Bridge across the Saimaa Canal

Bridge across the Saimaa Canal

Vyborg
Detail Design Development
Project period: 1997 – 1998
Client: Road Committee of Leningrad Region

Main parameters of the bridge:
– bridge length: 145.9 m span layout 25.8+3х28.1+25.8 m)
– bridge width: 15.38 m (9.5+2х2.25 m).

Design solutions: dismantling of the existing reinforced concrete decks as well as of the draw span steel decks, reconstruction of pier tops; construction of a composite continuous deck with cast-in-situ slab and flexible studs made of reinforcement steel, etc.

It was the first project in Russia where flexible studs made of ribbed bars were applied and welded on site by “Gefest” automatic machine. Connection of steel beams and reinforced concrete slab with flexible studs has been tested for durability. The tests have been carried out together with Bridge Research Institute in line with a jointly developed method. Another Stroyproekt’s partner for bridge testing was St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering.



Wishing to abandon precast slabs and to change to cast-in-situ ones, we have considered Finish projects as an example. A problem with studs had to be solved. Soviet rigid studs often broke slabs (and beams as well) and made them non-durable. Today flexible Nelson studs are widely used. And for the bridge over Saimaa Canal we managed to implement an interesting invention of O. Bakhurin, a specialist of Scientific Research Institute of Concrete and Reinforced Concrete. He proposed a special welding machine for ribbed bar welding. Rebars could be welded with this machine at place, which was much cheaper. Unfortunately, Bakhurin welding machine (Gefest) was not accepted for mass-production and today contractors have to buy foreign-made Nelson studs and foreign welding machines for them.  A high strength concrete was used for the Saimaa Canal Bridge in addition to flexible studs made of reinforcement steel in leave-in-place formwork.

 

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