Network arch bridges at Trinec-Baliny, Czech Republic

Abstract

The paper describes the network arches built at the grade separated junction of the II/468 road and the industrial area of Trinec-Baliny in the Czech Republic. A network arch is defined as an arch bridge with inclined hangers where some hangers cross other hangers at least twice. The tie is formed by a concrete slab with longitudinal prestress. Owing to the arrangement of hangers, there is little bending in the tie and the arches. All hangers have the same cross-section. Their connections should be placed equidistantly along the arch; the hangers act like a light web. The two 73·5 m span network arch bridges described in the paper and the adjacent approach ramps work as one articulation system. The paper presents the prestressing arrangement of the prestressed concrete deck, the unique bridge articulation without fixed bearing and the prestressing of the interchange between the arch bridges (the part where the approach ramps turn left and right from the longitudinal axis of the bridges). The activation of the bridge hangers is also described, together with the results of the long-term monitoring (the bridges were put in operation in April 2009).