grouting on the A75 motorway (Courtesy of G
can be eliminated. or by developing such pre- Forquet, SETRA)
 increasing the reinforcement ratio above
the real need.

Nevertheless we consider that composite

bridges are interesting, as one of the possible
solutions and sometimes an excellent one. For
this reason, we shall develop here two aspects:
the design of concrete slabs and other ideas /% Figure 25 Precast slab elements t o be
for a larger association of steel and concrete. connected to main girder beams through
pockets and wet joints

A Figure 24 The Osormort viaduct, Spain

(Courtesy of Javier Manterola)
Design of concrete slabs of
composite bridges
bridges which will be described later, these Going back to the influence of codes. it is evi-
cables cannot be considered as simple ten- dent that in many countries specifications are
dons much more severe for the upper-slab of a pre-
stressed concrete box-girder than for the top
slab of a composite bridge. This is illogical: the
concrete slab ignores what is below. The spe- A Figure 26 Precast slab ekmants to be
Development of Composite cifications for concrete slabs of composite connected to the steel siructure by wet
structures bridges can be very different in different coun- joints above main girdm and floor imams
tries; in some cases, not enough attention had
In many countries. for very different reasons, been given to them and this can result in
composite bridges are economically competi- severe cracks. We thus consider it necessary beams when floor beams also support the
tive In France for example they are very suc- to improve their design for an increased dur- slab (Figure 26). But such a solution is not
cessful against prestressed concrete bridges ability. the whole answer to the question: even if
for medium spans, between 40 and 80m. shrinkage could have developed in the precast
We have to decide between cast in situ
especially for small bridges. only for very slabs, slabs made of precast elements with elements, at least partly, it will m u r in the
large bridges can the high cost of construction wet joints and totally precast slabs. Cast in connecon concrete which will constitute the
equipment of concrete bridges be payed back situ slabs have very strong advantages: simple weak points in the system. And it is still diffi-
from the great volume erection and easy connection. But they have to cult to introduce longitudinal prestressing in
The great economical efficiency of compo- suffer high tensile strains produced by shrink- the concrete slab.
site bridges can be explained by several fac- age-with a full effect restrained by the steel The best soiution would be to prefabricate
tors beams-and by loads. including the effects of the top slab and to prestress it longitudinally
the concreting steps which can be important if before connecting the slab to the steel struc-
An efficient fabrication in a factory, with the steps are not well organised. In addition, it ture below: shrinkage could have developed
computer-aided equipment. The produc- is very difficult to balance by longitudinal pre- before connection is done and prestressing
tion of steel elements is not very far now stressing forces these unfavourable actions forces could be installed in the Jab before
from reaching the goal of computer-aided because a great part of the prestressing forces connection also. Only creep effects in con-
fabrication. would pass in the steel beams, a part which is crete-limited by prefabrication-would
A very efficient evolution in the design of increased with the concrete creep. The pre- reduce prestressing forces in the slab. For
steel members: reduced stiffening, use of stressing forces introduced in steel webs are such a purpose, the slab could be made of
much thicker plates for the main members, even unfavourable for their stability. precast elemenb with wet joints to produce
all resulting in a drastic reduction of the Slabs made of precast elements have also the longitudinal continuity before prestressing
weld length and in high labour savings. some advantages: low cost, possibly good pre- the slab; the connection of the slab to the steel
Codes written with the idea of increasing fabrication. The connection can be organised structure below would be made later. Or the
the competitivity of steel and composite in pockets above the upper member of the preNessed slab could be launched on the s t d
structures as far as technically possible. longitudinal beams (Figure 25) with the corre- structure as done by Swiss engineem more
with very simple requirements and rules; at sponding problems (density of connectors, than ten years ago before a final connection
the same time codes prepared for concrete corrosion protection between steel beams to steel (Figure 27).
structures are more heavy and complex, and slab outside pockets); or with wet joints But it is clear that the later connection
calling for expensive analyses and are often above longitudinal main beams and f l w r between the steel structure and the slab is a
A Figure 27 Precast slab launched over a
steel structure, to be connected through
pockets
major problem It can be organised in pockets
as by the Swiss engineers with the problems
already evoked; some engineers, like Michel
Piacidi, developed new solutions but they are
not totally efficient and economical. We must
be inventive to find an elegant one. This would
constitute very important progress for design
and durability.
C ross-sections
Finally, engineers must take full advantage of
steel, of concrete and of prestressing tendons
A Figure 28 Abbevilie viaduct over the
River Somme (Courtesy of Baudin
ChateauneuO
i? Figure 29 Bayonne bridge over the
River Nive (Courtesy of Th. Kretz, SETRA)
A Figure 33 Arboir bridge over the River
A Figure 30 The la Planchene viaduct on Cuisance (Courtesy of D. Le Faucheur.
the A75 Motorway SETRA)
?i
a 3, The interchange A Figure 34 Le Vallon de Maupr viaduct
owrpass (Courtesy of c. Forquet, SETRA) at Charolles (Courtesy of G. Forquet.
SETRA)
or undulated webs, more precisely folded
webs, with the Cognac, Charolles and
Anrix Park bridges (Figure 34).
These solutions were slightly more expensive
than classical ones and have been abandoned
except those with steel folded webs: the idea
was re-used in Japan and recently Campenon
Bernard built the Dole bridge over the river
Doubs; the deck is a box-girder built by the
A Figure 32 La Cmix Verte viaduct a t
balanced cantilever method with two steel
Avignon (Courtesy of C. Forquet. SETRA)
folded plates for webs (Figure 35).The Hontani
steel plane trusses, with the Arbois bridge A Figure 35 Dole bridge over the River
(Figure 33) Doubs (Courtesy of Vinci construction)

