e-mosty December 2017 MSS and Formwork Travellers | Page 45
Figure 2 + 3: Location of the bridge on the map
To avoid disrupting canal traffic, the works have to
be carried out outside the shipping channel, which
means the deck has to be cast in place.
The contract also includes construction of access
viaducts on either side of the bridge with a total
length of 2 km, together with connections to the
existing road network.
Both the form travellers and the lifting structures
were designed and fabricated specifically for the
project.
The form travellers are a system of formwork panels
and steel structures that allow casting of an external
constant cross section segment of 8m length in order
to construct the bridge deck.
This system can be adapted, by removing some
panels, to make 7m long segments as required by the
client. The inner formwork can also adapt to the
different interior cross sections of the segment
configurations.
The form travellers are provided with working
platforms with steel grated flooring, ladders and
guardrails allowing access to different parts of the
formwork.
Figure 4: Rendering of the bridge
Source: vinci-construction.com/en/project/15892/atlantic-bridge-panama
RĂºbrica Engineering, which is a Spanish company with
more than 20 years of experience in the design and
manufacturing of special equipment for civil
construction, has designed and supplied four form
travellers (two for each bridge pylon) for the
segmental construction of the bridge deck.
Additionally, four lifting structures for the lifting of the
travellers were also designed and provided.
4/2017
The structure consists of a steel casting cell supported
by a grillage of transversal and four longitudinal steel
girders. These girders are located under the deck.
During casting of each typical segment, each one of
the longitudinal girders is supported by four bars
anchored to the previous concrete segment working
as a cantilever.
During launching, the whole system lies over a pair of
rails which incorporate hydraulic cylinders; so that the
system weight is carried by the upper part as it moves
forward.
The system also includes 2 back support points at the
bottom of the previous concrete segment, fitted with
rollers.