www.bbrnetwork.

com

Europes largest
single pylon
stay cable bridge
Timely achievement of unique
design for new Sava Bridge

First of its kind

in the world

Sixth Edition 2012

Consuming
passion for LNG
Expertize in cryogenic containment
meets market demand

Electrifying
performance
Strength and flexibility
to drive energy
sector projects

Franchised network sets

new benchmarks

The Christchurch
earthquakes
the BBR Networks
response
Improved damage-resistant
construction techniques

THE MAGAZINE OF THE GLOBAL BBR NETWORK OF EXPERTS

The BBR Network is recognized as the leading group of specialized

engineering contractors in the field of post-tensioning, stay cable and related
construction engineering. The innovation and technical excellence, brought
together in 1944 by its three Swiss founders Antonio Brandestini, Max
Birkenmaier and Mirko Robin Ros continues, almost 70 years later, in that
same ethos and enterprising style.
From technical headquarters in Switzerland, the BBR Network reaches out
around the globe and has at its disposal some of the most talented engineers
and technicians, as well as the very latest internationally approved technology.
THE GLOBAL BBR NETWORK

Within the Global BBR Network, established traditions and strong local roots
are combined with the latest thinking and leading edge technology. BBR grants
each local BBR Network member access to the latest technical knowledge and
resources and facilitates the exchange of information on a broad scale and
within international partnering alliances. Such global alliances and co-operations
create local competitive advantages in dealing with, for example, efficient
tendering, availability of specialists and specialized equipment or transfer of
technical know-how.
ACTIVITIES OF THE NETWORK

All BBR Network members are well-respected within their local business
communities and have built strong connections in their respective regions.
They are all structured differently to suit the local market and offer a variety
of construction services, in addition to the traditional core business of posttensioning.
BBR TECHNOLOGIES

N e t wo

rk

of

Gl
o

E x p e
rt

19 4 4

BBR technologies have been applied to a vast array of different structures

such as bridges, buildings, cryogenic LNG tanks, dams, marine structures,
nuclear power stations, retaining walls, tanks, silos, towers, tunnels, wastewater
treatment plants, water reservoirs and wind farms. The BBR brands and
trademarks CONA, BBRV, HiAm, DINA, SWIF, BBR E-Trace and CONNAECT
are recognized worldwide.
The BBR Network has a track record of excellence and innovative approaches
with thousands of structures built using BBR technologies. While BBRs
history goes back over 65 years, the BBR Network is focused on constructing
the future with professionalism, innovation and the very latest technology.

BBR VT International Ltd is the Technical Headquarters and Business Development Centre of
the BBR Network located in Switzerland. The shareholders of BBR VT International Ltd are:
BBR Holding Ltd (Switzerland), a subsidiary of the Tectus Group (Switzerland); Spennteknikk
International AS (Norway), a member of the KB Group (Norway); BBR Pretensados y Tecnicas
Especiales PTE, S.L. (Spain), a member of the FCC Group (Spain).

www.bbrnetwork.com

Europes largest
single pylon
stay cable bridge
Timely achievement of unique
design for new Sava Bridge

First of its kind

in the world

Sixth Edition 2012

Consuming
passion for LNG
Expertize in cryogenic containment
meets market demand

Electrifying
performance
Strength and flexibility
to drive energy
sector projects

Franchised network sets

new benchmarks

The Christchurch
earthquakes
the BBR Networks
response
Improved damage-resistant
construction techniques

THE MAGAZINE OF THE GLOBAL BBR NETWORK OF EXPERTS

fter reading the many articles and features in this

edition of CONNAECT, you will be in no doubt that
the BBR Network has come of age. This unique
franchise concept has brought BBR Network Members
closer together and promoted many improvements, both in
technology and the way in which it is deployed. This
becomes particularly evident when you consider the overall
green credentials of BBR technology, the scale of such
projects as the elegant Sava Bridge in Belgrade, our
consistently high achievement in the fields of LNG
containment and services to the energy sector in general.
The flexibility of BBR technology, combined with the
expertize of the BBR Network, is realizing some
commercially and technically compelling solutions. In the
infrastructure sector, we are supporting the creation of
practical yet exciting structures and, for buildings, we are
helping to maximise usage of space and budgets.
Our expertize across all sectors has been ably demonstrated
by teams around the world the application of BBR
technology is as diverse as the people who apply it. The one
constant throughout the BBR Network is the blend of
engineering skills, ingenuity and innovation which is focused
on each and every challenge. We look forward to supporting
these endeavors over the coming year and being able to
celebrate still further achievements in the next edition of
CONNAECT magazine.

Marcel Poser

Thomas Richli

Chairman
BBR VT International Ltd

Head of Business Development

BBR VT International Ltd

Editorial, sources and references

EDITORIAL OFFICE
BBR VT International Ltd
Technical Headquarters and Business Development Centre
Switzerland
www.bbrnetwork.com
[email protected]

EDITOR Jane Sandy

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Thomas Richli
DESIGNER Caroline Donner
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS Beth Skirrow, Cecile Kopp

CONTRIBUTORS
Deirdre Allen, Enrique Arana, Tie King Bang, Kresimir Bogadi, Norbert
Bogensperger, Karol Bucholc, Antonio Caballero, Yeo Swee Choo, Yan Man
Chung, Sam Fassaie, Richard Gaskill, Ben Grundlehner, Karolina Haponik, Marcin
Harhala, Peter Higgins, Warwick Ironmonger, Hugo Jackson, Mika Jakau, Mark
Kurtovich, David Olivares Latorre, Michael Losinski, Piedad Lucas, Bartosz
Lukijaniuk, George Marinos, Kew Kim Mei, Claude Neant, Damir Pavicic, Terry
Palmer, Jose Luis Plaza, Mark Seisun, Keith Snow, Jacek Sowa, Lim Suan Suan,
Pawel Surman, Paul Wymer, Marcin Wyrczynski, Mohd Yusri, Roland Zachar

PUBLISHER BBR VT International Ltd

NUMBER OF COPIES 10,000
Printed in England
Every effort is made to ensure that the content of this edition is accurate but
the publisher accepts no responsibility for effects arising there from.
p-ISSN 1664-6606
e-ISSN 1664-6614
BBR VT International Ltd 2012
SOURCES AND REFERENCES
Bridges section Polands longest bridge: http://en.wikipedia.org
Buildings section Grand result & International showcase:
http://en.wikipedia.org
Tanks & Silos section Consuming passion for LNG:
www.reportsnreports.com, www.streamrgn.com & Hydrocarbon Asia, at
www.safan.com
Expertise & easy handling: www.agrana.com & http://en.wikipedia.org
Stay Cables section Europes longest stay cable bridge: www.savabridge.com
Landmark Structures section Harnessing hydro:
www.engineersaustralia.org.au & www.hydro.com.au
Chasing the wind: Global Wind Report, Annual Market Update 2010, Global
Wind Energy Council, at www.gwec.net & Wind in Power, 2010 European
Statistics, February 2011, at www.ewea.org

CONNCT

Strong and healthy

2nd Coentunnel,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Immersed tube tunnel
construction has become
something of a tradition in
the Netherlands, this feature
article outlines the role
played by BBR.

MAIN FEATURE:
Sinking with success

Royal North Shore Hospital Redevelopment, Sydney, Australia

The benefits of post-tensioning were harnessed to provide an economically
viable, strong and flexible solution for the new facilities which included a helipad.

Contents
Talking BBR
4

Innovatively speaking

COVER FEATURE:
First of its kind in the world
The BBR Network franchise is the
first of its kind in the world. It was
formed to harness the spirit of
international networking and
cooperation to deliver excellence in
construction and the very highest
level of customer service.

8
10

26

Sungai Teru Crossing, Miri, Sarawak,

Malaysia

36

Parking structures, Malaysia, Poland and

New Zealand

27

Odra Viaduct, Zagreb, Croatia

37

27

Traunbrcke, A1 Motorway,
Steyrermhl, Austria

K-Mart distribution warehouse,

Auckland, New Zealand

38

Dee Why Grand, Sydney, Australia

28

MAIN FEATURE:
Spanning urban green

39

Essex Magistrates Courts, Essex, UK

40

ADNOC Headquarters, Abu Dhabi,

United Arab Emirates

41

School of the Arts, Singapore

42

Office buildings, Warsaw & Szczecin,

Poland

43

Asia Square, Marina Bay, Singapore

43

Plaza 33, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

44

ExCeL Exhibition Centre, London, UK

45

BIW Hotel, Bahrain, United Arab

Emirates

46

University buildings, UK & Australia

48

Railway Viaduct, Wroclaw, Poland

News from BBR R&D and Engineering

Coming home

Featuring a spectacular white

concrete bowstring arch, the new Las
Llamas Bridge, across a city centre
park, provides a much needed
connection between two key areas of
Santander, Spain.

Bridges
11

Altiani Bridge, Corsica, France

14

Malaga Airport South Approach,

Andalucia, Spain

15

Entertainment City Bridges, Lusail,

Qatar

16

Infrastructure projects, Poland

18

Waipuna Bridge, Auckland, New

Zealand

19

Belconnen Way Overbridge, Canberra,

Australia

22

A1 Motorway Bridge, Grudziadz,

Poland

23

Seitenhafenbrcke, Vienna, Austria

24

Pisuerga River Bridge, Valladolid, Spain

2 CONNCT

30

R1 Motorway Bridge, Nitra, Slovenia

31

Ribnica Bridge, Podgorica, Montenegro

31

A1 Motorway, Upper Silesia, Poland

Buildings
32

Royal North Shore Hospital

Redevelopment, Sydney, Australia

34

Opera house rehearsal stage, Vienna,

Austria

35

Arena Center, Zagreb, Croatia

Tanks & Silos

50

Consuming passion for LNG

52

LNG tanks, Gijon, Spain

54

Sugar silo, Tulln, Austria

56

4th NGL Train project, Abu Dhabi,

United Arab Emirates

Altiani Bridge, Corsica, France

Realization of this dramatic new structure, designed
to reflect the adjacent medieval bridge, demanded
innovation and precision engineering.

11

As world LNG trade

continues to increase, we
review the market and
award-winning approach of
the BBR Network in
delivering the specialized
containment facilities
required by this sector.

COVER FEATURE:
Consuming passion
for LNG

Stay Cables
57

COVER FEATURE:
Europes largest single pylon stay
cable bridge

The dramatic new Sava Bridge has

become a major landmark for the city
of Belgrade, Serbia. BBR Stay Cable
technology was effectively and
efficiently installed to meet a greatly
shortened program. Reflections on its
construction and stay cable bridge
engineering design are provided by
Dipl.-Ing. Holger Svensson of
Leonhardt Andr & Partner.

62

River Minho Bridge, Lugo, Spain

63

Stay cable footbridge, Witrylow, Poland

64

Basarab Flyover Bypass, Bucharest,

Romania

67

Pedestrian bridge, Blackburn, South

Africa

68

Otopeni Bridge, Bucharest, Romania

Historic landmark
We look at how earlier BBR projects fared in the city
of Christchurch and offer insights on lessons learnt
and new seismic technologies.

COVER FEATURE:
The Christchurch earthquakes

Special Applications
69

2nd Coentunnel, Amsterdam,

Netherlands

72

Sungai Siol Bridge, Matang, Sarawak,

Malaysia

72

River Danube Bridge, Vidin-Calafat,

Bulgaria & Romania

74

Wellington Dam, Collie, Western

Australia

76

Reinforced soil structures, Poland

77

Prill Tower, Moranbah, Queensland,

Australia

78

Al-Wehdah Dam, Irbid, Jordan

78

Triathlon VIP Zone, London, UK

Landmark Structures
87

COVER FEATURE:
Eletrifying performance
From the massive heavy engineering
feats for hydroelectric dam
strengthening to the high-tech, high
safety environment of nuclear
installations and onto the elegance of
wind towers, BBR technology shows
that it has the strength and flexibility
to meet the very different challenges
set by todays energy sector.

94

BBR Worldwide Directory

MRR
79

The Christchurch earthquakes the

BBR Networks response

85

Semedela Overpass, Koper, Slovenia

86

Queens Wharf, Auckland, New

Zealand

CONNCT

Innovatively
speaking
ince its foundation almost 70 years ago,
innovation has been at the very heart of
BBR and continues to provide the driving
force for technological and commercial advances.
Thomas Richli, Head of Business Development of
BBR VT International Ltd, explores the nature of
innovation and its role within todays market place.

WHY CHOOSE INNOVATION AS A

THEME?
Simply because absolutely everything we do
is about innovation. This first became clear to
me while making visits to franchisees and
construction sites and indeed our
franchisees customers around the world.
Each construction project is unique theres
no such thing as a standard product in terms
of a structure. It has to be that way to meet
the specific needs of customers and endusers. Actually, we are innovating every time
we start a new project by using different
engineering techniques and technology
combinations. In fact, when you look through
CONNAECT, youll see examples of
engineering innovation everywhere both
now and in our past.
Then I thought a bit more about the BBR
Network as a whole we describe it as a
new kind of franchise. Well, in terms of a
business model, thats actually innovation too
usually, the franchise concept is applied to
the consumer goods market rather than to
sophisticated construction engineering and
services businesses.
OK, I guess being Swiss helps us to embrace
innovation as well its somehow in our
national psyche to continuously seek
improvement. This is especially good news
when you also consider that the media are
reporting that, due to the strength of the
Swiss Franc, its now imperative that Swissbased companies should innovate even
more. According to the Global Innovation
Index, Switzerland is already at the top of the
innovation league table. So, lots of creativity
and lateral thinking is going on here!
HOW DO YOU DEFINE
INNOVATION?
In simple terms, its the ability to take
something we already have or do and make

4 CONNCT

it better, so that its more suitable for the

way we live and work. If you look into
history, youll see that the human race has
progressively improved all sorts of products
and processes over the years. The BBR story
is actually a good reflection of this
progressive improvement of our technology
and go-to-market strategy has ensured not
only our continuous success, but also that
the construction industry has access to the
very latest technology and engineering.
Take prestressing, for example. Its been
around for more than a century, having
evolved from the shipbuilding industry but
its how you improve it that counts. Thats
what we do improve and renew.

BUT ISNT THIS JUST REINVENTING THE WHEEL?

Exactly, thats my whole point! Innovation
shouldnt be confused with invention
innovation isnt about inventing anything new,
rather just improving what already exists.
When theres already an established demand
for the product or service, with market
feedback and expert observation, it is often
desirable or necessary to enhance the
offering or approach. At BBR, weve been
listening to customer feedback for years and
our latest response has been to develop a
new range of improved technology. And we
will never stop listening to what the market
tells us, its our reason for existing.

HOW DO YOU REMAIN

COMPETITIVE?
You know, if you look at the requirements of
a franchising system, as a franchisor you are
obliged to be innovative it is strongly
recommended that you listen to your
franchisees. You cannot develop a system,
product or strategy and then not touch it
for ten years. This forces us to continuously
improve our service and products.

End-user benefits are that they get the latest

proven technology, delivered through a
locally customised service. Usually, you have a
tool or a product and give someone the
licence to use it. With the BBR franchise,
there is more franchisees benefit from
latest approved technology, know-how,
strong brands, quality and procurement
management and regular training sessions as
well.
The BBR franchising model clearly works
theres been a significant annual growth over
the last couple of years. Even last year, we set
a new record for growth.

GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES OF BBR

INNOVATION?
Recently there have been two excellent
examples of BBR innovation BBR E-Trace
and the BBR HiEx CONA Saddle. These are
typical of the type of innovation weve
developed and rolled out successfully.
Originally, BBR E-Trace grew out of a
requirement, under ETA, for Factory
Production Control which would have
prompted a massive increase in paperwork.
So we thought about developing a platform
to do this while also fulfilling procurement

TALKING BBR

WHERE DO IDEAS COME FROM

TODAY?
There are so many drivers for innovation
the list is almost endless. I guess the most
important impetus, in our industry comes
from an end-user perspective. Our
customers have specific needs or wishes and
these drive innovation theyre a key source.
With post-tensioning, you can make so many
amazing structures large column-free
spaces in buildings and long spans for bridges
all thats needed is our expertise and
imagination in applying it.
For us from the BBR HQ, other catalysts
include feedback from our franchisees with
some 2,000 enquiries a year, we need to
make sure we take on board the lessons
learnt from these and do things a bit
differently to align ourselves better with what
the market wants. We also work closely with
universities and these dialogues are always
food for thought and often inspire future
improvements. Industry conferences and our
active role in technical commissions
frequently generate issues for us to follow up
on too. Of course, were always watching our
competitors as well we look at what they
do and strive to improve upon their
approach. Whats happening in other
industries influences our business too.
Theres input from almost everywhere you
look!
Then you have government policies, like the
need for a European Technical Approval
(ETA), as well as requirements of industry
associations such as fib and PTI. Right now,
its pretty clear that the innovation
barometer has moved towards protecting
our macro-environment the planet.
Governments around the world are
encouraging sustainable practices both by
legislation and by initiating important
dialogues essentially creating a framework
for innovation in green technology and
practices.
While BBR technology and techniques have,
by their very nature, always promoted a
sustainable approach, we continue to seek
further opportunities to refine and enhance
their green credentials.

needs and creating an interface for

exchanging information, beyond just
ordering products and documenting quality.
Some years ago, franchisees were being
asked to provide an extradosed system.
It was natural that we should look at what
we could do to offer a saddle solution.
We already had a European Approved
system, so were able to use part of this
and also the HiAm CONA system. With
proven technology for the stays and
pylon, all we had to do was to connect
these two technologies and test our
solution to ensure the two technologies
worked together.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM

BBR IN THE FUTURE?
Ah now that would be telling! As you
would expect, our program of testing
improved technology continues and we will
be making announcements about this later.
Meanwhile, we are continuing to review all
the requirements and ideas we get from site
visits, training courses and conferences. An
idea isnt something you can immediately use
to create competitive advantage or improve
your business model. So, having gathered the
information, we explore what we can do to
turn it into a product or a service ultimately
benefiting end-users and customers.
Over coming months, we will be looking at
our franchising system and improving our
role, both as a Network and as a franchisor.
Our goal is to continue to grow, so you can
be certain of reading about future innovation
in subsequent editions of CONNAECT.
l

CONNCT

GLOBAL BBR NETWORK FRANCHISE

First of its kind

in the world
he BBR Network franchise
the largest and first of its
kind in the world evolved
from the licensed business which
had traded successfully on the
international scene since the
1940s, and has grown in recent
years both in terms of
geographical coverage and
business volume and is now truly
greater than the sum of its parts.

