Great Belt Fixed Link - Construction

Construction

The West Bridge

The West bridge (foreground) as seen from Nyborg at Funen.
Official name Vestbroen
Carries Motor vehicles, trains
Crosses Great Belt
Maintained by A/S Storebælt
Design Box girder bridge
Total length 6,611 metres (21,690 ft)
Width 25 metres (82 ft)
Longest span 110 metres (361 ft)
Piers in water 62
Clearance below 18 metres (59 ft)
Opened 1 June 1997 (rail traffic)
14 June 1998 (road traffic)
Coordinates 55°18′42″N 10°54′23″E / 55.31167°N 10.90639°E / 55.31167; 10.90639
The East Tunnel
Overview
Location Great Belt
Coordinates 55°21′15″N 11°01′59″E / 55.35417°N 11.03306°E / 55.35417; 11.03306
Status Active
Start Halsskov
End Sprogø
Operation
Opened 1 June 1997
Traffic Trains
Character Mainline railway
Technical
Length 8,024 metres (4.986 mi)
Gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrified 25 kV AC 50 Hz
Highest elevation −15.1 metres (−50 ft)
Lowest elevation −75 metres (−246 ft)
Grade 16 ‰ (max)

The construction of the fixed link across the Great Belt became the biggest building project ever in the history of Denmark. In order to connect Halsskov on Zealand with Knudshoved on Funen, 18 kilometres to its west, a two-track railway and a four-lane motorway had to be built, aligned via the small island of Sprogø in the middle of the Great Belt. In general terms, the project comprised three different construction tasks: The East Bridge for road transport, the East Tunnel for rail transport and the West Bridge for road and rail transport combined. The construction work was carried out by Sundlink Contractors, a consortium of Skanska, Hochtief, Højgaard & Schultz (which built the West Bridge) and Monberg & Thorsen (which built the eight kilometre section under the Great Belt). The work of lifting and placing the elements was carried out by Ballast Nedam using a floating crane.

Read more about this topic:  Great Belt Fixed Link

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