Railway Bridge Ötztal Valley

Railway Bridge Ötztal Valley

Tyrol, Austria

CLIENT:

ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG

PERIOD:

2010 - 2012

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:

The ÖBB rail line from Innsbruck to Bludenz crosses through the Ötztal train station und Roppen, Austria, on a single rail line, along the Ötztal River near the mouth of the Inn River. It was here that the earlier steel truss bridge, dating back to 1883, and its replacement in 1968 to a steel box girder bridge, was located. The latter bridge was very maintenance intensive and loud, and limited the train speed over the bridge to 40km/h. For this reason, a design competition for a new replacement bridge was commissioned by the Austrian Federal Railway (ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG) with the wish of providing an outstanding architectural design. Ostertag Architects received first prize from the competition.
The new Ötztal Bridge lies on a newly planned curve with a radius of 800m, as opposed to its previous straight rail line, and provides a higher speed of 100km/h. Additionally, the new line route provides an easier opportunity for a future second bridge and second parallel rail line. The principal design concept is semi-integral, composite steel and reinforced concrete, box girder bridge with a length of 144.6m, divided into 3 segments. The piers and abutments offer a contrast in material, in both a formal nature and in color.

TEAM:
Michael Bieglmayer, Daniel Cranach

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING: SBV ZT- GmbH

DATA:
Bridge type: Semi-Integral composite box girder bridge
Construction Method: Lifting of steel construction by crane, with provisional steel and reinf. concrete produced on site and prefabricated
Construction Period: January- August, 2011
Total length: 144.6m
Bridge area: 950m²
Design speed (trains): 100km/h
Size: Steel construction 510 tons, reinforced concrete 1,500m³, composite steel/concrete 390 tons

SERVICES:

Design and Construction Document Planning