What is a franchise?
The McDonalds fast food business is widely regarded as being one of the worlds earliest
and most successful franchise. The BBR Network franchise is broadly similar, with several
key differences, which make it one of a kind.
FRANCHISE created when a franchisor allows use of his brand or trademarks, knowhow and processes, by a franchisee. Thus franchisees can use a proven concept to
further develop their own businesses and the franchisor can extend the geographic and
market reach of his business. In the BBR Network franchise, much more than brands and
trademarks are included for example, access to approved technology, latest system
applications, certification, training and marketing communications support.
FRANCHISE AGREEMENT provides the franchisee with the terms under which he
is permitted to operate the business. The BBR franchise agreement includes both the
franchisors and franchisees obligations using the franchised system applications for a
fixed period of time, and allows for renewal.
FRANCHISOR typical responsibilities include system development, continuing product
support, marketing campaigns and supply chain management. He will want to monitor
franchisee performance. BBR VT International as the franchisor commits to continuously
improve the technology, QA, supply chain and know-how transfer.
FRANCHISEE will agree to follow the rules set out by the franchise agreement and
to take an active role in furthering the franchised technology and business aims.
Normally, franchisees will pay a start-up fee, followed by annual management service
fees or royalties. A BBR franchisee is fully qualified to source, assembly and install the
system applications to the highest service and quality standards.

6 CONNCT

Bureau BBR, as the company was first

known, was born of wartime material
shortages and engineering innovation at its
very best. The three founders Max
Birkenmaier, Antonio Brandestini and Mirko
Robin Ros explored the savings to be
made by using pretensioned reinforcement
for concrete support girders.
From there, they ventured further into the
development of a complete range of
prestressing and post-tensioning systems,
ground anchors and stay cable anchorages,
covering all structural engineering
applications.

BUILDING THE TEAM

Over the years, the successful development
of BBR continued, with many landmark
projects featuring in our portfolio, however,
this was not enough our vision was far
greater than this.
We wanted to create even closer ties with
the companies and people who were using
BBR technology in their local markets. It was
important that this was achieved in a way
that the wealth of expertise could be shared
with people in other parts of the world and,
in turn, be fed back to the Swiss HQ and
fuel subsequent improvements in both
technology and service.
By creating a franchised group the Global
BBR Network of Experts we were able to
formalize relationships between the BBR

GROWING STRENGTH
Over recent years, we have focused heavily
on developing new technology, strengthening
of the Network, and creating of a range of
marketing communications material. Indeed,
we have invested many millions of Swiss
Francs to produce the most up-to-date and
approved systems.
The BBR Network also draws strength from
the continuously growing sense of family felt
among Members. They like attending
conferences and training sessions because of
the potential for exchanging information with
BBR HQ and other franchisees.
Training seminars on technology and
specialized subjects, like stay cable seminars
for instance are the mainstay of the way in
which knowledge is passed from BBR HQ to
the BBR Network. In 2011, nearly 100
delegates came to the BBR regional training

Advantages of the BBR Network

franchise system
u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u

Latest internationally approved PT and stay cable technology

Professional marketing and communication tools
Technical, commercial and project specific support
Leading edge supply chain and quality management systems
Regular regional and local training seminars
Knowledge transfer, global and regional forums and conferences
International collaborations and alliances for large or special projects
Recognized global brands and trademarks
Proven franchise system, backed by a continuously advanced technology for
over 65 years
u Strong local roots and highly qualified professionals for highest customer service
backed by a global enterprise the BBR Network

seminars and a few dozen more attended

sessions held locally, at the franchisees
offices.
The creation of the BBR Factory Production
Control and BBR E-Trace has revolutionized
the way in which BBR technology is
manufactured, procured and distributed to
the highest quality standards, while offering
whole life traceability. It is being further
developed to become an exchange
database so Members will be able to see
who is doing what.

SETTING NEW BENCHMARKS

At BBR HQ, we do realize that many
developments have been introduced at what
may seem like lightning speed to some
people in the construction industry.
Therefore, our emphasis will be on creating a
deeper understanding of the wide range of
possibilities open to BBR Network Members.
So, now we will be further investing in
training, sharing resources and networking.

TALKING BBR

head office team and a loyal band of

international construction engineering
specialist companies. The structure and
commitment flowing from this process has
benefitted and will continue to benefit
not just the BBR family, but also the
construction industry as a whole.

Without doubt, before we are celebrating

the first decade of the BBR Network, we will
see an even greater number of joint ventures
between Members to realize some of the
worlds largest and most challenging projects.
We will also see a market place which, with
the help of the BBR Network, fully
appreciates the complete spectrum of
offerings in terms of BBR technologies,
know-how and customized service for our
clients that we can provide.
l

CONNCT

Latest BBR technology

B

BR VT Internationals Research & Development

(R&D) and Engineering team, led by Dr.
Antonio Caballero, is continuously reviewing,
testing and developing ways to refine and enhance
BBR technology, ensuring that the BBR Network
always has access to the latest and best construction
technology.

BBR HIEX CONA SADDLE

The BBR HiEx CONA Saddle is the latest saddle approach for cablestayed and extradosed bridges which completely eliminates the problems associated with standard friction saddles. This modern saddle
concept replaces the standard friction saddle or shear key with a
post-tensioning saddle, thus creating a compressive concrete environment and providing a fixed point for the stay cable at the pylon.

Recent developments include the innovative BBR HiEx CONA

Saddle which is already being used for two major bridges and, in
addition, we have secured European Approvals for our CONA CMF
and CONA CMM Single post-tensioning technology.

STAY CABLE CONNECTIONS

Stay cables are connected to the pylon using standard anchorages or
saddles. Saddles offer designers various advantageous options such
as a better arrangement of cables at the pylon and reduced pylon
dimensions. However, standard saddles, either friction or shear key,
exhibit some significant drawbacks, which discourage their use:
u Load carrying elements cannot be inspected or replaced
u Slippage when faced with moderate differential forces
u Fretting fatigue
u Strand installation and removal/replacement is either limited or
impossible

THE BBR HIEX CONA

SADDLE IS THE LATEST
SADDLE APPROACH FOR
CABLE-STAYED AND
EXTRADOSED BRIDGES

MONOTUBE APPROACH
The standard configuration for the BBR HiEx CONA Saddle consists
of a parallel arrangement of individual guiding systems surrounded by
a high strength grout all enclosed in a curved smooth steel pipe.
Seven-wire HDPE-sheathed prestressing steel strands factory
provided with corrosion protection filling material are inserted
through the guiding system and connect coupler heads placed at
both sides of the pylon. While the high strength grout provides a stiff
environment, strands are fully replaceable as there is no bonded
connection between the guiding system and external HDPE of the
strands. The minimum radius of this saddle configuration is up to
2.0 m.
FULL BUNDLE APPROACH
Alternatively, a bundle of bare strands fully bonded to the pylon
might also be used, if permitted at the place of use. The
minimum radius of this saddle configuration depends on the
degree of filling and maximum contact pressure permitted
at the place of use.

8 CONNCT

u The stay cable technology, used on left

and right stay cables, is proven and
tested according to fib and other
recommendations.
u The saddle is equipped with tested
and European approved posttensioning technology.
u The entire differential force is fully
transferred without saddle slippage.
u Post-tensioning force at the saddle is
higher than maximum service load at
the stay cable, which eliminates axial
fatigue and fretting fatigue on the
saddle.
u The compressive environment
prevents tension cracks and enhances
corrosion protection.
u Inspection, replacement and strand-bystrand cable installation are all
possible.

u Corrosion protection is greater than in

conventional saddles with up to five
corrosion barriers in the standard
configuration.
u During maintenance/replacement
operations, only replacement of the
affected stay cable on one side of the
pylon is required and not the full
length. Replacement is even easier
because tensile elements, which need to
be removed, do not cross the pylon.

axial load of 55% GUTS, which covered both

fib and CIP specifications for stay cable and
extradosed applications. After fatigue testing,
the BBR HiEx CONA Saddle was axially
loaded to 100% GUTS, while state-of-the-art
recommendations only require 95% GUTS.

NEW INTRODUCTIONS
BBR VT International has introduced two
new European approved post-tensioning kits
for special flat slab applications.

STAY CABLE AND SADDLE

CONNECTION
The BBR HiEx CONA Saddle and BBR
HiAm CONA stay cable are connected
through a coupler sleeve, the BBR HiEx
CONA Sleeve-W. Both the post-tensioning
coupler head of the PT saddle and the nut
head of the stay cable are threaded into the
sleeve coupler. The CONA Sleeve-W
incorporates two lateral windows to allow
wedge inspection, strand-by-strand
installation and cable replacement.
SADDLE FATIGUE TESTING
The HiEx CONA Saddle has been tested for
both ultimate axial transfer loading and
fatigue with subsequent loading. Fatigue
testing was carried out to an axial stressrange of 200 MPa for 2,000,000 load cycles
with anchorage rotations of 0.6 at an upper

strands. The new system is based on

0.5 (93 mm2 and 100 mm2) and
0.6 (140 mm2 and 150 mm2) standard
prestressing strand or monostrand.
The new flat bearing trumplate has an
optimal rectangular outer shape, which
allows it to be installed in the thinnest slabs.
Three different planes, whose slenderness
has been designed to reduce the peak of the
bursting stresses, transfer the load to the
concrete and allow for full stressing at very
low concrete strength.
The anchor head is in a separated body and
common to the CONA CMI family, bringing
reliability and competitiveness to the system.
The CONA CMF system has been tested
against static load, fatigue load and load
transfer to the structure. The system fully
complies with the Technical Approval
Guideline ETAG 013.

CONA CMM SINGLE

The CONA CMM family, exclusive for
unbonded tendons, has recently been
extended with the CONA CMM Single for
bonded applications. The new posttensioning system is now also available with
single 0.6 (140 mm2 and 150 mm2) standard
prestressing strand for bonded applications.
The system can be used in combination with
round corrugated steel or plastic ducts. The
new development has also required some
grouting tests which have shown very
satisfactory results in all critical locations,
such as the wedge area and couplers.
l

CONA CMF FLAT SYSTEM

The new BBR VT CONA CMF BT contains
the latest post-tensioning technology for flat
slabs requiring PT tendons with 02 to 04

CONNCT

TALKING BBR

Benefits of BBR HiEx

CONA Saddles

Coming home

n May 2011, the annual BBR Global Conference came home

to Switzerland the country of its birth. Delegates from
every corner of the globe converged on beautiful Lucerne
to learn, share and enjoy!

This three day event began in traditional

style with a Charity Golf Day which raised
CHF4,000 for the Kantha Bopha charitable
childrens hospital foundation in Cambodia.
In the evening, delegates took a boat trip on
Lake Lucerne to catch their breath and
exchange news together. The next day,
Marcel Poser gave an opening address
marking the start of the formal part of the
conference.

SHARING INTERNATIONAL KNOWHOW

Delegates had the opportunity to hear first
hand about the construction of the iconic
Kuala Trengganu footbridge from Yok-Lin
Voon of BBR Construction Systems Malaysia
and about external prestressing in Poland
from BBR Polskas Jacek Sowa.
SPECIAL GUEST
Our guest presenter this time was Luis
Cancio, J L Cancio Martins Structural
Engineers who shared his experiences on
the subject of PT bridge design with BBR
technology.
BBR TECHNOLOGY
A review of the state-of-the-art BBR VT
CONA CMX post-tensioning technology
was presented jointly by Antonio Caballero
and Mathias Gallati. Later, Antonio also gave
a presentation entitled BBR HiAm CONA
superior stay cable technology.
WORK WINNING
Thomas Richli led sessions on efficient
procurement within the BBR Network and
bridge construction networking. Meanwhile,

10 CONNCT

delegates heard about latest developments

and plans for BBR E-Trace and the new
corporate BBR website from Piotr
Krawczonek & Chris Roost and Valentina
Mihajlovic & Daniel Senn respectively.

DISCUSSION FORUMS
As well as many opportunties to raise
questions and topical issues throughout the
conference, a marketing and production
forum and the closing technical discussion
gave delegates the chance to both seek
support in specific areas and offer their input
into future initiatives.
GLOBAL BBR CONFERENCE 2012
Our next conference will be held on Bintan
Island, Singapore in early March.
l

BBR Project of the Year 2011

his time around, there

were a huge number of
projects which
demonstrated the excellence of
BBR technology and the
Network. However, two
projects in particular captured
the attention of the judging
panel, so a joint award was
made this year to BBR Polska
for the Krakow Footbridge and Warsaw's Temple of Divine
Providence.
Although very different in nature, the complexity of the
construction involved in both of these projects and the
highly competent way in which BBR Polska rose to meet
the challenges demanded recognition.
Through these two projects, the consistent achievement of
high technical standards within the BBR Network can be
appreciated by construction customers around the globe.
Other award winners included Structural Systems Africa
for Best CONNAECT Article for Building launch bridges in Southern Africa their engaging
article placed the project well in its local context and conveyed the technical expertise
and spirit with which it was completed. Spanish BBR Network Member, BBR PTE, won
the prize for Best CONNAECT Photography for the material illustrating Vital link, their
article about the River Ebro Bridge project in Tarrgona, Spain. Finally, a special Innovation
Award was presented to Structural Systems who, as well as taking on some of the
worlds most technically complex and challenging projects, are consistently early adopters
of new BBR systems and techniques.

Historic
LANDMARK

ust a few meters away from Corsica's famous medieval Louis XVI style
bridge, built during the Genoan occupation of the Mediterranean
island, a dramatic new bridge is now set to take its own place in history
over the River Tavignano. Claude Neant of French BBR Network Member,
ETIC, provides an overview of his companys role in the creation of this
new landmark. g
CONNCT 11

BRIDGES

ALTIANI BRIDGE, CORSICA, FRANCE

This structure was erected over the river in phases and was
concreted in-situ using a variety of formwork and scaffolding. As the
River Tavignano can sometimes be very dangerous, construction was
programmed to take place between spring and winter, when the
water level in the river is low.

ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION
ETIC proposed an alternative solution for the arch bearing. Each
bearing in the original design comprising one steel linear
articulation joint has been exchanged for four pot bearings installed
side-by-side between two plates. This way, if necessary, the bearings
can be replaced as part of any future maintenance operations.
PT PROCEDURES
The post-tensioning was designed in accordance with the various
construction stages.
After concreting the two lateral spans between the first abutments
and the second piers on either side, we stressed the first group of
eight BBR VT CONA CMI 1206 tendons which were to be coupled
for the next phases. The remaining 12 tendons awaited final stressing.
Next, the first half of the arch from the left bank to where it joins
the slab was erected with BBR VT CONA CMM 0406 tendons.
After this, the other half of the arch was constructed.
Five special jacks were then installed, on temporary steel supports,
between the two sections of the arch and on top, connecting with
the bridge slab.

he new Altiani Bridge lies between the towns of Aleria and

Corte and spans the River Tavignano, in northern Corsica.
The architecture of the historic bridge influenced the
architects for the new bridge, Lavigne et Cheron and the
renowned structural engineer Michel Virlogeux, in collaboration with
SECOA, all of whom also visualized an arch bridge, but with a few
modern alternatives such as post-tensioning in the slab.
The 12 m wide deck slab is very thin it is just 60 cm thick,
increasing to 80 cm where the arch joins the slab. There are two
lateral spans of 15 m and 17 m long either side of the 56 m long
centre span which connects with the central arch.
The arch is designed with a cross-section of 2.4 m by 0.5 m above
the foundation and this divides into two parts just before the
connection with the bridge slab.

12 CONNCT

SPECIAL FORMWORK
When the load had been transferred to the five jacks, we set out the
special formwork for the arch. After checking the arch displacement
and the corresponding pressure, the jacks were fixed down.
Next, we installed the formwork for concreting the two lateral spans
of the arch and placed the tendons for these.
After concreting the two lateral spans, we prepared the
CONA CMM 0406 tendons on the top of the arch to assure their
continuity before concreting the corresponding part of the slab and
arch.
We then performed a horizontal load lifting operation with the five
jacks on the top of the arch and we placed the formwork support. In
this operation, the two parts of the arch had to be displaced by
approximately 30 mm.
The arch was held in this position and the space between the two
extremities of the arch were connected with the slab, then after
installation of special formwork, it was concreted. For this concreting
operation, the five jacks were installed on a special recess.
The load on the jacks was released by cutting the temporary steel
support installed below the jack and the recess was concreted.
We then stressed the first phase
CONA CMI 1206 tendons in the slab with couplers at each end for
continuity.
The formwork on the lateral span of the arch was released and
stressing of the CONA 0406 CMM tendons in the arch took place.
Finally, we carried out the installation, tensioning and grout injection
of the last tendons which were 116 m long for continuity of the
deck slab.
CONNECTING CHALLENGES
The main challenge for us was the connection between the posttensioned arch and the longitudinally post-tensioned thin slab the
latter being only 60 cm thick.
The stage where load was transferred using jacks including the

BRIDGES

Facts & Figures

BRIDGE DECK SLAB:
20 x BBR VT CONA CMI 1206
cement grouted tendons
115 m long
33 t prestressing steel
2 x 20 anchors
2 x 8 couplers
CENTRAL BRIDGE SPAN ARCH:
2 x 18 BBR VT CONA CMM
unbonded 0406 tendons
33.25 m long
6 t prestressing steel
SPECIAL POT BEARING
FOR ARCH BRIDGE:
4 x fixed 3,000 KN pot bearings for
each foot of arch to reduce width in
accordance with arch section

installation of scaffolding formwork and

concreting of the corresponding joint where
the arch and slab connect was also one of
the main issues of the original design. The
original design made it necessary to release
the jacks without any chance of increasing
the first calculated pressure, due to the
concreting of this gap with reinforcement
bars.

THE MAIN CHALLENGE

FOR US WAS THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN THE POST-TENSIONED
ARCH AND THE LONGITUDINALLY POST-TENSIONED
THIN SLAB THE LATTER BEING
ONLY 60 CM THICK.

However, our alternative solution made an

effective load transfer achievable by
installing temporary steel support between
the jacks and the arch section. With our
alternative method, the transfer of load was
not only possible, but also made very easy
we simply had to cut the special temporary
support which had been designed and

fabricated from very thin steel plate.

