Aktuelt
Novel bridge concepts for two major Norwegian crossings
Publisert: 23. June, 2022For the past year, two different groups have been commissioned by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) to study four different concepts for crossing the Halsafjord and five different concepts for crossing the Sulafjord. The Norconsult and Dr.techn. Olav Olsen joint venture has together with their strategic partners completed pre-engineering for 4 different bridge concepts for a fixed crossing for the E39 over Halsafjord and Sulafjord.
Will this be the world's longest suspension bridge?
The Halsafjord is more than 2 km wide and 500 meters deep at the crossing site, while the Sulafjord is about 4.0 km wide and up to 450 meters deep. For the E39 Halsafjord crossing, the group has conducted pre-engineering studies for a suspension bridge with a deep water foundation on the 90 m Aakvik shallow, a suspension bridge with one main span and a floating bridge. For crossing the Sulafjord, Norconsult and Dr.techn. Olav Olsen has developed and designed a submerged floating tube bridge.
Bridge and offshore technology developed over many decades has been utilized and further advanced in these preliminary projects in order to be able to cross new fjords in the ferry-free E39 project, says Stein Atle Haugerud, head of Infrastructures in Dr.techn. Olav Olsen. The suspension bridge with one span over Halsafjorden will be the world's longest suspension bridge (2’065 m) if it ends up as a winning proposal, while the submerged floating tube bridge for the Sulafjord utilizes the same mooring system as used for the tension leg platforms in the Gulf of Mexico and North Sea.
An important milestone for the Norwegian Public Roads Administration
Between Volda and Klett, there are currently three ferry connections along the E39 today. The ferry connections are perceived as a barrier and causes travel time to be long between the cities in the region, according to the NPRA. Ove Nesje, project director at the NPRA, states in a PRESS RELEASE (norwegian only) that the preliminary projects marks an important milestone for the NPRA.
