ASFiNAG, an Austrian publicly owned corporation which is responsible for the Austrian highways, has selected 4 Flat Top Terex Tower Cranes to support the construction of the Danube Bridge, which project managers say will be quite a spectacle, as it will almost “float” over the River Danube, because there will be no visible pillars.

The construction of the Danube Bridge is the first section of a complex project to construct the A 26 Linz motorway that will, once complete, improve traffic congestion in Linz and in the vicinity of the Upper Austrian capital. With the A 26 as a western bypass from Linz, much of the traffic will shift to the new motorway and the urban road network will therefore be significantly relieved. Residents from Linz will benefit from less traffic, commuters from the western Mühlviertel from the shorter distances and better distribution of traffic on the main connections.

85% percent, around four kilometres of the total route, will run underground through a tunnel. Two bridges will be constructed, one to cross the Danube and the other to go over the Western Railway.

Section 1 of the project involves the construction of the Danube Bridge, which started in 2019 and is due to be completed in 2024. There will be two horizontal main ropes over the Danube, which carry the bridge weight of 13,000 tonnes, are 500 metres long and weigh 85 tonnes each. Each main rope consists of a bundle of twelve individual ropes. 

Four Flat Top Terex Tower Cranes are involved in its construction—the CTT 162 and CTT 91 on the east side of the river and the CTT 472 and CTT 141 on the west side of the river. The first two of the Terex Tower Cranes on site were the CTT 162 and the CTT 141, which were installed when construction activities started in 2019. The third crane and biggest capacity of the four (CTT 472) was installed in 2020, and the final crane (CTT 91) was installed in February 2021. The cranes are mainly used for the foundations of the structural cables, with the CTT472 also being used to assemble the cable crane that pulls the ropes across the Danube.

The cranes were supplied by crane experts XLKranlogistik GmbH, who supported the planning of the project, based on their experience in the smooth handling of large projects with free-standing cranes and high load capacities. The assembly took place using a 500-tonne mobile crane with luffing jib. Peter Zauner, International Sales & Marketing Manager at XL-Kranlogistik says, “Due to the limited space, the road and the railroad had to be closed for the assembly of the boom. The assembly took three days, as the tight schedule of the project meant that it had to be interrupted due to blasting work being carried out for the tunnel.”

The cranes were chosen for heavy lifting and placement duties, as well as being able to handle the pressure that can be caused by a long reach and heavy load, with a maximum hoisting capacity ranging from 5 to 22 tonnes, and a jib length up to 80 metres. Peter continues, “Together, they are providing reliable performance for the Danube bridge project under continuous operation, with comfortable cabs to assist operators during their long hours on the job. With the construction of the bridge spanning five years, these cranes are also ideal for projects with a long timeframe, designed to work hard in all seasonal climates.”

Oversight of the Danube bridge project is challenging with highly complex technical specifications to consider, a wide variety of processes and interests to be coordinated as well as management of a project team with around 100 ongoing construction and service contracts.

Traffic routing (diversions and any restrictions) must be planned well in advance and coordinated with numerous departments to ensure there are diversions for cars, trucks, buses, trains and ships during individual project steps. Additionally, in order to keep the footpath and cycle path on the B 127 permanently open, a new cycle and walkway was built directly on the Danube in 2018. Communication and documentation are critical to keep many stakeholders informed, including residents and businesses of the area and project partners - the state of Upper Austria and the City of Linz.

While a long-scale, complex and challenging project, all parties involved are working towards not only a safe and timely completion, but an inspiring landmark that Austria can truly be proud of.

Jörg Körtgen, Sales Support Manager, Terex Cranes says, “We’re privileged to be part of such a prominent project in Austria—it is a clear demonstration to the industry that our equipment achieves desired results, and just as importantly, we have the resources needed to back it up. This would not be possible without the service provided by our local distributor XL-Kranlogistik, who has been an integral part of this project, right from its planning stages.”

The project team at Arge A26 (joint venture between ICM GmbH und MAEG Costruzioni SPA) summarises the project best by saying, “Many hands join within ASFINAG and with the project partners to ensure that all necessary work runs as smoothly as possible. This is not an easy task. The goal is clear: accident-free construction and traffic opening in mid-2024.”

“The construction of the bridge does not only inspire and fascinate the project managers of ASFINAG but also our team, the bridge will almost “float” over the Danube, because there are no visible pillars. The load-bearing ropes are anchored directly into the rock of the bank walls and give this huge structure the necessary lightness. This differs from the well-known large suspension bridges, such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. While there are real suspension bridges around the world and, of course, many in the Alpine region, the dimensions of our Danube bridge make it unique. It will be another landmark that Austria can truly be proud of.”

XL Kranlogistik GmbH, a specialist provider of crane assembly and dismantling services, is the exclusive distributor of Terex Cranes in Austria. The company has a strong focus on technical support and after sales parts and services. For more information on how Kranlogistik can support your needs, visit (www.kranlogistik.at) or contact (+43 2259 3016630/[email protected]).

For more information on Terex Cranes, visit: https://www.terex.com/cranes/en/