This was a technically demanding task in any
circumstances, however, we should also
mention the dangers presented by the small
river the Tavignano which was subject to
flash flooding. The river levels in this area of
Corsica can rise very high very quickly
because of rainfall or melting snow, risking
the uplift and collapse of the arch under
construction before it had been concreted
together with the deck slab. As with many
construction projects, timing and good
planning is everything!
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Collectivit Territoriale de Corse (CTC)
MAIN CONTRACTOR
JV CARI, TERRACO & ETIC
ARCHITECT Lavigne et Chiron
DESIGNER Michel Virlogeux, SECOA
CONSTRUCTION DESIGN COGECI
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR VT CONA CMM monostrand
Special pot bearing
Expansion joint
BBR NETWORK MEMBER ETIC S.A. (France)

CONNCT 13

Gateway to the sun

MALAGA AIRPORT SOUTH APPROACH, ANDALUCIA, SPAIN

rom Malaga on the Costa del Sol the land of beaches and sun,
a favorite tourist destination in Andalucia Piedad Lucas of
BBR PTE reports on an ambitious project. Malaga Airport is to
have an independent and important new access, allowing tourists from
around the world to travel easily into one of Spains most friendly and
comfortable regions to live.

In just a few years, the number of people

using Malaga Airport had nearly tripled and
the increased traffic led to the extension and
complete refitting of the airport. Meanwhile,
on the outskirts of the airport, there is a
large continuously developing industrial
centre and an urban area which is also
experiencing significant expansion.

DIRECT ACCESS
These circumstances made it imperative that
the Ministerio de Fomento launched this

14 CONNCT

project to support the airport with an

important new direct access. Thus, the
Acceso Sur al Aeropuerto de Malaga
scheme was born.
The need to avoid interference with
surrounding airport areas or existing
infrastructure dictated that the new access
route should be an elevated structure of
considerable length with connections at
three levels, formed by four branches
connecting to the A7 Mediterranean
Highway.

WIDE IN-SITU DECK

The new structure is almost 2,500 m long
and has the widest in-situ concrete deck
constructed in Spain by FCC. The standard
span between pillars is 40 m, expanding to
reach 47 m at some points. Given the length
of the deck, joints were installed at every
160 m four spans at one fifth of the
span, the point where bending moments are
almost zero. The transversal section has an
11.5 m wide and 1.6 m high cast in-situ posttensioned slab.
ONE MILLION KILOS PT STEEL
For this structure the post-tensioning is the
key player. Up to 12 tendons with 3106
strands were installed during various phases,
which brings the total amount of steel used
to more than a million kilograms

FOR THIS STRUCTURE

THE POST-TENSIONING IS
THE KEY PLAYER.

BRIDGES

ENTERTAINMENT CITY BRIDGES, LUSAIL, QATAR

Five bridges in Qatar

and we used over 900 CONA CMI

anchorages and couplers.
Post-tensioning has also been used to solve
specific issues on this project for example,
transverse beams and the linking of four
prefabricated beams to pillars with cast
in-situ spans.
One of the major challenges on this project
has been making the connections to existing
roads with only minimal interruptions to
their heavy traffic flows.
l

BBR Network Member NASA Structural

Systems was appointed to provide
specialist post-tensioning services for three
road bridges and two footbridges in
Entertainment City by Hamad Bin Khalid
Contracting Co. WLL who are responsible
for developing primary roads and utilities
infrastructure required for the new city.
Entertainment City, being developed by Abu
Dhabi Investment House, is part of the
Lusail Development which is located along
the sea shore on the outskirts of Qatars
capital city of Doha. Lusail City is expected
to have 200,000 residents and host the
opening ceremony, group matches and final
game of the month-long FIFA 2022 Football
World Cup tournament at its 86,250-seat
Lusail Iconic Stadium.
The five bridges were required to span over
the network of man-made canals. The road
bridges were comprised of in-situ posttensioned T girders of lengths from 22 m to
25 m with in-situ reinforced concrete deck

slabs, while the pedestrian bridges were

comprised of twin cell cast in-situ box girders
of 25 m and 40 m lengths. We proposed and
successfully implemented solutions using BBR
VT CONA CMI 1205 and 1905 anchorage
systems for all road bridges and BBR VT
CONA CMI 1206 to 1906 anchorage
systems for the pedestrian bridges.
Despite a significant track record, including
numerous post-tensioned building projects
in Qatar, this project was very special to us
as it was NASA Structural Systems first
bridge project in Qatar.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Entertainment City Qatar (Abu Dhabi
Investment House)
MAIN CONTRACTOR Hamad Bin Khalid
Contracting Co. WLL
DESIGNER Associated Consulting Engineers
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER NASA Structural
Systems LLC (United Arab Emirates)

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER Direccion General de Carreteras
(Ministerio de Fomento)
MAIN CONTRACTOR FCC Construccion S.A.
DESIGNER INECO
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER BBR PTE, S.L. (Spain)

CONNCT 15

CLEARING
THE
BACKLOG
INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS,
POLAND

fter many years of backlog in the construction of Polish road and

bridge infrastructure a legacy of the former communist system
clearing it is a current day necessity. Rapid infrastructure
development is still taking place in Poland, thanks to loans from the
European Union. BBR Polska now features in its portfolio a wide range
of recent infrastructure projects, both large and small. Site Manager,
Karol Bucholc who specializes in this field, has actively participated,
together with his colleague Marcin Wyrczynski, in all of the projects and
from an early stage.

1 POZNAN WESTERN BYPASS

The bypass around the western city of
Poznan was constructed as part of the
S11 express road dual carriageway linking
Poznan to Koszalin, as well as the S5 express
road, connecting Poznan and Wroclaw. The
task was divided into several stages. The first
stage was the 14.2 km long Zlotkowo-A2
(Gluchowo) section which consisted of
14 viaducts, one bridge and two
bicycle/pedestrian paths. This major project
comprised the construction of several
structures including seven post-tensioned
flyovers, the launching of steel arches and the
assembly of bearings and expansion joints, as
well as the prestressing of one overpass.

16 CONNCT

2 WARSAW SOUTHERN BYPASS

S2 EXPRESSWAY
The Warsaw Southern Bypass project is
the S2 express way from Konotopa junction
to Pulawska junction, together with the
expressway S79-NS route section, linking the
Airport junction to both MPL Okecie and
Marynarska junctions. It includes 13 flyovers,
two footbridges, a tunnel and 18 km of noise
barriers. This route extends to
approximately 10 km outside of Warsaw city
centre.
We were commissioned for the prestressing
of the large flyover a complex construction,
in a horizontal and vertical arc, with internal
and external cables. We were also contracted

for the design and construction of reinforced

soil walls with wall panels. In addition to this,
we are to supply and install expansion joints
for many of the other structures, as well as
PT bars on a suspended pedestrian walkway.
3 A2 MOTORWAY BYPASS MINSK
MAZOWIECKI
The Minsk Mazowiecki section of the A2
Motorway Bypass is part of the E-30 road
one of the East-West Trans-European routes
which is a direct continuation of this route
beyond Warsaw. It is the first section to be
completed east of the River Vistula. Some
time ago, we built two post-tensioned

structures on this stretch of road and, in

2010 we received another contract as the
project was almost completed. It was for two
prestressed single-span structures forming a
motorway viaduct with a span of about 40 m.
We stressed the first structure in summer
2011 and completed the second one just
before the onset of winter. Completion of
the entire route is scheduled for August
2012.
4 NORTH BRIDGE ROUTE
North Bridge Route is a 3.4 km long section
of highway with a river bridge which,
together with access roads, is the main
structure of the North Bridge over the River
Vistula. Within the scheme, we have been
commissioned to prestress three structures,
including a large flyover within Modlinska
Street. It is one of the most anticipated
projects in Warsaw, apart from the highway
bridge on the Warsaw Southern Bypass.
5 ARMII KRAJOWEJ ROUTE S8 IN
WARSAW
The section of the Armii Krajowej Route
from Modlinska junction in Warsaw to
Pilsudski junction in Marki has been
upgraded to meet the parameters of the
S8 expressway a huge project, carried out
in an urban area. It will greatly improve
circulation for local traffic and ease of transit
for vehicles passing through the city.
Our task was to provide a total of
72 expansion joints for 26 structures. All
deadlines were very tight. Despite some
initial challenges, we succeeded in
manufacturing and installing the devices on
each structure. We are particularly satisfied
with our work on this project because it
forms part of our route into the BBR Polska
office we can now drive over our own
excellent expansion joints!

TEAM & TECHNOLOGIES

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
BBR NETWORK MEMBER BBR Polska Sp. z o.o.
(Poland)

4 6
OWNER Municipal Roads Authority, Warsaw

1 POZNAN WESTERN BYPASS

5
6 ZWIRKI 1 WIGURY STREET
FOOTBRIDGE
ZDM, the Municipal Roads Authority in
Warsaw, has embarked upon the
renovation footbridges in the city. For one
of these, we created a suspension bridge
using PT bars and this will be seen by
many foreign guests arriving in Warsaw as
it passes over Zwirki I Wigury Street
named after two famous Polish pilots
and leads to Okecie Airport. This could
be why city authorities decided to honor
the Polish heroes by creating a pylon
shaped like a letter V for Victory.
Banners welcoming visitors to the Euro
2012 football championships have already
been fixed onto the structure.
7 WIDAWKA RIVER BRIDGE
Driving across Poland, one occasionally
encounters a detour or repairs being made
to local roads. The post-tensioned bridge
over the small Widawka river is one such
example of a task being carried out on a
reconstructed provincial road. It is a small
two-spanned structure with two beams of a
total length of 48.4 m. We have delivered
and installed 12 BBR VT CONA CMI 1906
PT tendons and six TOBE pot bearings for
the project.
l

OWNER General Directorate for National Roads

and Motorways, Poznan
MAIN CONTRACTOR Skanska SA in consortium
with INTERCOR Sp. z o.o.
DESIGNER Scott Wilson Ltd. z o. o., in partnership
with ARCADIS Sp. z o.o.
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
Expansion joint
BBR VT TOBE pot bearing
Launching

2 WARSAW SOUTHERN BYPASS S2

EXPRESSWAY
MAIN CONTRACTOR Consortium of Bilfinger
Berger Construction SA, PRM Mosty-Lodz,
INTERCOR Sp. Z o.o.
DESIGNER DHV Poland Sp z o.o., in partnership
with BPBK SA
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR VT CONA CME external
Expansion Joint
Stay cable

3 A2 MOTORWAY BYPASS MINSK

MAZOWIECKI
MAIN CONTRACTOR Consortium led by
Construction Company Road and Bridge Sp. z o.o.
DESIGNER Tebodin SAP-Projekt Sp. z o.o.,
DOPRAVOPROJEKT a.s.
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal

4 NORTH BRIDGE ROUTE

MAIN CONTRACTOR Consortium: P.R.I.
Pol-Aqua S.A. Partners, Sando Budownictwo
Polska Sp. z o.o., Construcciones Sanchez
Dominiguez Sando S.A. & Kromiss-Bis Sp. z o.o
DESIGNER Schssler-Plan, bridge SC, SC OPTEM,
TRANSMOST Sp. z o. o.
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal

5 ARMII KRAJOWEJ ROUTE S8 IN WARSAW

MAIN CONTRACTOR J&P-AVAX S.A.
DESIGNER
TRANSPROJEKT-WARSZAWA Sp. z o.o.
TECHNOLOGY Expansion joint

6 ZWIRKI I WIGURY STREET FOOTBRIDGE

MAIN CONTRACTOR WPM Mosty S.A.
DESIGNER WPM Mosty S.A.
TECHNOLOGY Stay cable
PT bar

7 WIDAWKA RIVER BRIDGE

OWNER Local Management of District Roads,

Lodz
MAIN CONTRACTOR INTERCOR Sp. Z o.o.
PLANT DESIGN & CONSULTING PRI Kepno
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR VT TOBE pot bearing

CONNCT 17

BRIDGES

2 3 5
OWNER General Directorate for National
Roads and Motorways, Warsaw

THE IDEAL SOLUTION

NEW ZEALAND FIRST FOR BAND TECHNOLOGY

he BBR Network Member in New Zealand, BBR Contech,

has undertaken its first project using BBR VT CONA CMB
band tendons and its proving to be the ideal solution.
Their Project Manager, Hugo Jackson, describes the work
associated with the project.

The tendons have been used to

strengthen a four-lane, 545 m long
cantilever bridge that services one of
Aucklands busiest arterial routes. The
Tamaki River Bridge known locally as
the Waipuna Bridge crosses the Tamaki
Estuary and provides a vital link between
the citys southern motorway and the
eastern suburbs.
The strengthening work complements a
major project being undertaken by
Transpower, the owner of New
Zealands high-voltage power
transmission network. The company is
replacing overhead power lines in the
area with underground transmission
cables and getting these across the
estuary means stringing them through
the centre of this busy road bridge.

EXTERNAL STRENGTHENING
Owing to the extra load these cables will
impose on the 37-year-old, precast, prestressed concrete bridge and to ensure
that it continues to perform for the
motorists that use it we were
contracted to undertake the

strengthening work which uses BBR VT

CONA CMB external band tendons.
Tested and already approved and used in
Europe, this post-tensioning system is
eminently suitable for such external
applications. Rather than being bonded
to the structure, the band tendons were
inserted into the central void of the
bridges box girder, transferring forces to
the structure via large steel anchorage
beams installed at the end of each
tendon.

STAGED STRESSING
At the factory, the strands were greased
and individually sheathed with
continuously extruded HDPE (highdensity polyethylene). They were then
grouped in parallel and enclosed in a
rectangular extruded plastic sheath. This
eliminated the need for grouting and
protects the strands against damage and
corrosion. Supplied rolled around large
wooden reels, the tendons were then
winched into the cavity of the box
girder, then through the diaphragms and
deviators, before being stressed and

locked off. Great care was taken to

stage the stressing operations to avoid
developing differential bending and
torsion loads between the two adjacent
box girders.

SAVINGS ALL-ROUND
The system can be used with a broad
range of construction materials
including concrete, steel and timber
and allows for future re-stressing, destressing and replacement. It also makes
it easy to undertake inspections and
maintenance, which means considerable
savings in time and costs.
We worked closely with the BBR
Networks band post-tensioning
specialists to ensure the system was
installed to international best practice.
This included valuable input from
Munich-based BBR Network Member
Vorspann-Technik who assisted with
specific detailing and specialist
equipment and methodologies, as
developed for similar projects in their
market. By the time the project was
completed, the team had installed three
150 m long tendons into each cell of
the twin box girders. Each tendon
comprises four layers of CONA CMB
band, each containing four 15.7 mm
diameter strands and a capacity of
3,200 kN per tendon. In order to
future-proof the structure for when
additional lanes are added, provision has
already been made within the new end
anchorages for the installation of
12 further CMB band tendons.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Transpower
MAIN CONTRACTOR Fulton Hogan Civil
DESIGNER Beca Infrastructure
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMB band
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Contech (New Zealand)

18 CONNCT

BELCONNEN WAY OVERBRIDGE, CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA

INNOVATION

ocated between the Barton Highway and Glenloch Interchange and passing through the suburbs of Kaleen,
Bruce and Aranda, the Gungahlin Drive Extension (GDE) project was undertaken by the ACT Government
to accommodate the ever-expanding population of Canberras northern suburbs. Deirdre Allen of
Australian BBR Network Member, Structural Systems Limited, outlines the project and SSLs work, as a specialist bridge contractor to BMD Constructions, on the 108.5 m long bridge constructed over Belconnen Way.

The existing bridge at Belconnen Way was constructed during Stage 1 of the GDE and carried both the northbound and southbound lanes of
Gungahlin Drive. As part of Stage 2, a new bridge was required alongside the existing to carry the two southbound lanes of the road upon
completion of the extension works. The Stage 2 Bridge was to be identical both structurally and aesthetically to the existing bridge g

CONNCT 19

BRIDGES

Value through

IN FOCUS:
Purpose-built formwork traveler
The formwork traveler consisted of two main components
the upper and lower assemblies and weighed 52.5 t
nominally, including the concrete counterweights, forms,
platforms and barriers.
The upper assembly was formed primarily of two 1200 mm
main beams each sitting on two pedestals with 75 t rollers
at the front and 20 t rollers at the back of the traveler. Three
transverse beams were positioned to run between the
beams at the front of the traveler and these supported the
hanger bars carrying the segment formwork. This upper
assembly ran on a guide rail pinned to the deck to ensure
lateral guidance while the formwork was traveling.
The lower assembly comprised the lower form, which
included the outer web and wing forms, and the inner form,
which moved independently from the rest of the traveler.
The outer web form and the wing form all one section
were adjustable to allow for the 100 mm change in web
thickness for some segments. There was also an allowance
for the form to be opened away from the poured segment
giving the 50 mm clearance required to launch the traveler
forward. This section was bolted to the lower form in
whichever position was required. The lower assembly was
supported by 44 26.5 mm bars connected to the upper
assembly and to the previous segment, ensuring correct
levels could be obtained across the segment and continuity
of profile throughout the bridge.
Two 32 mm stress bars ran vertically through the main
beams at the rear of the traveler, connected through a
coupler to second bar cast into the bridge webs. These
bars were stressed to 150 kN to counteract the concrete
load while a segment was being poured. Once the concrete
had reached strength, the bars were de-stressed and
removed to allow the traveler to be launched forward and
15 t of counterweights ensured stability during movement of
the traveler.

20 CONNCT

a three span structure, formed with a single cell post-tensioned

reinforced box section and a span arrangement consisting of a main
span of 53 m with approach spans of 27.5 m each.

ALTERNATIVE METHODOLOGY
The initial proposal was to build the bridge using conventional
balanced cantilever construction as this was the method used to
construct the Stage 1 Bridge. This construction method would allow
Belconnen Way to remain open for the extent of the works, however
would involve the use of a large formwork traveler which, for the
relatively small main span, was cumbersome and slow to erect and
relocate. Also, an approximate break in program of 30 days would be
required to dismantle the traveler upon completion of the first half of
the structure, then move and reassemble on the other side of the
bridge, prior to recommencing production.
After reviewing these drawbacks, we put together an alternative
proposal which involved constructing the end spans of the bridge
using traditional formwork while utilizing a single formwork traveler
designed by us specifically for the project to construct the main
span. This solution would significantly reduce the size of the traveler,
thus making it easier to move, assemble and operate. Furthermore, the
proposal included constructing the first main span segment beyond
the pier using the traditional formwork, which ensured all the
segments to be constructed using the formwork traveler were of
equal segment depth for ease of construction and to reduce the
complexities of the traveler.
The proposal was presented to BMD and the considerable cost and
time saving benefits that accompanied this innovative approach led to
us being awarded our first travelling formwork project in Australia.

