© Eiffel Deutschland StahltechnologieDillinger heavy plate for the
lifting bridge Botlek in Rotterdam
Bridge of superlatives
The combined road/rail bridge over the river Meuse in the harbour of Rotterdam is the prominent part within the widening project of the 37 km long section of the A15 highway between Maasvlakte and Vaanplein. In the course of the extension measures it replaces the current bridge in the harbour of Rotterdam to cope with the upcoming increased road, rail and sea traffic levels. The new Botlek twin lifting bridge is one of the largest lifting bridges in the world. It lifts the largest moving mass and has the highest lift frequency as well as lifting speed in the world.
Impressive…
The 1,243 m long bridge consists of six 64 m high oval lifting towers in reinforced concrete and two moveable steel decks weighing each 4,850 t. With their spans of 92 m and their widths of 50 m, they are each as large as a football field. The tension cables bearing the counterweights are driven by huge pulleys located on the top of the lifting towers. The name “Botlek” is carved on the counterweights allocating in this way an individual identity to the monument.
… and highly functional
Not only the weight to be moved is impressive (about 10,000 t, which corresponds to the weight of the Eiffel Tower) but also the frequency and the speed of the openings. The bridge is lifted up or lowered by 30 m around once every hour in less than 100 seconds which is equivalent to 9,000 openings per year.
The round shape of the lifting towers facilitates the flow of water, prevents the accumulation of dirt and serves as an orientation for the sea navigation.
High level of performance required for the steel
The twin lifting bridge has been designed to last 100 years (or 900,000 openings) – which is the double lifetime as usually for lifting bridges. Considering the multiple loads which it has to withstand during its long life, the designers and construction contractors have set very high standards to the materials and the welding technology to be used for the construction.
Therefore, in order to simultaneously save weight, they opted for a thermo-mechanically rolled steel S460M/ML with highest requirements on welding properties (low carbon equivalent, CTOD-tests, high impact strength).
For this bridge of superlatives special Dillinger steel has been used not only for the decks but also for the guide rails of the lifting towers.
Data
Contact persons
Natalie Federmeyer
Sales Director
Phone: +49 6831 473449
Fax: +49 6831 47992685
E-Mail
Dr. Tobias Lehnert
Marketing Dillinger Saarstahl, Head of Department Wind Power & Construction
Phone: +49 6831 472394
Fax: +49 6831 473089
E-Mail
Timm Condé
Senior Sales Manager, Steel Construction
Phone: +49 6831 472196
Fax: +49 6831 47992681
E-Mail