Mell How was the Millau viaduct made?
Construction of the Millau Viaduct began in December of 2001. The masts above the roadway were constructed as whole units, then tilted into place and attached to the deck. Eight massive steel cables connect the mast to the deck in each direction.
Why was construction of the Millau viaduct so difficult?
The 87m high steel pylons were moved out from each bank on hydraulic transporters and erected on the deck at each concrete pier. Construction challenges included extreme weather such as strong winds and low cloud. The mother of all bridges.
When did the construction of the Millau bridge start?
Construction began on 16th of October 2001. First piers were started in January 2002 and finished in November 2003. Roadways were finished on May 2004, pylons and shrouds in the second half of the 2004 and the viaduct was opened on 16 December 2004 – 25 days ahead of schedule.
How long did it take to build the Millau Viaduct?
It was built over three years, formally inaugurated on 14 December 2004, and opened to traffic two days later on 16 December. The bridge has been consistently ranked as one of the greatest engineering achievements of all time, and received the 2006 Outstanding Structure Award from the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering.
How big was the Millau bridge jigsaw puzzle?
This immense jigsaw puzzle involved manufacturing 2200 separate sections weighing up to 90 tons and some of them 22 meters long. Their accuracy was measured with laser to within a fraction of a millimeter. The huge square of central spine that should make the deck rigid.
How many cables are in the Millau bridge?
The road way weighs over 40,000 tons and the 154 cables stay prevents it from shagging or collapsing. The strongest stay is made up of 91 individual stayed cables and has a breaking point of 25,000 tons. Finally the road is made over the deck adding 10,000 tons to the total load.