BRIDGES
SCOPE OF WORKS
Along with the design and supply of the formwork
traveler, we were responsible for the supply and
installation of post-tensioning materials, stressing
and grouting of tendons, abutment jacking for
bearing placement and supply of engineering
design support including monitoring of
deflections and precamber adjustment during the
construction of the bridge.
The alternative methodology we produced for the
construction of the bridge required substantial reengineering of the structure to allow for the
change in construction method and sequence.
This bridge engineering service was also provided
by us as part of our contract and included the redesign of the cantilever and post-tensioning.
As part of the formwork traveler package,
operational drawings and step-by-step instructions
were produced outlining the assembly and
travelling procedure for the main contractor. We
provided supervision during the initial stages to
answer any queries or concerns regarding the
traveler operation and, over the course of project,
members of our post-tensioning crew were on
site to provide any further assistance required.
PT INSTALLATION
The post-tensioning for the bridge consisted of
BBR VT CONA CMI 1206 and 1906 anchorages.
All of the tendons within the structure were
double live and contained

15.2 mm diameter low relaxation

strand.
On each side of the bridge, 20
12 strand tendons provided the
prestress in the cantilever during
construction the longest tendon
was 52 m long. Utilizing 80 1206
anchorages, four tendons were
anchored at the end of each
segment, up to the closing segment
of the main span. When the
segment had reached strength, the
traveler was launched forward for
the next segment pour and, in this
position, provided a safe working
platform over Belconnen Way for
the installation of the four anchored
tendons. These tendons were then
stressed from the anchorage
located at the abutment end.
Six 23 m long 12 strand tendons
were located through the end spans

to provide continuity stressing. Each tendon was

anchored at the abutment face and in blisters
within the box at the other end, there were 24
1206 anchorages in total. As with the cantilever
stressing, these tendons were stressed from the
anchorage at the abutment.
The continuity prestressing in the main span
consists of 10 19 strand tendons with
20 1906 anchorages located in blisters within the
box the longest tendon measures
45 m. These tendons had to be stressed from
inside the box and this, therefore, presented some
challenges in maneuvering the 1.1 t stressing jack
and working within a depth less than 1,500 mm in
the main span segments. A chain block and pulley
system was the final solution, with the stressing
jack sitting on a basic trolley and the traveler
penetrations through the top slab of the deck
which, at this point, was not in use utilized as
lifting points to attach the pulleys.

UNCOMPLICATED VALUE
We were awarded the project on the basis of the
significant savings our value engineering achieved
for the main contractor. Providing the traveler
engineering, post-tensioning and bridge
engineering services in one package ensured these
integral aspects of the works were fully
coordinated. Furthermore, our re-engineering
enabled a less complex construction method and
faster site progress to be achieved compared to
the initial concept.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER ACT Government
MAIN CONTRACTOR BMD Constructions
DESIGNER AECOM Australia Pty Ltd
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
Balanced cantilever
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Structural Systems Limited (Australia)

CONNCT 21

A1 MOTORWAY BRIDGE, GRUDZIADZ, POLAND

Po l a n d s l o n g e s t b r i d g e
olish BBR Network Member,
BBR Polska has the major
accolade of having worked
on the construction of the longest
bridge in Poland. Jacek Sowa, their
cantilever bridge specialist,
provides a brief summary of the
two year struggle to construct the
nearly two kilometer long bridge
in Grudziadz.

In October 2011 three years after the first

spade of soil was dug the 62 km
Grudziadz to Torun section of the A1
Motorway was finally opened. A vital part of
this new stretch of motorway is a bridge
over the River Vistula, near Grudziadz.

Then, there was the main bridge which is a

three span cantilever superstructure and
features a 180 m concrete span the longest
concrete span in Poland. Finally, the project
included a 556.8 m long incrementally launched overpass with 25 sections, each 24 m long.

BRIDGE OVERVIEW
Grudziadz Bridge consists of three sections.
Firstly, the 988.8 m long longitudinally
launched north overpass was constructed in
43 sections and launched from one side.

CANTILEVER DESIGN
As one of the main subcontractors for this
structure, we participated in the design of
the cantilever section, supplied and serviced
formwork travelers, supplied internal and

Local insight: Grudziadz

22 CONNCT

onstructed from red brick some three to four hundred years

ago, the imposing buttressed granary buildings are one of the
best known features of Grudziadz. In bygone years, as well as
serving as grain storage space, these ancient structures some as
high as seven storeys were also used as part of the citys defenses
against invaders.
Grudziadz first appears in written documentation in the 11th
Century and, in 1522, it was here that Nicolaus Copernicus famously
presented his thesis on monetary systems. By the end of the 19th
Century, the city had established a power and gas plant, water and
sewerage systems, a street tram network and a number of major
industrial plants.
The citys geographic location on the banks of the mighty Vistula
River and on trading routes ensured Grudziadz would thrive
commercially. Today, the city has a population of over 100,000 people
and specializes in metal, chemical, construction and light industry.

BRIDGES

SEITENHAFENBRCKE, VIENNA, AUSTRIA

WE PROVIDED 25
STAFF, SUPERVISED BY TWO
ENGINEERS, WHO WORKED
CONTINUOUSLY FOR A
WHOLE YEAR.

external stressing technology the latter

amounting to a total of 2,275 t of steel. Finally,
we also supplied modular expansion joints
the largest of which had a 900 mm gap.

SPEEDING PROGRESS
Originally, it had been planned to build the
two carriageways separately, but many delays
forced the main contractor to speed up
works and build all three sections at the
same time. We provided 25 staff, supervised
by two engineers, who worked continuously
for a whole year. Despite heavy winters,
unexpected floods and the tight schedule, we
once again proved that our team is the best
for this type of work in Poland. Meanwhile,
our colorful form travelers eight sections,
each in a different color are now stored
and waiting for a new challenge!
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Gdansk Transport Company
MAIN CONTRACTOR SKANSKA NDI
DESIGNER Wanecki Sp. z o.o. Firma Projektowa
BBR Polska, in collaboration with CEPAS,
Switzerland
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR VT CONA CME external
Balanced cantilever
Expansion joint
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Polska Sp. z o.o. (Poland)

Resolving challenges

ienna Harbor, located to the east of the city, is a dynamic and growing
transfer site on the Danube River in Austria. To ensure an optimized
transport connection with the road linking to the nearby A4 motorway
the main connection to Slovakia and Hungary a new route has been
constructed. Norbert Bogensperger of Austrian BBR Network Member,
Vorspann-Technik provides a brief insight into the project.
In total, this new road section is about
2,000 m long and the Donaukanal, an
inland waterway through Vienna built
140 years ago, during Danube regulation
works had to be crossed.
This bridge was designed as an integral
bridge without moveable bearings and
built in three stages. The two side spans
are each 32 m long and the mid span is
65 m, giving a total length of about 130 m
and, with a width of 15 m, there will be
plenty of room for vehicular traffic, as well
as pedestrians and cyclists. It is a very
slender, elegant construction, with two
pairs of steel columns in each of the four

steel casting knots two on each

riverbank.
After erecting the two side spans, the mid
span had to be constructed with no
interruption to normal river traffic
which, amongst other river-users, included
the Twin City Liner, a high speed
Catamaran connecting Vienna and
Bratislava.
For the post-tensioning, we used the BBR
VT CONA CMI 1206 system and after
stressing, all deformation in the deck was
frozen off.
All the challenges of design and
construction such the as disconnection
of dams and abutments, bored piles with
elastic foundations and even moveable
duct-joints for the PT system were at
last resolved.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER MA 29, Magistrat der Stadt Wien
MAIN CONTRACTOR STRABAG SE
DESIGNER pcd-ZT GmbH
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Vorspann-Technik GmbH (Austria)

CONNCT 23

PISUERGA RIVER BRIDGE,

VALLADOLID, SPAIN

Mixed
tendon
tactics
he new bridge over the River
Pisuerga in Valladolid, was
inaugurated in Spring 2011. Also
known as Santa Teresa Bridge, it
now links the neighborhoods of
Rondilla and La Victoria. Jose Luis
Plaza of BBR PTE, the BBR
Network Member in Spain, reports
that construction work, performed
by FCC and Isolux in joint venture,
was completed in 14 months to a
budget of 14.7 million.

This bridge connects Rabida and Peseta

Streets and is 28.3 m wide. It has:
u Two 3.5 m wide vehicle lanes, with 2.4 m
wide planters on either side to separate
the traffic from the pedestrian zone
u A 3.2 m wide bicycle lane.
u Pedestrian sidewalks of 5 m and 8 m.
wide, with glazed railings.
The contract also included the development
of the adjoining streets and three new roundabouts to absorb the traffic generated by the
new infrastructure and future developments planned for the northwest of the city.

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY
Before starting work, an environmental
impact study was carried out into the effects
that construction might potentially have on
the species of the area. As a result of this,
the optimal timing for the works was
established as being spring and summer,
when the effects on the local wildlife would
be lessened.

24 CONNCT

BRIDGE DESIGN
The 194 m long bridge, which has four
intermediate piers, is divided into five
continuous spans 19 m + 25 m + 30 m +
90 m + 30 m the 90 m span crosses the
river. The double cell box girder is of variable
height.

INTERNAL & EXTERNAL PT

This project was executed using BBR VT
CONA CMI and CME 2406 and 2706
systems, with stressing and fixed anchorages
at both ends. The whole structure contains
around 102 t of 15.2 mm diameter posttensioning strand.
Spans 1 & 2: These are concrete structures
with corrugated steel sheaths. Here, some of
the PT tendons are linked to the next span
with couplers. We used some tendons with
24 strands and these run in a 110 mm inner
diameter sheath. The remaining tendons,
which contain 27 strands, have couplers in
the section between piers 1 and 2 and are
continuous in the next span.
Spans 3 & 5: These are of composite steel
and concrete construction. The first part is
concrete and the next steel, with concrete
top and bottom slabs. For these spans, we
used 27 strand tendons. The first part of the
tendon sheath is a 128 mm inner diameter
steel strip. Some tendons make the transition
to a 140 mm outer diameter polyethylene
sheath within the concrete section, ending in
external metal trumpets supported against
the steel frame. There were also new
tendons in this span with fixed anchorages in
one of the end tendons.
Span 4: Essentially, this is a metal box with a
concrete top slab and was not posttensioned.
MIXED TENDONS
Several tendons were housed in a metal strip
sheath in the concrete section and in
polyethylene within the steel section, in
Span 4. Before concreting the first section, a
polyethylene sheath was left protruding from
the concrete. This was stretched until long
enough to allow mirror welding later and did
not protrude so far that it was in the way of

THE WHOLE STRUCTURE

CONTAINS AROUND 102 T OF
15.2 MM DIAMETER POSTTENSIONING STRAND.

setting up work for the next steel span

section.
Special care was taken in supporting the
sheath and attaching it to the stretchers, as
well as taping the joints because the
installation of tensile elements only took place
after concreting. At the high point of the
polyethylene sheath, a drain was installed
and was well taped to keep out concrete.
After the steel box sections were placed in
their final positions in both sides of the central
span, we were able to complete tendon
assembly. Metal trumpets were placed against
the steel sections, after which we took care to
measure very accurately the remaining length
of polyethylene sheath required we

STRESSING OPERATIONS
To balance the forces introduced during the
post-tensioning process, some tendons had
to be stressed using two multistrand 750 t
hydraulic jacks which were connected with a
unique hydraulic pump. Stressing was carried
out using both jacks at the same time and
completed symmetrically in respect to the
axes of the two concrete boxes.
In the abutment, we installed two 50 mm
diameter PT bars which were stressed to
transmit retaining vertical and horizontal
forces between the deck and abutment. l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER City Council of Valladolid
MAIN CONTRACTOR UTE FCC Construccion
+ Isolux Corsan
DESIGNER Arenas & Asociados
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR VT CONA CME external
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR PTE, S.L. (Spain)

CONNCT 25

BRIDGES

assumed the ends would have welded stubs.

Once this polyethylene section was
prepared, it was welded to the protruding
sheath from the previous section and
then, using a metal ring, it was screwed to
the trumpet at the end of the stub. Before
fixing, a bead of silicone was applied to the
surface facing the trumpet stub to improve
sealing.
The placement of the metal trumpet was
done with much care, bearing in mind that
purging would be carried out in an upwards
direction. Each trumpet has two stops that
were placed against the brackets welded to
the sides, so that they were set against the
metal frame at the point where the sheaths
were joined.

SUNGAI TERU CROSSING, MIRI,

SARAWAK, MALAYSIA
he proposed highway along
Beluru, Long Teru and Long
Lama crosses the Teru River,
opening up interior rural areas for
development. Originally, BBR
Construction Systems Malaysia
was contracted to carry out the
post-tensioning works for the new
river bridge however, to improve
buildability of the bridge, their
scope was extended to include
construction engineering.
Engineer Yan Man Chung describes how this is being achieved
by modeling the structure using
FEM, simulating the stressing
sequence and with the application
of BBR Type K couplers.

The bridge configuration was 27.6 m + 52 m

+ 27.6 m and the main challenge of this
project was to decide on a good
construction method as the consultants
drawing specified neither the method, nor
the sequence of construction. Initially, our
client proposed to construct both side spans
on heavy duty scaffolds. After stressing the
cantilever tendons, the formwork and all
scaffolds were to be maintained until
construction of the middle span over the
river had been completed. The six pre-cast
post-tensioned I-Beams for the center span
would be launched from a temporarily
backfilled access road. Next, the two stitching
gaps between the main span and side spans
would be cast. Finally, the continuity tendons
would be stressed from abutment-toabutment and all the formwork and scaffolds
at side spans removed.

PRACTICAL METHODOLOGY
By introducing a 1905 BBR Type K coupler,
the continuity tendon temporarily became a
single parabolic span tendon within the side
span. When stressed, it was able to support
the weight of the 27.6 m side span beams.
Therefore the props and formwork could be
removed and reused on the other side span,
generating savings in the cost of formwork
and props.
The cantilever tendons over the top of piers
were also stressed to hang the three

26 CONNCT

Engineering for buildability

temporary steel trusses for in-situ casting of
the central span beams. Each beam was cast
and its span tendons stressed before
proceeding to cast the next beam, as the
trusses could only support the weight of one
concrete beam. Next, strands were threaded
into the continuity ducts and coupled to the
Type K coupler anchor heads. Then the two
1.4 m long stitching gaps were cast. Upon
completion of stressing the continuity
tendon, they were equivalent to the
consultants original design.

DESIGN CHECK
Analysis was carried out to check the bridge
superstructure design at each construction
stage to ensure the proposed construction
method was safe and did not overload the
capacity of constructed elements and that
the temporary structure would be stable.
Complete bridge modeling, using Finite

Element Method (FEM), was used to

simulate the actual behavior of bridge at
every construction stage. Elastic springs
taking compression forces only were
created to model support scaffold legs. Also,
the concrete stresses were checked for
compliance with the allowable limits.

DEFLECTION CONTROL
In this particular project, the final bridge
profile had to be controlled to within
+/-15 mm. We were also engaged to
perform the deflection control during
construction.
Total deflections at each construction stage
were estimated from the bridge model
with a timeframe specified by the client to
predict the behavior of the bridge during
construction. Then pre-camber values were
proposed, based on the total deflection
estimated, to achieve the final bridge profile.
With BBR Type K couplers, our client
managed to construct the bridge using only
one set of scaffolding and formwork for the
two side spans. By working closely with their
temporary works designer, they were able to
construct the middle span safely and
economically. Finally, our client also benefited
from the BBR Networks construction
engineering and deflection control.
l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER Public Works Department, Malaysia
MAIN CONTRACTOR
Cityon Development Sdn Bhd
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER BBR Construction
Systems (M) Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)

Cantilevering

FOR COMFORT
BRIDGES

TRAUNBRCKE, A1 MOTORWAY,
STEYRERMHL, AUSTRIA

ODRA VIADUCT, ZAGREB, CROATIA

Ramping up
at Odra

fter 50 years of intensive use

and steadily increasing load,
the life cycle of the twinarched Traunbrcke bridges at
Steyrermhl has ended. Construction
is now underway to replace these
bridges which support the two
carriageways of the Vienna-Salzburg
section of the A1 Motorway.
So that traffic flows can be maintained on
this important East-West connection, the
two bridges are being constructed
consecutively. Work started with the
spectacular blasting of the Salzburg
carriageway down into the Traun river.
After erecting the first pier on the west
bank, the operation was repeated on the
east bank for the second pier then the
free cantilevering of eight segments began.
Together with the two foreland bridges, the
overall length of the new bridge is around
240 m and, with a deck width of 12.75 m
instead of the 11.50 m offered by the
previous viaduct greater comfort and

The Odra Viaduct is a part of the connection

ramp for the Zagreb-Sisak motorway
interchange in Odra. Damir Pavicic of BBR
Adria explains that this ramp viaduct is
390 m long and was built in three parts
using traditional formwork and scaffolding.
The second part crosses the motorway and
railway tracks and, because of its larger spans,
it had to be prestressed. This part of the
viaduct is 125 m long and 7.76 m wide with
spans of 21 m + 328 m + 20 m. It has a
120 cm thick cast in-situ prestressed
reinforced concrete slab with side cantilevers
of variable thickness.
BBR VT CONA CMI 1906 tendons connect
two spans alternately with four tendons
stressed in each span. The total weight of
tendons installed is 23 t and we used 32 BBR
VT CONA CMI 1906 anchors. All works
were finished in just two months.
l
enhanced road safety will be assured.
The post-tensioning was designed with
BBR VT CONA CMI 1206 and 0906 and
carried out by BBR Network Member
Vorspann-Technik. Grouting according to
EN 445-447 was executed for the first
time in Austria.
Within 13 months of the demolition of the
old carriageway, the new bridge opened for
traffic and the construction cycle started
again. By summer 2012, when both
carriageways will have been rebuilt, the
general renewal of the 300 km long
A1 Motorway which has taken 15 years
will almost be finished.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER ASFINAG (Austrian National
Motorway Authority)
MAIN CONTRACTOR STRABAG SE
DESIGNER KMP ZT GmbH
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Vorspann-Technik GmbH (Austria)

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER Hrvatske Ceste d.o.o.
MAIN CONTRACTOR Zagorje Tehnobeton d.d.
DESIGNER Jadranka Ivkovic, IGH Zagreb
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Adria d.o.o. (Croatia)

CONNCT 27

LAS LLAMAS BRIDGE, SANTANDER, SPAIN

SPANNING URBAN GREEN

he new bridge over the
valley in Santanders
urban park Parque Las
Llamas now connects the city
on either side of this wonderful
green space. With its spectacular white concrete bowstring
arch, the bridge is destined to
become an architectural
highlight of Santander. Jose
Luis Plaza from BBR Network
Member, BBR PTE, reviews
the construction project.

of a great park of a million square

meters or more.
The new bridge itself has, as anticipated,
not only made a favorable impression
on the local landscape, but has also

The Parque Las Llamas continues to

grow, with a further 5,000 m2 being
incorporated into this 300,000 m2
green swathe which stretches from the
Estadio Sardinero sports stadium to the
new bridge. The park grows under and
around the bridge and features small
private farm buildings adjoining
private land will, eventually, become part

immediately become a vital piece of

infrastructure. In addition to providing
an aesthetic reference point, in a city of
otherwise unremarkable architecture, it
has rectified the lack of interconnection
between two key areas. The north side
of General Davila, which is behind
Avenida de Los Castros, the physical
border with the valley of Las Llamas, is

28 CONNCT

now connected with the new residential

neighborhoods of Valdenoja, Cueto and
Monte, where 6,000 homes have been
built in the last decade and also with
the S20 motorway which borders the
valley.

