ALMONTE VIADUCT - DESIGN
Héctor Beade Pereda, Knight Architects
http://www.hectorbeade.com/
Guillermo Capellán, Arenas&Asociados, Santender, SPAIN
Fig. 1: Photomontage of the viaduct in the natural environment
T SUMMARY
The Almonte River arch bridge over the Alcántara
Reservoir, which is part of the Madrid-Portuguese
Border High Speed Rail (HSR) link, is a challenge for
bridge design, engineering and construction. Its 384m
main span will make this major project the largest HSR
arch in the world and the largest railway bridge in
Spain.
In order to solve the specific design problems of a
HSR crossing with large span and length, a structurally
innovative solution was used: the arch, linked to the
deck at the crown, has an octagonal section with
variable depth and width in its central 210 m, from
where it splits itself into two legs with a variable
hexagonal section down to the springings.
The design combines together structural efficiency,
out-of-plane stability (required by HSR horizontal
deflection limits), improved response to wind loads
(proven by exhaustive wind tunnel tests),
transparency, aesthetics and durability.
4/2016