Installation of Crimean Bridge railway arch completed
The 227-meter-long, 6000-tonne railway arch of the Kerch Strait Bridge has been lifted to the projected height and securely fixed on 35-m-high fairway supports. The vessel, air and navigation signal system has also been installed on the arch and is now operating, the Crimean Bridge press office reported. The final installation of the structure is expected to take another three weeks when the builders teams will mount end elements of the arch and place them on special supports.
"The arch fabrication, its assembly on onshore slipways throughout the year, the manufacture of floating submerge platforms for transport, raising and fixing the arch on fairway supports: all together is a unique operation. We gathered the best specialists who could do it, and we are very grateful to them for this," Arkady Rotenberg, Chairman of STROYGAZMONTAZH LLC was quoted as saying.
The Kerch-Yenikal Canal was opened on August 29 at 6:00 pm (UTC+3) or six hours ahead of schedule "due to the early completion of the bridge construction operation phase". The pilots of the Taman and Crimean branches of Rosmorport have started the formation of ship convoys to transit the canal. Currently, there are 20 pilots and five pilot boats involved in providing services in the Kerch-Enikalsk Canal.
Roman Novikov, head of UprDor Taman comments: "The installation of arch spans is a key event in the construction season of 2017 and one of the most important stages of the project as a whole. The construction is being carried out on schedule,"
Preparation for the second motor vehicle arch transport / installation operation has been underway. Engineers will analyze the first phase operation. The floating piers, which transported the railway arch have returned to the Kerch shore. They will undergo inspection and maintenance and then will bring into the place the second motor vehicles arch in the same sequence. The next month the teams of builders will mount the end elements of the arch and lower them to special supports.
The transport and installation operation of the Crimean Bridge arches is described as a unique technological operation. This is the first time ever in construction history of Russia that engineers and workers have successfully transported such a large arch span, positioned and installed from water to the fairway supports. The maritime operation was conducted in 72 hours, when navigation was closed in the Kerch Strait. Overall, the operation brought together more than a hundred specialists, sailors, engineers, research institutes and ordinary bridge builders.