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION

Both the nerve center of the deck the
white concrete arch and the foot of
the bridge were constructed in-situ,
while the sidewalks and walkways were
prefabricated and assembled on site. In
total, 86 pieces weighing 13 t each, were
transformed into a 23.6 m wide bridge
with two sidewalks, two vehicle lanes in
each direction and a bicycle lane in the
center.
This new arch bridge has been posttensioned with 12 longitudinal BBR VT
CONA CMI 1906 tendons made of
15.2 mm diameter strands and features
32 mm active transversal PT bars, both
in the central section and in the lateral

BRIDGES
prefabricated segments. For both ends, we
used 64 mm diameter 460 N/mm2 stainless
steel PT bars with fork end connections. The
installation was carried out such that the
tension rod system is accessible for repair or
maintenance at any time. Struts were pinned
in the upper anchorage, to the steel plates
previously inserted into the concrete arch
each anchorage has four 25 mm diameter
1,030 N/mm2 PT bars.

STRESSING OPERATIONS
Struts were stressed symmetrically in respect
to the axis of the arch. Two jacks were
placed on the central bars of the lower plate
anchorage and these were simultaneously
stressed to the first stage. The force exerted
on the hangers was recorded by calibrated
gauges on the jacks. An independent check
on the accuracy of these was provided by
the load cells and extensiometric strips
which we had placed earlier.
After all the central bars of the struts had
been stressed, we then post-tensioned the
longitudinal tendons and, lastly, the bars of the
transversal central box. Once this stage was
completed, the installation of prefabricated
segments began on both sides of the central
box. Four 32 mm diameter 1,030 N/mm2 PT

bars were coupled to the central bars and

stressed to complete the installation of these
elements.
Once all prefabricated segments had been
installed, the upper slab joining the central
box to the prefabricated segments was
concreted in three stages to balance the
introduction of dead forces. Later the
clearance between the lower strut
anchorage and upper slab concrete box
were filled with grout.
Finally, all the strut bars were re-stressed
until they reached their final force. All bars
were protected against corrosion by a layer
of cement grout injected into the ducts
enclosing the bars.
The bridge is required to play a leading role,
both day and night. In daylight hours, its
graceful figure is silhouetted against the Sports

Palace, in the east, or against the Picos de

Europa mountains, in the west while, at
night time, its carefully designed lighting
creates a magical glow over Las Llamas park.
No normal streetlights here indirect lighting
has been arranged on the rails and
strategically placed spotlights illuminate
selected braces and feet. The points of light
placed at the bottom of the deck permit a
fuller appreciation of this structure which
stands just 16 m above the river bed.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Santander City Hall
MAIN CONTRACTOR Isolux Corsan S.A.
DESIGNER Arenas & Asociados
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
PT bar
BBR NETWORK MEMBER BBR PTE, S.L. (Spain)

CONNCT 29

he Nitra to Selenec section

of the R1 Motorway is a 52
km long extension of the
route between the towns of Banska
Bystrica and Nitra, which is about
100 km east of Bratislava, the
Slovakian capital. Norbert
Bogensperger from Austrian BBR
Network Member VorspannTechnik explains that, to close
one of the last gaps and within
the first Slovakian Private Public
Partnership infrastructure project
a 1,165 m long bridge structure
was built.

The bridge arches above the southern outer

circle of Nitra, a railway line, some roads and
the River Nitra. The structure consists of two
sections DC1 and DC2.

30 CONNCT

R1 MOTORWAY BRIDGE, NITRA, SLOVAKIA

CLOSING THE GAP

DC1: LAUNCHED MONOLITHIC BOX
GIRDER
DC1 is a cyclically launched monolithic box
girder consisting of two independently
built bridges side-by-side supporting the
two carriageways. A single deck is 12.65 m
wide and 804 m long. The spans vary
depending on the terrain between 40 m
and 45 m and pier heights range from 7.1
m to 10.9 m
DC2: PT CELL GIRDER
The superstructure of DC2, which crosses
the river, is a five-span post-tensioned cell
girder consisting of three cells and a deck
width of about 26 m.

We used the BBR VT CONA CMB external

band post tensioning system, all designed as
04 x 0406 which means four bands with four
strands each. This system was also used in
both structures for DC1, as well as DC2
with lengths mainly between 151 m and
177 m.
l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER GRANVIA Construction, s.r.o. (PPP)
MAIN CONTRACTOR A-Hid Epito Zrt.
DESIGNER DOPRAVAPROJECT, Bratislava
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMB band
BBR NETWORK MEMBER Vorspann-Technik
GmbH (Austria)

BRIDGES
RIBNICA BRIDGE, PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO

High quality access route

he 8 km long Podgorica Eastern Bypass is the most

expensive and demanding infrastructure project
recently built in the capital city of Montenegro, recounts
Damir Pavicic of Croatian BBR Network Member, BBR
Adria.
Construction of this project, to echo the words of Podgoricas
Mayor, is significant not only for the City of Podgorica, but for
the whole of Montenegro because it provides an easy, high
quality access route to the sea and port of Bar, as well as
important commercial destinations and neighboring countries.
Professor Mladen Ulicevic, the lead designer, describes Ribnica
Bridge as the biggest structure on Podgoricas bypass. The bridge
consists of four 3.5 m wide traffic lanes, a pedestrian lane and
protective lane. On the right, downstream side, the bridge is
9.61 m wide, whilst on the left side it is 10.67 m wide.
A separate 290 m long structure was built for each carriageway.
The bridge was designed as modern post-tensioned construction
with nine spans of 30-35 m and 10 m high piers. It was posttensioned using BBR VT CONA CMI 1206 and 1506 tendons.
A total of 107 t of PT strand were used in the construction.
The superstructure was built in five months using traditional
formwork and scaffolding.
l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER
City of Podgorica, Agency for Construction and Development d.o.o.
MAIN CONTRACTOR Celebic d.o.o.
DESIGNER prof. Mladen Ulicevic, CDS Project d.o.o.
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER BBR Adria d.o.o. (Croatia)

A1 MOTORWAY, UPPER SILESIA, POLAND

RECORD FOR
SILENT JOINTS

n the densely urbanized and industrialized region of

Upper Silesia, Poland, BBR Polska is responsible for the
delivery and installation of expansion joints on the
36.2 km long Maciejow to Pyrzowice section of the new A1
motorway.
The range of work includes production, delivery and installation of
single and modular expansion joints for the project. This is a highly
complex construction project because it is taking place in a coal
mining area. The effect of mining operations causes ground
settlement and this can often amount to as much several meters
over the years. So, during the design phase, the potentially large
movements of the main structure had to be taken into account when
specifying expansion joints.
We are delivering 122 expansion joints, 86 of which are modular
joints with a total length of almost 2,000 m. The largest joints have a
possible longitudinal movement range of +/-480 mm and
+/-90 mm transversally. In addition, this was the first time expansion
joints with noise reduction features had been used in Poland.
These rely on the installation of sinus plates on the top of the joint
and installation of special soundproof mats. As cars cross over a joint,
these elements then combine to make a significant reduction in the
attendant noise levels. The joints were completed with extra
reinforcement, provided by polymeric concrete.
l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDkiA),
Katowice Division
MAIN CONTRACTOR
Budimex S.A. & Dragados S.A.
TECHNOLOGY Expansion joint
BBR NETWORK MEMBER BBR Polska Sp. z o.o. (Poland)

CONNCT 31

Strong
and healthy
ROYAL NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT,
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
u 40 acute mental health beds
u Additional chemotherapy and renal dialysis chairs
u Enhanced diagnostic services and ambulatory care services
u A total of 29 procedure and operating rooms.
The Acute Care Facility is relatively low rise, with innovative
color-coded internal spaces to help people navigate the
hospital environment. The design maximizes local views, light
and space to create a welcoming, healing environment, while
the compact footprint ensures that every department is within
two minutes walk of the main lifts. It will include new
commercial and retail areas for the convenience of staff,
patients and visitors.
We were commissioned by the main contractor to provide
the design and installation of post-tensioning to the Acute
Care Facility and the New Community Health Precinct. On
top of the post-tensioning works, we were also awarded the
contact for the slipform construction of four stair and lift shafts
in the Acute Care Facility.

o respond to emerging technologies and

changes in clinical practice and
population health, the New South Wales
Department of Health, in a partnership with the
private sector, provided the funds for the
redevelopment of the Royal North Shore
Hospital which lies five kilometers to the north
west of Sydneys Central Business District. Sam
Fassaie of BBR Network Member Structural
Systems Limited shares some of the projects
highlights.

The project is the largest ever health Public Private

Partnership (PPP) undertaken in New South Wales. The PPP
has enabled architects and planners to draw on the best ideas
from around the world and deliver an expandable design that
can grow and change in response to healthcare needs.
The redevelopment project includes a new main hospital
building (Acute Care Facility), a new Community Health
Building and the refurbishment of some existing buildings.
When completed, the redeveloped Royal North Shore
Hospital will offer:
u 462 acute beds to complement the 124 beds provided
within the already completed Douglas Building

SPEEDY SLIPFORM
Due to the tight program, the main contractor examined
different options for constructing the four sets of central cores
that would directly affect the speed of constructing the 10 levels
of the building. Slipform construction was the solution chosen
to achieve the program, due in part to its superior speed, as

A NEW HELIPAD ... NEEDED A SPECIAL

DESIGN BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED NUMBER
OF COLUMNS, VERY LONG CANTILEVER UP
TO 7.5 M LONG AND VARIABLE LOADING

32 CONNCT

BUILDINGS
well as flexibility in design and operation.
The slipform technique is a rapid and
economical construction method that can
achieve considerable cost savings when
compared with the cost of conventional
formwork.
Each set of cores contained two to four lift
shafts, plus fire escape stairs, which required
a specific design, as well as specialized

equipment and installation. The slipform

elements were assembled off-site and then
transported to site for the final assembly. The
existence of tower cranes within some of
the lift cores demanded sophisticated steel
frames to secure the yokes and panels in
their places. Special provision and design
were also in place for the numerous
openings within the walls. We were able to
run two slipforms at the same time to
maximize the construction speed on site.

VIABLE ECONOMICAL SOLUTION

The column layouts are generally with
10.8 m and 8.4 m spans almost impossible
to design with conventional reinforcement.
Consequently, the viable and economical
solution to this arrangement was post-

... THE VIABLE AND

ECONOMICAL SOLUTION TO
THIS ARRANGEMENT WAS POSTTENSIONING OF THE BEAMS
AND SLABS FOR THE
NOMINATED DESIGN LOADS.

Facts & figures

u
u
u
u

Suspended slabs 106,000 m2

Strand over 625 km
Ducting over 160 km
Engineering drawings
over 1,400 issued

tensioning of the beams and slabs for the

nominated design loads.
The design of the Acute Care Facilitys posttensioned floors began in the second half of
2009. All of the slabs from levels 2 to 10
were designed and executed using the BBR
CONA flat post-tensioning system. Level 2
alone is 15,500 m2 and needed to be
designed for a variety of loadings including
a loading dock, MRI and other medical
equipment, the path for transporting
equipment into place and many transfer
columns.
As post-tensioned slabs are typically much
thinner than conventional slabs, detailed
analysis was carried out for vibration and
noise to ensure the multitude of sensitive
medical equipment such as MRI or CT
scanners would function accurately.
There were areas within the post- g

CONNCT 33

REHEARSAL STAGE,
VIENNA OPERA HOUSE, AUSTRIA

Room for rehearsal

tensioned slabs where uncertainty

prevailed about the location of the
penetrations required for the services. As a
result, certain areas were noted on our
drawings as PT Exclusion Zones to provide
flexibility for coring in future. These areas
were also marked up on the slabs during
construction.

NEW HELIPAD
A new helipad is also part of the Acute
Care Facility and needed a special design
because of the limited number of columns,
very long cantilever up to 7.5 m long
and variable loading. Two different
engineering design programs, RAPT and
RAM Concept, were used to ensure the
results were consistent and to verify design.
Through our client, we liaised with the
aviation authorities to ensure all possible
iterations of loadings applied on this
important structure were accounted for.
The multitude of post-tensioning tendons
made the centre of the helipad very
congested with a large amount of stress in
the concrete. As a result, dead ends of the
tendons had to stagger within the depth
and also across, so as to spread the

enormous stress in a larger section. Special

analysis and detailing were carried out for
the amount of reinforcement needed
within that zone and also a higher grade of
concrete 50 MPa cylinder strength was
determined for this slab. The helipad is in a
prominent position which makes it visible
from many angles, even from Sydney
Harbour Bridge making the helipad a
new monument for Sydney.
We also designed and installed posttensioning for the new Community Health
Centre as part of the project. More than
60 t of CONA flat post-tensioning was
installed in around 12,000 m2 of slabs.
Construction now completed, this building
provides a range of facilities to support
community health services.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER InfraShore Pty Ltd
MAIN CONTRACTOR Thiess Pty Ltd
PT SLABS & SLIPFORM DESIGNER
Structural Systems Limited (Australia)
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA flat
Slipform
BBR NETWORK MEMBER`
Structural Systems Limited (Australia)

orbert Bogensperger, of BBR

Network Member VorspannTechnik in Austria reports on a
project for the world famous
Opera House which is located on
the Ringstrasse in the heart of
Vienna. It was built between 1861
and 1869, in the Neo-Renaissance
style typical of other famous
Viennese buildings.

The problem with this historic building is that

it offers too little storage space for scenery
and just a small rehearsal stage, less than half
of the size of the real stage. Thus, the
decision was made to add on a full-scale
800 m2 rehearsal stage to the existing
scenery depot, a few kilometers away in the
Arsenal area.
This allows even choral and mass scenes to
be rehearsed using the original stage scenery
which just has to be rolled a few meters out
of the depot.
Architecturally, the new building appears to
be a levitating cube. It is grounded just by
four piers and the whole ground floor at
more than four meters high is an open
area for truck loading and storage.
Therefore, the 70 cm thick first floor slab
was constructed with a special concrete and
a tight cross-layering of BBR VT CONA
CMM 0406 bands to handle these enormous
spans of more than 25 m.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER ART for ART Theaterservice GmbH
MAIN CONTRACTOR
Bilfinger Berger Baugesellschaft mbH
DESIGNER nowy-zorn ZT GmbH
TECHNOLOGY
BBR VT CONA CMM monostrand
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Vorspann-Technik GmbH (Austria)

34 CONNCT

ARENA CENTER, ZAGREB, CROATIA

Creating
space for
retail and
leisure

his ultra-modern fourth

generation shopping and
entertainment center is
located beside the Zagreb Arena
in the south west of the city. The
international TriGranit consortium
invested 350 million in the
development of the Arena Center
which now employs around 3,000
people. Construction of the center
took about 18 months, reports Damir
Pavicic of BBR Adria, the Network
Member in Croatia.

The Arena Center covers an area of

175,000 m2 which accommodates more
than 220 different shops, a bowling alley
and a multiplex cinema with an IMAX
theatre. There are 3,500 parking spaces,
most of which are housed in one underground level. In an eight month period,
we executed 72,000 m2 of post-tensioned slabs using the BBR VT CONA CMM
106 unbonded system, with 150 mm2
1860 MPa strand. Some 420 t of steel
prestressing strand was consumed.
The PT slabs were designed using the
shallow beam concept. The general
column layout is 8 m by 16 m, except
where supermarket design specifications
demanded a 16 m by 16 m grid. The
beam depth is 50 cm to 55 cm, with slab
thicknesses of 20 cm to 25 cm, depending on the load requirement. The exception was a 16 m by 16 m area with a
60 cm beam and 30 cm slab. Tendons are
banded only in beams in the 16 m direction elsewhere they are distributed.
Slender PT slabs enabled optimal space
utilization and we managed to insert one
additional slab in parking sections B and
C. In section A, an 8 m wide PT strip was
left in the middle to be cast and stressed
at the end because of its 144 m length.
Section D is geometrically more complex,
with cantilevering galleries and pedestrian
bridges.

Inside prefabricated sections, posttensioning was also used in two places

due to geometrical complexity and big
spans. One application involved a 6.9 m
long cantilever used as a restaurant
terrace right over the Arena's main
entrance. The slab incorporating the
cantilever was produced on a 16 by six
meter grid, so that the cantilever was
longer than the adjacent slab span. This
demanding structure was resolved with a
shallow beam grid 60 cm deep and a
20 cm slab. The second complex area
was a side entrance in Section 4 with a
curved beam spanning 18.5 m and a
9.5 m by 4.5 m light well opening.
We found unbonded post-tensioning
technology to be of great advantage
due to speed and practicality of
execution, larger casting segments and
faster working progress even in the
winter months.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER TriGranit Laniste d.o.o. Zagreb
MAIN CONTRACTOR MI GRUPA (Mucic
& Co, Medjimurje graditeljstvo & Tromont)
DESIGNER Berislav Medic, UPI-2M, Zagreb
Miljenko Kovac & Predrag Presecki, K.A. biro,
Cakovec
TECHNOLOGY
BBR VT CONA CMM monostrand
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Adria d.o.o. (Croatia)

CONNCT 35

BUILDINGS

Flooring
the competition

PARKING STRUCTURES IN MALAYSIA, POLAND AND NEW ZEALAND

he BBR Networks expertise has delivered innovative and marketleading floor solutions for specialist applications. By adopting a
post-tensioned approach, our customers can be certain of both
improved construction programs and higher performance.