A Figure 36 Hontani bridge, Japan: con-
siruction of a cantilever in mobile car-
riages (Courtesy of Japan Highway Public
Corporation)
bridge. in Japan, has been directly inspired by
this concept (Figure 36).
Recently Bouygues came back to the idea
of three dimensional trusses made of precast
segrnents-e.g. for the ubiyan bridge and the
Sylans and Glacieres viaducts-but with steel
tubes t o replace the concrete diagonal mern-
be^. The Boulonais viaducts (three viaducts,
more than 2 km long altogether) were built
on the A28 motorway. But this solution faces
two major problems: the transfer of large ten-
sile forces from some diagonal members to the
m c r e t e slabs and the transfer of shear forces
through the joints which are limited to lower
and upper slabs (Figures 37, 38).
Composite spirit
Many other assOciations of concrete and steel
have also been invented: In the Queen
Mathilde bridge, at Rouen, and in the Chevir
bridge, at Nantes, a steel orthotropic span is
simply supported from concrete cantilevers
FigurP 37 A prrcast segment of the
Echingen viaduct (11 the Boulonais region
A Figure 38 Echingen viaduct in the
Boulonais region
extending a prestressed concrete bridge (Fig-
ure 39) Similar soiutions have been developed
in Spain, for example by Julio Martinez-Calzon,
where continuity has been provided between
steel and concrete (Figures 40, 41)
In the Tampico, Ikuchi and Normandie
cable-stayed bridges, the access spans are in
prestressed concrete and the central part of
the main span only is an orthotropic box-
girder. to take ail advantages of a light steel
Figure 39 Chevire bridge over the river
Loire: lifting t h e steel orthotropic drop-in
span (Courtesy of G. Forquet, SETRA)
Figure 40 Bridge over the river
Guadalquivir at Mengibar (Courtesy of
J U ~ O Martinez-Calzon)
Figure 41 Bridge over the river Ebro a t
Tortosa (Courtesy o f Julio Martinez
Calzon)
A Figure 42 Tampico bridge, Mexko: the
completed bridge (Courtesy of Alain
Chauvin)
structure in the main span and of the large
difference in weight with concrete to tie the
deck to the piers in the access spans (Figure
42).
With Jacques Mathivat. we designed a
composite deck for two concrete arch bridges,
the Chateaubriand bridge over the river Rance
and the Morbihan bridge over the river Vilaine
a t la Roche-Bernard. Composite deck, are
lighter and, their weight being installed by
steps, they do not produce important con-
struction forces in the arch (Figure 43).
After an unsuccessful project at Villeneuve-
sur-tot, we designed for the Antrenas inter-
change. an arch made of a polygonal steel
pipe connected to the prestressed concrete
slab by a spatial tubular truss (Figure 44).Jiri
Strasky erected a tubular arch bridge in the
Czech Republic. almost at the same time
with a slightly different design. Recently Jorg
Schlaich widely developed the association of
prestressed concrete and steel tubes, with
many different structural designs, including
an impressive arch bridge with a curved align-

~ Figure 43 Morbihan bridge a t la Roche
Bernard launching the steel structure of
the deck (Courtesy of G Forquet, SETRA)
A Figure 44The Anrenas overpass on the
A75 motorway (Courtesy of G. Forquet,
SETRP)
ment driving perfectly centred compressive
forces.
Finally, steel elements can be incorporated
in prestressed concrete structures for an
easier and better design. In some concrete
cable-stayed bridges. the two rectangular
edge beams have been connected by steel
cross-beams replacing the concrete ones for
a iighter deck (East Huntingdon bridge in the
USA and the Vasco de Gama bridge in Portu-
gal).
Rene Greixh and Jean-Marie Cremer orga-
nised steel boxes incorporated in a concrete
pylon for the anchorage of stay cables in the
Ben Ahin and Wandre bridges. We suggested
re-use of this idea for the Evripos bndge in
Greece and we reproduced it for the Chalon-
sur-Sabe bridge (Figure 45) and later-with a
much more sophisticated design developed
with Jean-Claude Foucriat-for the Normandie
bridge (Figures 46, 47). This is clearly an excel-
lent solution which will be used extensively in
the future.
. ~ ' ,Figure 45 Burgundy bridge a t Chalon
sur Saone: steel anchorage element
incased in the concrete t o w e r (Courtesy of
G. Forquet. SETRA)
Figure 46 Normandie bridge a first
series of anchorage elements to anchor
cable-stays In a tower (Courtesy of G
Forquet, SETRA)
A Figure 47 Normandie bridge: installa-
tion of a steel anchorage element in a
tower (Courtesy of G. Forquet. SETRA)
Ren Greisch and Jean-Marie Cremer also
introduced steel ties in the box-girder of the
Wandre and Ben Ahin bridges to replace the
prestressed concrete ties which existed in the
Brotonne, Coatzacoalcos and Tampa bridges
to transfer the cable tension from the upper
and central node of the cross-section to the
lower part of the webs. The idea was re-used
by Michel Placidi for the cable-stayed bridge
over the river Elorn near Brest.
For the Piou and Rioulong viaducts, with
Jacques Mathivat. we reproduced the design
adopted twenty years ago for the Kochertal
and Erschachtal bridges: a central box-girder
with two vertical webs and with external
inclined struts to support the over-hanging
slab on each side; but we replaced the rectan-
gular concrete struts by steei tubular members,
lighter. more elegant and with an attractive
colour (Figure 48).
In a bridge suspended from below by
cables, the struts used for the cable deviations
are to be steel elements. as in the Truc de la
Fare bridge (Figure 49).
Figure 48 The steel struts supporting
the top slab of the Piori viaduct on the A75
inotorway