Europe bridge in Orléans

Urban bridge upon the river Loire realised to reduce the traffic congestion on the west side of Orleans, with 4 traffic lanes and 2 walkways.

The particularly complex structure is composed of :

• an orthotropic steel deck supported by an inclined steel arch through sheathed locked cables,
• two concrete tripods on their peak, beared on foundation massifs located in the river,
• two concrete deck-abutments extending the main bridge towards the banks.

The steel decking (4 900 tons including arch) is 25 m width and 378 m in all, with a 202 m main span and two 88-meter-long side spans.

The deck has been launched on temporary jacks located in the river.

Mission : execution studies including:

• the global calculations for the bridge in use,
• the adjusting and the calculation of the launching operations of the deck, of the construction of the arch and of the placing of the suspension cables,
• the verification of the steel structures, including the specific studies of the patch loading during the launching stages,
• the assistance on site for the geometrical definition of the deck and the arch (assembling and building).

Distinction : award CECM 2000 (European center for steel construction)