We present details of three different slab

projects here one constructed by BBR
Construction Systems in Malaysia, another by
BBR Contech in New Zealand and a third by
BBR Polska which demonstrate not only
technical excellence, but also the enhanced
fitness-for-purpose of solutions based around
BBR technology and know-how.
1 ALTERNATIVE GATEWAY TO
MALAYSIA
Mika Jakau of Malaysia-based BBR
Construction Systems reports how posttensioned flat slab methodology is enhancing
construction progress and providing
economic savings to the construction of car
park blocks at the new Low Cost Carriage
Terminal (LCCT) next to Kuala Lumpur
International Airport in Sepang. There are
two seven storey car park blocks, with a total
car parking area of 140,000 m2 and with
column grids mainly at 8.4 m by 8.4 m and
some areas 9 m by 9 m. Each 8.4 m and 9 m
bay is divided by two intermediate beams,
resulting in three slabs per bay.

36 CONNCT

To reduce formwork and labor costs while

reducing program time, we proposed a
post-tensioned flat slab approach, utilizing
BBR CONA flat tendons. Each 208 m by
52 m floor of each block is divided into ten
construction zones to suit the clients
construction sequence. By changing the
structure to flat slab, the client is able to
use his existing table formwork, which gave
him the competitive edge in securing this
project.

2 ELEVATING PERFORMANCE
Having chosen a cast in-situ post-tensioned
concrete structure and experienced its
significant construction and delivery benefits
on our earlier Sylvia Park project together,
main contractor Brookfield Multiplex is again
involved with a car park. This time it is for a
six-storey structure to provide 1,200 spaces
for Aucklands North Shore Hospital. BBR
Contech Project Manager Hugo Jackson
outlines the details.
Comprising a total floor area of 27,700 m2
around 4,600 m2 per storey the floor
contains approximately 170 t of posttensioning. The floor structure consists of
150 mm thick concrete slabs with wide band
beams in one direction and seismic resisting
frame in the other. Each level is constructed as
three pours on relocatable forms and a storey
is completed on average every two weeks.
Our post-tensioned flooring solution offers a
number of benefits for car park structures
like these. It is economical and relatively
quick to install, and it saves material costs
and construction time, while also enabling
the client to reduce the distance between
each parking level. It delivers a great surface
too, providing users with a smooth driving
and parking experience.
3 PYRZOWICE TECHNICAL HANGAR
Parking experiences of a different scale
faced the BBR Network in the construction
of the first ever post-tensioned slab on
ground to be used in Poland for parking
aircraft. Karolina Haponik of BBR Polska
explains that the 6,400 m2 slab, at the

1 LOW COST CARRIAGE TERMINAL

OWNER Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad
MAIN CONTRACTOR WCT Construction Sdn Bhd
CLIENT TKM Resources Sdn Bhd
DESIGNER BBR Construction Systems (M) Sdn Bhd
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA flat
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Construction Systems (M) Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)
1
Technical Hangar at Katowice Airport in
Pyrzowice, was designed as a monolithic plate of
post-tensioned concrete, divided into two mirrorimage sections and separated by a 10 mm
expansion joint.
Slab thickness varies according to anticipated
load factors from 200 mm in the aisle, 250 mm
on the outside apron, to 360 mm for the apron
itself. Each section is divided into four further
sections which were concreted in continuous
pours, then stressed in two stages.
Transverse tendons from sections 2, 3 and 4 were
anchored in the main section, so that all sections

were stressed together. The main

360 mm slab was designed to
transfer aircraft loads concreting
here lasted for 16 hours.
We used BBR VT CONA CMM
0106 tendons with strands of
15.7 mm nominal diameter,
150 mm2 cross-section and a
tensile strength 1860 MPa. All
strands were prefabricated on the
prefabrication line within our own
production plant and delivered on
site in ready-to-install condition. l

2 NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL

OWNER Waitemata District Health Board
MAIN CONTRACTOR Brookfield Multiplex
DESIGNER MSC Consulting
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA flat
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Contech (New Zealand)
3 PYRZOWICE TECHNICAL HANGAR
OWNER Gornoslaskie Towarzystwo Lotnicze S.A.
MAIN CONTRACTOR Polimex Mostostal
DESIGNER P.S. Budoprojekt
(PT slab on ground by SDS Sp. z o.o.)
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMM monostrand
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Polska Sp. z o.o. (Poland)

K-MART DISTRIBUTION WAREHOUSE, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Recognizing concrete excellence

t is not often
that concrete floors win prizes,
but a project with which BBR
Contech was associated has
been recognised as an
outstanding achievement in concrete
construction and has earned top honors in the
New Zealand Concrete Societys Concrete
Awards 2011. BBR Contech Project Manager,
Terry Palmer, describes this latest achievement.
Concrete floor specialist Conslab was presented
with both the Technology Award and the
supreme Concrete Award for its construction of
two floor slabs for a K-Mart distribution
warehouse in South Auckland. One floor
smooth, flat, highly polished and post-tensioned
is inside the warehouse, and the other a jointed
steel fiber reinforced slab finished with a skidresistant, free-draining surface forms a truck
loading and unloading area outside. Conslab
called on us to design, supply and install the posttensioning for the interior slab. Covering almost
13,000 m2 with a thickness of 160 mm. It was
created in four pours and stressed into one large
slab with no free movement joints

By meeting
the rigorous FM2
criteria of the
European racking code
EN 15620, it enables the owner to
close up the spacing between racks
to Very Narrow Aisle (VNA)
racking, with minimal grinding
necessary to bring the slab to a
defined movement specification.
According to the judges, the
project illustrated a very
comprehensive understanding of
warehouse and hard-standing slab
performance and construction and
the exceptional level of concrete
design and construction excellence
that the Concrete Society Award
demands.
The surface flatness ensures high
productivity for the forklifts a key
factor in logistics warehousing. The
finished surface has high light
reflectivity a quality delivered by
the floors light color and high-gloss

finish which, together with the use of clear

roofing, has reduced the warehouse lighting
requirements. In addition, the 40 MPa concrete
highly burnished and well cured has excellent
abrasion resistance, ensuring a floor that will last
for many years to come.
l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER Goodman Property Trust
MAIN CONTRACTOR
Macrennie Commercial Construction
DESIGNER MSC Consulting
FLOORING CONTRACTOR Conslab Ltd
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA flat
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Contech (New Zealand)

CONNCT 37

BUILDINGS

TEAMS & TECHNOLOGIES

Grand

result

DEE WHY GRAND, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

he Dee Why Grand is a new mixed-use development situated
amidst Sydneys northern beaches. The development has formed
part of Warringah Councils Dee Why Environmental Plan to
rejuvenate the local area, bringing new energy and affluence to the
Northern Beaches. George Marinos, of Australian BBR Network Member
Structural Systems Limited, gives an overview of the project.

The project involves the A$110 million

redevelopment of the Dee Why Hotel and
contains car parking, retail and commercial
areas together with six residential towers,
rising three to eight storeys above a
landscaped podium. We were contracted by
Southern Cross Constructions to design and
install the post-tensioning for the project.

38 CONNCT

DIFFICULTIES & CHALLENGES

The project presented a number of unique
challenges, especially relating to the
groundwork and basement construction
below Dee Whys shallow water course. The
largest piling rigs in Australia were used to
install the 32 m sheet pile walls around the
perimeter and the deep excavation now

hosts three basement car park levels and

two levels of retail stores.
A further challenge was that the structure
had large floor plates with a considerable
number of reinforced cast in-situ concrete
cores positioned in several locations across
the floor area. These rigid elements created
restraint issues. Added to this, the lower
levels which include the basement and retail
levels were restrained by the sheet pile
retaining walls. To deal with the restraint
issue, both temporary and permanent
movement joints were introduced to isolate
from the reinforced concrete cores. Delayed
conventionally reinforced pour strips were
introduced around the perimeter to isolate
from the sheet pile wall which also provided
access for stressing and eliminated the need
to use surface stressing pans.

PT SOLUTION
Post-tensioning was used throughout the
suspended floors which are cast-in-situ
concrete, incorporating more than 360 t of
BBR CONA flat slab post-tensioning.
The design of the suspended floors made use
of a number of slab systems which include
one-way slabs supported by band beams,
two-way flat plate and two-way slabs with
drop panels. The basement car park slabs
were generally one-way slabs supported by
band beams, the retail levels were flat plates
with drop panels to allow for the passage of

services without restricting head height and

the residential floors were typically flat plate
due to the head height constraint 2.7 m
ceilings. These slab systems were chosen
with the aim of providing the most efficient
and low-cost solution to the client. This was
achieved by the attendant reduction in
materials and increase in the speed of
construction without compromising the
structural integrity, quality or architectural
requirements of the structure.
The Level 1 podium slab is a heavy transfer
slab with complex concrete profiles due to
the combination of varying slab thicknesses,
deep folds and steps, large spanning beams
some in excess of 16 m to cater for the
large column-free space below required for
the loading dock, diagonal beams and the
magnitude and positioning of the transfer
columns. Input from the design team was
critical to arriving at a practical solution. The
slab depths and beam dimensions were
reviewed in discussion with the consulting
engineers, the architect and services consultants and this led to significant changes in
the concrete profiles. Due to the geometric
confinements of some slabs and beams, we
used 12.7 mm and 15.2 mm diameter strand.

In addition, the dimensions of various transfer

beams were restricted in depth and width
and could not be increased due to head
height limitations widths could only be
increased to a certain extent. This created
issues with practicality and great difficulties in
physically installing the considerable quantity
of post-tensioning strand required to control
deflections. Therefore, the design of the
beams used a combination of BBR CONA
flat slab post-tensioning and BBR VT CONA
CMI which reduced congestion and improved
the construction efficiency of the floor.
With the use of post-tensioning, thoughtful
design and efficient construction, the project
recovered from being well behind its target
construction program when we began the
suspended structure to finishing ahead of
schedule on its completion.
l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER Dee Why Developments
MAIN CONTRACTOR Thiess Pty Ltd
DESIGNER Structural Systems Limited (Australia)
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA flat
BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Structural Systems Limited (Australia)

Local insight: Dee Why

oday, Dee Why is undergoing

considerable urban regeneration
and proving popular with young
professionals, perhaps attracted by an
easy commute into the Sydney CBD.
The first written reference to the town
appears in the field book of IrishAustralian explorer and surveyor
James Meehan: Wednesday, 27th

Sept, 1815 Dy Beach Marked a

Honey Suckle Tree near the Beach.
Explanations for his description range
from the DY simply being a code that
he used on maps, or that it originally
came from the local Aboriginal
language or was derived from
calculus and refers to the shape of the
curve of the beach as seen on a map.
From 1940, the town was known as
Deewhy and it was only in the 1950s
that it took the present form Dee
Why.
Since construction of the new civic
centre in the early 1970s, the town
has housed the administrative
headquarters of Warringah Council,
the local authority.

MAGISTRATES COURTS, ESSEX,

ENGLAND

Reducing legal costs

BUILDINGS

A COMBINATION OF BBR
CONA FLAT SLAB POSTTENSIONING AND BBR VT
CONA CMI ... REDUCED
CONGESTION AND IMPROVED
THE CONSTRUCTION
EFFICIENCY OF THE FLOOR.

Post-tensioning which was designed and

installed by BBR Network Member
Structural Systems UK has been
used to reduce the environmental
impact on two new Magistrates Court
buildings currently being developed in
Colchester and Chelmsford, Essex.
Richard Gaskill takes up the story.
Both buildings were designed to sit on
existing car parks and have a similar
layout. During the initial design review
workshops, some 50 potential design
changes were identified with 11 ideas
flagged up for further discussion and,
finally, this number was distilled down to
four which were analyzed in detail. Posttensioning, along with retention of
excavated material, pre-engineered stairs
and CFA replacement piles reduced the
overall cost of the structures. The
Colchester structure had slab depths
varying from 200 mm to 400 mm,
whereas the one in Chelmsford varied
from 200 mm to 500 mm thick. The
Magistrates Court scheme was procured
through a Private Finance Initiative (PFI)
scheme by the County Council, to secure
the new courts as part of a countywide
court strategy. Her Majestys Court
Service is expected to pay 30 million
for the Colchester Magistrates Court
Complex. The Court is due to hold its
first case in summer 2012.
The Courthouse is designed to the
HMCS Design Guide 2007 and is set to
achieve BREEAM excellent and other
specific targets from the UK Government
Framework for Sustainable Development. l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Her Majestys Court Service
MAIN CONTRACTOR Galliford Try
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA flat
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Structural Systems (UK) Ltd

CONNCT 39

service levels with outrigger walls spanning

between columns and cores to limit the
horizontal movement of the structure.

Stressing for
new icon
ADNOC HQ, ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
he new corporate headquarters complex for Abu Dhabi National
Oil Company (ADNOC) is being built on the Abu Dhabi City
corniche. This magnificent 342 m high tower with excellent views
of the Arabian Sea will be one of the tallest towers in Abu Dhabi. Roland
Zachar, Design Manager and Warwick Ironmonger, General Manager,
both from Structural Systems Middle East, the BBR Network Member
based in the United Arab Emirates, report on the challenges overcome
whilst designing and building this iconic building.

The new ADNOC headquarters occupies

one of the most prestigious addresses in the
United Arab Emirates and, indeed, in the
whole of the Middle East. It stands
immediately opposite the luxurious Emirates
Palace Hotel and the new presidential palace
which is currently under construction. The
75-storey ADNOC HQ building will achieve
either Gold or Platinum LEED Certification
upon completion, as the construction
systems and methodologies employed will
minimize the buildings impact on the
environment. Apart from office space, the
tower will include a Corniche Club, the
Supreme Petroleum Council and Crisis
Management Centre, Heritage Museum and
other supporting facilities.

STRUCTURE
The concept of the structure is very
minimalistic, taking into account that the
footprint of a typical level is approximately
2,450 m2. Post-tensioned floors are
supported on the west, south and east by

40 CONNCT

large cores and only six perimeter columns at

nine meter spacing on the north side.
The south core reduces in size towards the
top of the tower. Cores to the west and east
do not diminish in overall size, but the
thickness of their walls decreases with height.

PROBABLY THE BIGGEST

CHALLENGE ... WAS TO SATISFY
THE ENGINEERS REQUIREMENT
FOR A MINIMUM OF 50% OF
THE TENDONS TO BE FULLY
ANCHORED IN THE CORE
WALLS.

The maximum thickness of walls in the cores

is a substantial 1.2 m at the lower levels.
Columns were designed as concrete-filled
steel tubes (CFT) of a 1.5 m maximum diameter at lower floors and a steel tube thickness of 90 mm. The column diameter reduces
towards the top of the building. In addition to
these vertical elements, there are three

PT SYSTEMS
A post-tensioned band beam option was
chosen for the typical levels, thus providing
the most economic and minimum depth
option for the client with the majority of
beams spanning a significant 16.8 m in one
direction between the main core and the
CFT columns, from where the bands
cantilever six meters to the slab edge. The
band beam size for the typical levels is
3,000 mm wide and 550 mm deep. The
200 mm deep reinforced concrete slabs
which span between these band beams were
designed and detailed by Structural Systems.
Service levels were designed as flat slabs
450 mm to 500 mm deep the thickness
depending on the loading and locations
and the consultant required additional precompression to be provided below and
above every outrigger wall to improve the
lateral stability of the structure.
DESIGN CHALLENGES
Special steel connection details between the
post-tensioned banded beams and every
CFT column required considerable additional
reinforcement to meet the engineers requirements. This detail did not give us a lot of
space to run the three ducts with five
15.2 mm strands on either side of the
columns. Another of the numerous
challenges was to cater for the extreme
cantilevers which were typically six meters,
but extended in certain locations to up to
10.8 m in length. We were responsible for
ensuring that perimeter deflections were
controlled and that the very sensitive 4.4 m
tall glass-faced panels would not be damaged
by floor slab deflection. Numerous meetings
were held between the designer, contractor
and ourselves to make sure that the design
and details were integrated and, most
importantly, that the details shown on the
drawings were actually buildable on site.
INSTALLATION CHALLENGES
Probably the biggest challenge, from an onsite point-of-view, was to satisfy the
engineers requirement for a minimum of
50% of the tendons to be fully anchored in
the core walls. This was achieved in the
lower floors by installing dead end onions
inside the walls, but the heavily congested
wall reinforcement made this a difficult task.
As works progressed to the upper floors,
the main contractor wanted to construct all
cores in advance of the floors. This then

BUILDINGS

Fostering creativity

SCHOOL OF THE ARTS, SINGAPORE (SOTA)

ituated in The Arts & Heritage district of Singapore, the School of the Arts
is the first independent pre-tertiary Arts school to nurture youths who are
passionate about and committed to the Arts in a multi-cultural society. It
also aims to nurture the next generation of artists and creative professionals,
reports Kew Kim Mei of BBR Construction Systems in Singapore.

necessitated the installation of live, rather

than dead, anchorages with dummy
tendons in the walls. Stressing of these
tendons had to be done from inside the
core. With access to the live ends available
only from the top of the core walls, our site
team had to go down two levels inside the
core to perform stressing operations. With
outside temperatures often exceeding
45 C, limited ventilation inside the core
walls and the extreme humidity
encountered, we ultimately built this icon
with sweat and determination!
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
MAIN CONTRACTOR Six Construct Co. Ltd
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA flat
BBR NETWORK MEMBER Structural Systems
Middle East LLC (United Arab Emirates)

The building, which is a showcase for ecofriendliness and flexibility, consists of two
parts the Backdrop and Blank Canvas. The
Backdrop is a podium containing a concert
hall, drama theatre, black box theatre and
several small performing spaces. Meanwhile,
Blank Canvas provides the school area
where the curriculum fosters greater clarity
of insight, critical evaluation and creativity.
Post-tensioning has been used to provide
generously proportioned classrooms with
performing space by increasing the
headroom and allows longer spans between
columns. In addition, the classrooms are
designed in nine meter square modules with
movable end walls which allow for future
changes in use.
This project is a composite structure, using
both steel and concrete. The columns are
made of steel and encased in concrete for
fire protection. During construction, there
were difficulties in connecting the columns
and beams with PT tendons and we resolved

this by adopting an unconventional method.

