The First Beams Installed As Part of M-12 Highway Construction Phase 1

The installation of superstructure beams has started as part of the 1st stage of the future M-12 highway (Moscow – Nizhny Novgorod – Kazan). The first beams were installed at the bridge crossing over the Chernishka river and the local Uvarovo – Vishnyakovo road in the Vladimir Region, their length is 33 m. Stroytransgaz Group implements the construction project.

33 m long and 1.53 m high prestressed reinforced concrete beams are used to build the superstructure of the bridge over the Chernishka river and the local road. Each weighs 55.2 tons. The superstructure will be able to bear 102.7 tons upon the completion of construction.

As the beams are solid and 33 m long, they were delivered at night so as not to impede traffic. The beams will be delivered daily and 22 beams in total will be mounted on the bridge superstructure.

Tonight, the first 2 beams were delivered to the construction site, and the workers immediately started to install them. First, the beam is tied-down (bound), then the beam is lifted directly from the beam carrier and mounted on the supporting parts of the bridge using two wheel mounted jib cranes. Afterwards, the erection crew fixes the beam with jack screws and other devices to prevent its tipping over. After installation, the second beam is welded to the first one thus making a structure that is resistant to overturning. All other beams are mounted similar to the second one.

Before proceeding with the installation of beams, the following works were performed.

The construction started with the preparation of sites for the future bridge in accordance with the construction organization plan and the Method Statement and installation of two test piles in each pile field (6 piles in total). After successful dynamic soil load test, the remaining 129 piles were installed. Repeated dynamic tests were performed on piles selected by the designers. The sheet pile wall was installed, the pit excavation works performed and the concrete backfill layer made, the piles were cut off. The next stage included the installation of 3 grillages, 15 support pillars, 3 crossbars and 33 bridge seats.

It is planned to complete the installation of superstructure beams of this bridge crossing within two weeks.

After that, they will proceed to install special auxiliary structures and devices of scaffolding and formwork for subsequent joint grouting of joints. In addition, the reinforcement cage of the joints will be installed and the concreting will be made. When the superstructure slab is string enough, the construction of the bridge deck will start.

The bridge crossing over the Chernishka river and the local road is a simple reinforced concrete girder bridge with a total length of 83.6 m (including the crossings) and a width of 23.8 m. It has two spans, each consisting of 11 prestressed reinforced concrete beams. The beams are installed on 3 solid-cast reinforced concrete supports. The support foundation consists of pile fields made of driven prismatic piles with a section of 35*35 cm and a length of 13 meters, each pile field has 45 piles.

27 civil structures will be erected during the 1st phase, including three cattle passes and one underground pedestrian crossing near the interchange on M-7 highway.