Firstly, reinforcement bars were welded to
the steel column. Part of the beam was a
box-out at the stressing anchors. The
reinforcement bars of the beam were bent
up temporarily to allow access for the
stressing jacks. After the tendons had been
stressed, the bars were bent back into
position and the box-out was concreted.
The formwork was removed only after the
concrete had gained sufficient strength. l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER Ministry of Information,
Communications and the Arts
MAIN CONTRACTOR
Tiong Aik Construction Pte Ltd
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
Worley Parsons Ltd
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA flat
BBR CONA internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Construction Systems Pte Ltd (Singapore)

CONNCT 41

OFFICE BUILDINGS,
WARSAW & SZCZECIN,
POLAND

Driving quality and economy

ith the support of its dedicated post-tensioned slab technology
department, managed by Bartosz Lukijaniuk, BBR Polska has
been rather busy lately with two prestigious office projects
one in Warsaw, the other in Szczecin. Their work proves that quality and
economy can indeed go hand-in-hand.

1 BUSINESS GARDEN WARSAW

In Warsaw, we were commissioned to
provide PT services for the construction of
two office buildings for the Business Garden
Warsaw development near the international
airport the developer is planning to extend
this office complex later with another five
buildings.
The first building (B1) has a total service
area of around 13,000 m2 while the second
building (B2) is around 17,000 m2 both
blocks are seven storeys high and have two
underground parking levels for 260 and 265
cars respectively. All slabs are executed as
PT slabs in each building we executed nine
post-tensioned slabs which amounted to a
total of 51,500 m2 across the two buildings.
Building B1 is very irregular shape with levels
0 and +1 in one block, above which it divides
into three towers. Tower A is three storeys
high with floors typically of 450 m2, Tower B is
six storeys high with floors typically of 640 m2
and in the six storey hotel tower typical floors
are 1200 m2, divided into two pours only a
few slabs are similar. Meanwhile, Building B2 is
a more regular shape of three linked triangles
and all slabs above ground level are similar.
PT slab solutions had already been chosen at
the preliminary design stage, however, the
developer allowed some alternatives. For
example, evaluation was made of using
prefabricated concrete elements, however, in

42 CONNCT

the end, our PT solution turned out to be

around 15% cheaper.
Building B1 will house a hotel, some public
services, restaurants and office area and
Building B2 will contain offices.
The complexity of the building shape makes
construction equally complex. Slab spans vary
from seven to 11.5 m, often with a five meter
cantilever the spans are very irregular. In
building B1, slab thickness varies from 200 mm
in the underground parking to 350 mm in the
cantilever section of two towers. The RC rate
is between 13 and 17 kg/m2. In building B2
the typical floor has shape of three triangles
joined together. Typical floors are 2600 m2,
with slab thicknesses of 250 mm and 300 mm
here the RC rate varies between 15 kg/m2
in the underground parking and 10 kg/m2 for
a typical floor the latter is divided into three
pours linked with expansion joints. All slabs
are designed with C30/37 concrete.
We used BBR VT CONA CMM 0106
tendons made of 15.7 mm nominal diameter
strands with a 150 mm2 cross-section and
tensile strength of 1860 MPa. In total, we used
260 t of prestressing steel.
2 BRAMA PORTOWA I & II,
SZCZECIN
Meanwhile, in Szczecin, our site manager,
Bartosz Chmielewski, has been managing the
Brama Portowa I and II development which

comprises two buildings located in the very

heart of Szczecin city centre. Both buildings
are being performed with PT slabs using the
unbonded BBR VT CONA CMM 0106
system and in total, we used 50 t of
prestressing steel.
The first structure is known as Grzybek
(mushroom) and comprises 4,000 m2 of
office space, 580 m2 of service area and a
single-floor underground car park. In the
above ground levels, we are using 200 mm
thick post-tensioned slabs each slab covers
900 m2.
The second building named Poczta (postoffice) consists of 6,800 m2 of office space
and a 1,400 m2 service area, including a car
park. The slabs for this building were
constructed by making two pours for each
of the seven PT floors each pour consisted
of around 650 m2 of concrete.
The buildings were originally designed with
traditional reinforced cast in-situ concrete.
Slabs are supported by concrete columns
spaced about every eight meters, cores with
staircases and lifts, plus external walls. In the
tender stage design, slabs were 250 mm thick
and RC consumption was about 30 kg/m2.
We proposed and delivered a posttensioned slab solution which allowed the
slab thickness to be reduced to 200 mm and
RC rate to 12.5 kg/m2. With our PT solution,
the general contractor saved around 5 per
square meter on slab construction.
BBR Polskas scope of work on both the
Warsaw and Szczecin projects covered
delivery of alternative design for PT slabs,
delivery, installation and stressing of tendons,
plus delivery and installation of anchorage
zone reinforcement.
l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

CLIENT SwedeCenter
MAIN CONTRACTOR Hochtief Polska
DESIGNER Arcade Polska
PT slabs by SDS Sp. z o.o.
TECHNOLOGY
BBR VT CONA CMM monostrand
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Polska Sp. z o.o. (Poland)

ASIA SQUARE, MARINA BAY, SINGAPORE

BUILDINGS

Record cycles for high rise

PLAZA 33, PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA

Taking the load

two stage casting with three stage stressing, was

designed as an engineering solution to handle the
heavy casting weight of a transfer beam thereby
preventing overloading of floors below while reducing
propping costs. Mohd Yusri of BBR Construction Systems
Malaysia, describes the project.
Plaza 33 is a Grade-A office building located in Section 13, Petaling Jaya
and consists of two office towers of 16 and 25 storeys and a podium.
The beam has a single span of 24.3 m supporting two columns carrying loads from 20 storeys. As the columns are spaced at eight meters,
harped tendons with horizontal flat profiles between the columns are
designed to provide an uplifting force to balance the gravity loads.
The beam was first cast to a height of 1.7 m, with four fully-embedded
BBR CONA 1905 tendons. The props and backprops were designed
to carry only 1.7 m of concrete, rather than the full height. Without
the PT solution, the construction loads transferred down to ground
level would have exceeded the capacity of the constructed floors.
Upon achieving a transfer strength of 30 N/mm2, the tendons were
stressed to 75% UTS. The props and the 1.7 m deep beam, could now
support the casting load from the second pour for the remaining 3.3 m
height. After second stage stressing of another eight CONA 1905
tendons, the props were removed. Stage 3 stressing was carried out for
the remaining six CONA 1905 tendons after construction of Level 7.
The tendons could only be stressed from one side and to avoid
obstruction to column rebar, the 18 anchorages were placed in five
layers within the narrow 1.5 m wide beam. The final precompression
applied to the beam was 3.5 MPa.
Horizontal shear resistance between the two cast concrete layers was
provided by vertical shear links. To ensure that the two cast layers
acted monolithically during the second and third stage stressing, the
prestress tendons were profiled to angle sharply across the horizontal
construction joint by taking advantage of the harped tendon profiles.
By employing prestressing technology and incorporating our
construction methodology in the prestressed beam design, the client
has reaped the key rewards of savings in props, backprops costs and
prevented overloading the constructed floors below.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Plaza 33 Sdn Bhd
MAIN CONTRACTOR Siab (M) Sdn Bhd
BUILDING DESIGNER/CONTRACTOR
BBR Construction Systems (M) Sdn Bhd
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Construction Systems (M) Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)

twin tower mixed-use development Asia

Square is rising in Singapores Marina Bay
Business and Financial Centre. It comprises
two million square feet of premium office space,
60,000 ft2 of retail space, a 305-room five star luxury
hotel and a 100,000 ft2 fully sheltered and landscaped plaza. Lim Suan Suan and Yeo Swee Choo of BBR
Construction Systems, the BBR Network Member
in Singapore, outline their work in supplying, installing and stressing works for the post-tensioning
required in the construction of the two towers.

Each tower provides a highly efficient, column-free floor plate

consisting of post-tensioned beams and RC slabs, supported by
external columns and core walls. Deep haunches were provided
where there are moment connections to the columns. Clashes
between the tendons and reinforcements were studied and
resolved long before construction commenced.
We are proud to be able to say that, using a climbing formwork
system and working a 24-hour shift pattern, we are achieving a
7-day cycle for each pour currently the local record for the
fastest pour cycle. Post-tensioning systems not only cut down the
cost of construction and self-weight of the building, overall it has
also saved lots of time!
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER MGPA
MAIN CONTRACTOR Hyundai Engineering & Construction
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Meinhardt (S) Pte Ltd
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA flat
Climbing formwork
BBR NETWORK MEMBER BBR Construction Systems Pte Ltd (Singapore)

CONNCT 43

EXCEL, LONDON, UK

International showcase
E

xCeL London represents a 150 million investment in the

exhibitions industry. The recent second phase of development has
pushed ExCel London to around 100,000 m2 of flexible flat floor
exhibition and conference space. Richard Gaskill of Structural Systems
the BBR Network Member in the UK describes this huge development.
ExCeL London is an international events and
conference centre, located in the Royal
Docks, which hosts a variety of events from
high profile exhibitions and conferences to
international association meetings, award
ceremonies and sporting events. In 2012, the
venue will host seven Olympic and five
Paralympic events.
This second phase of development was a
further massive investment focused on
providing superior world class event facilities
in London, as well giving added support to
the capitals ambition to host an ever
increasing number of high profile domestic
and international shows. This international
events venue now valued at around 300
million in total is the largest and most
versatile space in London.

In addition to the vast halls totaling

65,000 m2, there are five on-site hotels
catering for budget and luxury clients, which
provide 1,500 rooms, plus over 90 fully
serviced apartments, 45 meeting rooms and
3,700 on-site parking spaces.
We teamed up with concrete construction
specialist P.C. Harrington Contractors, who
had commenced a 47-week contract which
included the groundworks, drainage, pile caps
and structural concrete for construction of
the new North Hall and lorry way, as well as
the South Hall, lorry way and ramp.
The scheme was designed by main
contractor Sir Robert McAlpines in house
design team who indicated a PT density of
30 kg/m3 for North and South Lorry ways
and 25 kg/m3 for both the North and South

Hall. As part of their specification, they had

indicated that all strands should be 15.7 mm
seven wire super-grade with a minimum
breaking load of 279 kN.
Concrete strength was specified as a
minimum of 40 MPa and the design
accommodated a one hour fire rating
requirement. Each hall was separated into
pours with the North Hall having 10 and
the South Hall 12. The lorry ways were split
into a further three and four pours
respectively. The slab was nominally
240 mm thick, with 475 mm deep beams
which covered approximately 65% of the
scheme at centers ranging from 7.8 m to
10.5 m and a 600 mm deep beam at one
end. Pours 3, 6, 9 and 12 were
270 mm thick on the North Hall and
300 mm thick on the South Hall, with all of
these areas being adjacent to the lorry
ways. The area of the halls and lorry ways
together totaled 27,689 m2.
During our 16 weeks on site, we installed
our CONA flat 206, 306 and 406 bonded
post-tensioning systems. Internal pans, where
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER ExCeL London
MAIN CONTRACTOR Sir Robert McAlpine
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA flat
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Structural Systems (UK) Ltd

44 CONNCT

THE SLAB WAS NOMINALLY

240 MM THICK, WITH 475 MM DEEP
BEAMS WHICH COVERED
APPROXIMATELY 65% OF THE SCHEME
...

BUILDINGS

BIW HOTEL, KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

required, were installed along each side adjacent to the lorry way to
allow post-tensioning to take place.
The project has provided much-needed additional exhibition and
conference space, as well as a 5,000 seat semi-permanent auditorium
at this venue. One of the more unusual features of the construction
process was that after completion of the column pile caps the
main contractor erected the steel frame and roof, while the
suspended post-tensioned floor slabs for the exhibition halls and
lorry access way were constructed afterwards. Among the challenges
during our construction period was the need to maintain access for
maritime exhibits during the London International Boat Show!
l

Local insight: Docklands

he ExCeL exhibition centre sits close to the Isle of

Dogs, in the heart of an area defined by its seafaring
and trading past. Although hard to imagine now, London
Docklands was once a hive of activity, fuelled by the
arrival and departure of ships transporting goods from
all over the world. The docks here grew up primarily in
the early 1800s, with later additions in 1880 and 1921.
However, by the 1970s, commercial shipping consisted
mainly of container ships which required deep water
berths. Thus, the old docks progressively fell into disuse
until the vision of regeneration was born in the 1980s.
Now, the shining Canary Wharf development during
which Britains tallest building was constructed stands
as a beacon for regeneration and has established a
second major financial centre in London.

Fast and five star

B

ahrain Investment Wharf (BIW) is a joint venture

between the Bahrain Government and Al Khaleej
Development Company (Tameer). Roland Zachar, Design
Manager for BBR Network Member NASA Structural
Systems LLC, reports how they have helped to develop
the wharf by post-tensioning the floor slabs of the new
five star BIW Hotel.
The master plan of the US$2 billion BIW project is divided into
four major sectors an industrial park, business park, residential
and service areas totaling 1.25 million square meters of
rentable area. BIW is strategically located near to Bahrains
International Airport, the Seaport, the highway leading to the
causeway linking Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, as well as the newly
proposed causeway between Bahrain and Qatar for ease of
import and export of goods.
Given the significant overall length of the project, each level of the
hotel was divided into three pours by the inclusion of expansion
joints. All 13 levels above the ground were designed as posttensioned flat slabs using the BBR CONA flat system with 305 and
505 anchorage sizes. The lower, more heavily loaded levels,
consisted of 220 mm deep post-tensioned flat slabs, whereas slab
depths of only 200 mm were required for the upper levels.
The majority of projects in the Middle East over recent years have
been carried out at a much faster pace than is typically experienced
in Europe. The period between signing the contract, finalizing the
design, mobilizing on site and pouring the concrete can be limited to
a matter of days and this BIW job was a prime example. A price
was agreed with the main contractor on Thursday, the letter of
intent received on the following Saturday and the first pour at
ground floor level was cast within a 10 day period.
The whole project progressed at a similar pace with all
21,000 m2 of post-tensioned slabs designed, installed, poured and
stressed in less than five months from us receiving the go-ahead on
the project. In recognition of our excellent service during the
works, the contractor awarded us the design and installation of
post-tensioned slab for the associated multi-functional hall.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Bahrain Investment Wharf
MAIN CONTRACTOR Al Namal Construction Co.
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA flat
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
NASA Structural Systems LLC (United Arab Emirates)

CONNCT 45

UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS IN THE UK AND AUSTRALIA

Degrees of difference
wo different university buildings, two different countries
and two very different challenges. Long after they had
graduated, engineers from the BBR Network recently found
themselves back on the campus. In both cases, they provided
technically excellent solutions in some very unusual
circumstances each one leading edge and perhaps providing
food-for-thought for any engineering undergraduates who
happened to pass by the construction sites!

46 CONNCT

1 MAKING WAVES
The 19 million new Marine Building at
Plymouth University now accommodates state-of-the-art research facilities,
including the most technically advanced
wave tank and testing facilities in Europe.
The two giant ocean and coastal wave
tanks are at 48 m by 16 m nearly
the size of an Olympic swimming pool,
and will contain 225,000 liters of water,
all suspended from the floor above.
During the project, BBR Network
Member, Structural Systems UK provided post-tensioning expertise for the construction of some of the largest concrete
beams ever produced in the UK.
The structural system chosen was
precast post-tensioned beams spanning
16 m, with secondary spanning 100 mm
deep wide-slab precast units
incorporating a 125 mm structural
screed. The 32 beams are 500 mm by
750 mm deep at midspan, reducing to
400 mm by 690 mm deep at 3.4 m from

each column to accommodate a crane

fixed to the underside of the beams.
Each beam comprised two BBR VT
CONA CMI 706 bonded multistrand
anchors with single end stressing. As
deflection remained an issue after initial
stressing, a full-scale FE vibration analysis
confirmed a response factor of 3, this
was accepted by the building client.
Transporting the 16.3 m beams to site
was a logistical feat in itself and required
a specialized trailer and a special high
load capacity crane, imported from Asia,
on site to lift the beams into position.
Beam design also had to consider the
different permutations and stresses
involved in the lifting process.
Supporting the beams on a relatively
small column width meant that the
traditional recess provided for the multistrand anchor interfered with the
anchorage length for the support
reinforcement. Placing the anchor
bearing plate on the external face of the

beam removed the recess requirement, but

left the anchor exposed. The architect
accepted the detail once a plastic end cap
was sourced to minimize the impact of the
protrusion on the building space.
We also undertook the in-situ prestressing of
two 800 mm wide by 1,000 mm deep beams
providing support for one of the suspended
coastal tanks. Use of two CONA CMI 706
tendons for each beam eliminated three
layers of congested bottom reinforcement
and provided a crack-free structure, increasing
the durability and design life of the tank.

incorporated approximately 120 t of 15.2 mm

diameter slab and beam post-tensioning,
stressed to 212 KN per strand. In addition to
this, seven strand vertical multistrand PT
tendons were also installed at the extreme
corners of each of the service cores to
counteract the large lateral loads generated
within the buildings.
The large double-height clear span lecture
theater, presented our design team with a
series of unique challenges. To achieve the
large open space, four complex transfer
beams were required at level 3. These were

2
2 VITAL DEGREES
Michael Losinski, Design Manager for
Australian BBR Network Member, Structural
Systems Ltd, reports on the engineering
challenges and development of the
construction techniques that led to the
successful completion of Swinburne
Universitys iconic Advanced Technology
Centre in Melbourne.
We provided the main contractor with a
complete structure package that included
post-tensioning design and installation,
formwork, steel fixing and concrete
placement. Understandably, Swinburne
University was keen to make use of their new
facility and all parties were constrained by an
extremely tight design and construction
program. The horizontal structure

formed with a maximum structural depth of

3.45 m and each was required to span
approximately 20 m to carry all eight of the
levels above. The BBR VT CONA CMI
multistrand system was utilized within these
beams, with each beam containing a total of
93 strands each or three 31 strand tendons.
Stage stressing of both monostrand and
multistrand tendons within the transfer deck
was imperative to ensure adequate stress and
deflection criteria were met throughout all
construction stages. Monitoring of beam
edges was conducted by daily surveys to
ensure that shrinkage of the transfer beams
was maintained within the calculated limits.
Construction requirements and site logistics
required that the large transfer beams were
poured as one single element with no

TEAMS & TECHNOLOGIES

1 PLYMOUTH UNIVERSITY
OWNER University of Plymouth
MAIN CONTRACTOR Leadbitter Group
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Structural Systems (UK) Ltd
2 SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY
OWNER Swinburne University of Technology
MAIN CONTRACTOR Kane Constructions
ARCHITECT H20 Architects
STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Watermans
PT DESIGNER Structural Systems Limited
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA flat
BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Structural Systems Limited (Australia)
CONNCT 47

BUILDINGS

DURING THE PROJECT, BBR

NETWORK MEMBER,
STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS UK
PROVIDED POST-TENSIONING
EXPERTISE FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SOME OF
THE LARGEST CONCRETE BEAMS
EVER PRODUCED IN THE UK

horizontal construction joints. This ultimately

raised concerns regarding the heat of
hydration generated within the deep beams.
Of major concern were the excessive
differential temperatures that could occur
through the large depth, potentially generating
structural voids and failure planes within the
beams. To combat this issue, specific concrete
design mix, formwork and curing procedures
were implemented to monitor and minimize
the calculated temperatures expected.
Along with our concrete suppliers, we
undertook extensive analysis of the concrete
mix, and thermocouplers were installed within
all the transfer beams to monitor the heat
generated. The delivery temperature of the
concrete was imperative in achieving
acceptable temperature criteria and, hence,
we explored and later used cooled
aggregates. This additional measure ensured
that the maximum delivered concrete
temperature did not exceed 10 C.
The formwork remained in place, acting as an
insulator until ambient temperatures in the
beams had been achieved. Curing of the slab
surface was vital to ensuring that surface
temperatures were kept at a relatively consistent rate, compared to that within the beams.
Results from the thermocouplers indicated
the maximum core concrete temperature was
approximately 52 C and the differential temperature between core of beam and external
face was minimized to less than 20 C.
The use of multiple post-tensioned systems,
techniques and design considerations
throughout this structure, ensured that
construction continuity could be maintained.
Casting transfer beams in one single pour
meant that formwork could be stripped at an
early stage allowing for all contractors to
begin works earlier, thus meeting the tight
deadlines set by the client.
l

Unleashing creativity

ne of the many projects connected with the

2012 UEFA European Football Championship to be
held in Poland and Ukraine is the construction of railway
junction near the Euro 2012 Football Stadium in Wroclaw. Early
collaboration at the design stage has enabled the optimal use of the
BBR VT CONA CMX system in almost every element of design.
Pawel Surman, Site Manager for BBR Polska, describes the
versatility of the system and how it can be used anywhere.

RAILWAY VIADUCT, WROCLAW, POLAND

he superstructure of the viaduct comprises

two tram tracks with platforms and bicycle
tracks. Under the main structure are two railway
lines, a railway station and two carriageways. Also
integrated into the structure are two lift shafts,
stairs allowing communication between levels and
a wide ramp leading in the direction of the football
stadium. All elements apart from the concrete
superstructure and piers were made using
architectural concrete techniques.
The main structure was formed from C50/60
concrete and has an irregular shape where the

48 CONNCT

maximum width of the viaduct of

29.3 m and minimum is 18.7 m. The
main structure is supported on
seven supports, each of which is
located at a different angle relative
to the axis of the structure
(39-76 ), which causes a large
variation in span lengths which
range from 12.2 m to 36.7 m.
Beams have different total lengths
from 104.9 m to 163. The structure
is post-tensioned with CONA CMI
1906 and 2206 tendons. The
superstructure was concreted on
scaffolding in two stages which
resulted in the use of inaccessible
fixed anchorages,
K-couplers and continuous tendons
running over the whole length of
the viaduct.
The roof is supported by among
other things, three skews from the
vertical walls made of C35/45
concrete. The largest wall was posttensioned using CONA CMI 1906
tendons and concreted in two
stages. This wall was designed as a
single-span structure where the
tendons are located horizontally in
the lower part.
The roof is a monolithic prestressed
concrete slab which has a four-sided
irregular shape and was made from
C50/60 concrete. The slab is fixed
to three walls and additionally
supported on concrete-filled steel
columns deviated from the vertical.

The roof has a variable thickness from 50 cm for

the walls, to 24 cm at the end of the 12.75 m long
cantilever. The roof is post-tensioned, in both
longitudinal and transverse directions, with
50 CONA CMM 106 and 197 CONA CMM 406
tendons made up of four strands. Each tendon has
a different length from two to 92 m!
We used a total of 64.6 t of bonded stressing steel
for the superstructure and 2.9 t for the wall, plus a
further 17.4 t of unbonded stressing steel for the
roof. All tendons had cross-sections of 150 mm2
and a tensile capacity of 279 kN.
This project admirably illustrates the wide variety
of applications the BBR VT CONA CMX system
offers and how early collaboration, between the
designer and ourselves, can result in a very
interesting and lightweight structure. The use of
post-tensioning has allowed the construction of a
slender and somehow transparent structure. It
can only serve to enhance our environment when
public buildings gain attractive and more expressive
forms at the very frontier of architecture and
sculpture. While projects like this play an important
role in our portfolio, it is the work of designers
that really shows how creativity is unleashed by the
unlimited possibilities, for making any form of
structure, offered by the use of BBR technology. l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Gmina Wroclaw
MAIN CONTRACTOR Filar Sp. z o.o.
DESIGNER Arcadis Sp. z o.o. & Ozone & ZNTiW
Inmost-Projekt
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR VT CONA CMM monostrand
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Polska Sp. z o.o. (Poland)

BBR TECHNOLOGY MEETS

LNG DEMANDS

Consuming
passion for LNG
CONNCT 49

TANKS & SILOS

orld consumption
of Liquefied
Natural Gas (LNG)
continues to be strong
even in 2009, during the
global economic slowdown,
world LNG trade rose around
6.5%. Here, we review the
market and award-winning
approach of the BBR Network
in delivering the specialized
containment facilities
required by this sector. g

LNG market outlook

THE PROJECT IS OF THE

HIGHEST STANDARD AND REFLECTS
ALL THAT IS BEST IN INNOVATIVE
USE OF CONCRETE IN CIVIL
ENGINEERING

Concrete Society Awards 2008 Judging

Panel South Hook LNG Tanks, Wales

NORWEGIAN LNG PLANT

At the new LNG processing and storage facility in
Stavanger created for energy provider Lyse
Gass Norwegian BBR Network Member
KB Spennteknikk installed the post-tensioning for
a new 20,000 m3 tank, using latest European
approved BBR VT CONA CMI internal horizontal
and vertical loop tendons.

he problems at Fukushima, following the earthquake in Japan,

have prompted a review of nuclear policies in many countries
and the outcome of these may ultimately benefit the LNG market.
Supply of LNG is also increasing, with new fields coming on-line
and there are many potential new LNG importers too, including
prospective customers in Central and Eastern Asia and Eastern
Europe.

Many agencies have produced reports on future trends within the LNG sector and
points raised which may be relevant to the BBR Network are summarized below:
u LNG import capacity is predicted to grow by 105% by 2015.
u By 2015, a further 16 importing markets are set to enter the global LNG trade.
u Over the next three years, there will be a 400-fold increase in LNG tankers sailing
around the world.
u Although still in its growth stage, floating LNG export markets are expected to
play a major role by 2015.
u More than US$140 billion will be invested in construction of new LNG export
plants between 2010 and 2015.
As new natural gas reserves are developed and progressively come on-line,
appropriate receiving facilities are needed in markets importing LNG. Significant
foresight and organization is required in this process typically, it takes some 5-10
years for the planning and construction of import and export terminals.

International portfolio
n the past decade, the BBR Network has applied its expertise to the
construction of many massive LNG storage structures and some
projects have even attracted prestigious awards. Design and
construction techniques for cryogenic containment were featured in
CONNAECT 2007, now we update the BBR Networks LNG portfolio
with some international highlights.

BBR technology and know-how have been applied innovatively to LNG projects all
around the globe. Consequently, the wealth of knowledge within the BBR Network,
specifically relating to the successful delivery of LNG construction, is immense and is
routinely applied as best practice for further projects.

50 CONNCT

WORLDS LARGEST LNG TANK

Completed in 2006, the 188,000 m3 capacity
LNG tank at Darwin, Australia was one of the
largest above-ground tanks in the world at the
time. Some 47 m high and approximately 94 m in
diameter, the tank comprises a 550 mm thick
outer concrete wall and nickel alloy steel lining.
Australian BBR Network Member Structural
Systems was engaged to install, stress and grout
approximately 570 t of post-tensioning tendons.

TANKS & SILOS

WORLDS FIRST OFFSHORE LNG TERMINAL
The Isola di Porto Levante offshore LNG Terminal a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit is a gravity-based structure (GBS) and was
constructed in a large dry dock facility in southern Spain.
The project attracted a special mention in the 2010 fib Awards for Outstanding Concrete Structures and the judges praised the project for the
way in which congested areas were handled and for the high quality of workmanship.
BBR PTE developed the post-tensioning works in association with two other companies. The GBS was taken by tugboat to its final destination
17 km off the coast of Italy.

TANKING UP IN SPAIN
Over the past seven years, BBR PTE has constructed four LNG tanks
in Barcelona and one in Cartagena as part of Enagas installations and
are now constructing a further two tanks for them in Gijon (see
pages 52 & 53).

AWARD-WINNING LNG CONSTRUCTION

The UKs largest civils project in 2008 was declared the winner in the
civil engineering category of the Concrete Society Awards. The team
from BBR Network Member Structural Systems (UK) constructed
five 92 m diameter post-tensioned LNG storage tanks at the South
Hook site in Pembroke Dock in South Wales.
CONNCT 51

LNG TANKS, GIJON, ASTURIAS, SPAIN

LNG to enhance regional

economic growth
avid Olivares Latorre of BBR PTE in Spain provides an insight
into the BBR Networks most recent LNG project where two tanks
have been constructed for Enagas at the Port of Gijon.

The Port of Gijon, on the Cantabrian Sea

sustains many freight and passenger activities
and has the facilities to handle a variety of
commercial requirements. In the general
rankings, Gijon comes in sixth place but, in
operational terms, it is the fourth largest port
in Spain. This project gives the Principality of
Asturias a reception terminal for storage and
regasification of 300,000 m3 of LNG which
will arrive at Gijon by sea. This development
offers many advantages it supports growth
of the new energy market in Spain, places
Asturias in a good commercial position and
Gijon will become an exporting port with a
strong international presence.

52 CONNCT

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
As with other tanks built in Spain, security
and resistance are the primary design
considerations in constructing these new
tanks which are designed to withstand
earthquakes and strong winds.
Construction needs to achieve a very high
quality using only the best construction
materials and technologies.
The two tanks built simultaneously are
cylinder-shaped and have an 80 m external
diameter and are over 40 m high. In each
tank, we used more than 600,000 kg of
post-tensioning steel, divided into vertical
and horizontal tendons.

PRESTRESSING TECHNOLOGY
The prestressing technology selected for
this project was the BBR VT CONA CMI
system for cryogenic applications which was
used as follows:
u four foundation slab rings 48 CONA
CMI 2406 anchorages with 131 m long
tendons;
u cylinder horizontal wall 292 CONA
CMI 1506 anchorages with 130 m long
tendons;
u cylinder vertical wall 136 loops, each
85 m long, plus 272 CONA CMI 1906
anchorages.
The foundation slab rings and horizontal
tendons were formed with galvanized duct.
While the vertical loops also have an
inferior curve made of galvanized duct, the
rest of the vertical straight design was
constructed with jointed eight meter
sections of 104 mm stiff duct connected
at the expanded end of the tube, thus
allowing a rigid joint to be formed between
sections.

PUSHING & STRESSING

To push the horizontal cables, we hung the
strand pushing machine from a crane and the
operators worked from an elevator. The
pushing machine was tied to the tank to
avoid any unwanted vibration or movements
during the operation. Meanwhile, the vertical
cable loops were pushed using a flexible duct
situated between the M1906 anchorage and
the pushing machine.
Foundation slab rings were stressed before
tank construction and remaining tendons
were stressed during construction to accommodate the forces acting on the structure.
The established stressing sequence began
with some of the horizontal tendons and the
next stage was to stress the first half of the
vertical loops. Next, half of the horizontal
tendons were stressed, followed by the
second half of the vertical tendons. Finally, the
lowest horizontal cables were stressed beside
the access doors.
GROUTING & BLEEDING
The chosen cement grout was a thixotropic
grout made with Portland cement I-42.5,
thixotropic admixture and water (w/c=0.44).
In addition to the standard tests for grout, we
made a battery of inclined tube tests and
wick-induced tests to demonstrate the suitability of the grout, obtaining excellent results
in terms of bleeding, change of volume and
workability to latest European EN standards.
The method specifically designed for vertical
tendons is the wringing method which
consists of creating a forced bleeding of the
grout by applying pressure, thus forcing the
water out of the tendon through the strands
at the upper anchor head. The result of this
is the complete elimination of any possible
exudation of water at the top of the
tendons.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Enagas S.A.
MAIN CONTRACTOR FCC INDUSTRIAL
DESIGNER FCC INDUSTRIAL Direccin
Tcnica + Carlos Fernndez Casado
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER BBR PTE, S.L. (Spain)

Technical insight:
BBR loop tendons
Design and
construction of LNG
tanks requires special
post-tensioning
detailing, as featured
in CONNAECT 2007,
which includes
internal vertical
tendons in the tank
walls. Due to the
limited accessibility of
dead-end PT
anchorages at the
bottom, the
installation of 180degree loop tendons
is the preferred
option.
Loop tendons consist
of two stressing-end
anchorages, each one
connecting to a
straight tendon length
and both
interconnected by
means of a 180degree curved or
loop tendon. Design
considerations mean
that both stressingend anchorages need
to be positioned
quite close together,
leading to a very
reduced radius of
curvature. A typical
minimum radius of
curvature in loop
tendons might be up
to 0.6 m thus, considerably smaller than the minimum bending radius of a normal
prestressing strand. The full PT tendon is always subjected to static loading, which
prevents strand-fretting fatigue.
The high radial contact pressure of up to 900 kN/m, achieved in the curved section,
demands that special care be taken when designing loop tendons:
u The curved part of the tendon is made of smooth steel pipe and is pre-bent with
special techniques to avoid buckling.
u The diameter of the inner steel pipe is increased to limit contact pressure and facilitate
strand installation.
u Effective sealing measures should be applied at the curved-straight duct transition to
avoid the ingress of cement paste when concreting.
u The pressure exerted by the strands from the inside of the duct lead to very high
radial and transverse forces in the concrete. Additional reinforcement is, therefore,
installed on the inner side of the curvature to confine the concrete and properly
disperse those forces through the concrete.
CONNCT 53

TANKS & SILOS

SECURITY AND RESISTANCE

ARE THE PRIMARY DESIGN
CONSIDERATIONS IN
CONSTRUCTING THESE NEW
TANKS WHICH ARE DESIGNED
TO WITHSTAND EARTHQUAKES
AND STRONG WINDS.

ased on excellent previous

experiences and the early
involvement of
Vorspann-Technik GmbH, the
BBR Network Member in Austria,
the designer decided to use the
BBR VT CONA CMM system for a
new sugar silo in Tulln.

SUGAR SILO, TULLN, AUSTRIA

Expertise & easy handling

54 CONNCT

The leading sugar company in Central and

Eastern Europe, AGRANA, has enlarged its
storage capacity in Tulln about 40 km west
of Vienna with a new silo. This 70,000 t
crystallized sugar silo is 49 m in diameter and
52 m high and is Europes second largest
sugar silo. Its operation will largely be
automated, with sugar being handled using a
200 m-long conveyor bridge which will
conform to latest hygiene and safety
engineering guidelines. In addition, waste heat
from the sugar production process will be
used to heat and condition the silo, thus
saving primary energy and associated CO2
emissions the latter will also be saved, as
transportation by road to other storage
facilities in Austria or Hungary will no longer
be required.
The silo wall is a constant 40 cm thick and for
the post-tensioning, we used the BBR VT
CONA CMM 0406 unbonded internal
system. The tendons were placed at a centre
distance of 16 cm in the lower part of the
silo. This meant there were six tendons with
four strands for every one meter of silo wall.
Therefore, we placed them in an inner and
outer layer within the wall to get a real vertical distance of 33 cm between two tendons.
The project was ideally suited to slipform
construction and with a plan to concrete
between two and 2.5 m in 24 hours one of
the challenges for us was installing the cables
quickly enough, particularly in the lower part
of the silo. The slipform rig outline was
enlarged by a staircase and an elevator which
allowed us to have a small working platform.
The design only accommodated one buttress
for stressing this meant each tendon was
about 162 m long and weighed almost a ton!
Tendons were produced and cut to length at
our workshop near Salzburg, individually
coiled up, bound and delivered on site. From
the working platform, we put a single tendon
into an unwinder. A pusher, similar to strand
pushers used for the CONA CMI system,
pushed the 0406 tendon forward from one
side and a winch pulled the end of the
tendon from the other side. Suspended rollers
were mounted every four to five meters
around the slipform rig to increase the glide
of the tendon and keep it in the right position.

TANKS & SILOS

After pulling and pushing the tendon all
around the silo, it was manually lifted out of
the suspension units and fixed with wire onto
the reinforcement.
With this equipment and methodology, three
workers could install one 162 m tendon in
about an hour an achievement only attained
because of the easy handling characteristics
and installation of the CONA CMM system.
Everything worked well concreting with the
slipform rig was finished within 23 days.
Stressing was carried out simultaneously at
both ends and generally showed slightly
shorter elongation values than predicted by
the designer. Overall construction time was
about 11 months and the silo was finished on
schedule. In October, when the sugar-beet
harvest began, the new sugar silo went on-line
for the first time.
l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER AGRANA Zucker GmbH
MAIN CONTRACTOR
STRABAG SE & Steiner Bau GmbH
DESIGNER Freund und Vogtmann Zt GmbH
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMM
monostrand
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Vorspann-Technik GmbH (Austria)

IN FOCUS: Sugar beet

he main focus of production in Agranas sugar business segment is on the

manufacture of sugar products from sugar beet. Sugar beet is a hardy
biennial plant grown commercially for sugar production as its tuber contains a
high concentration of sucrose. Sugar beets and other Beta vulgaris cultivars
such as beetroot and chard share a common wild ancestor, the sea beet or
Beta vulgaris maritima.
The European Union, the United States and Russia are the world's three largest
sugar beet producers, although only the EU and Ukraine are significant
exporters of sugar from beets. Beet sugar accounts for 3035% of the world's
sugar production.
Sugar beet can be grown commercially in a wide variety of temperate climates.
During its first growing season, it produces a large storage root weighing
1-2 kg whose dry mass is 1520% sucrose by weight. In commercial beet
production, the root is harvested after the first growing season, as during its
second season the root decreases in size due to flower and seed production.
After reception at the processing plant, the beet roots are washed, mechanically
sliced into thin strips called cossettes and passed to a machine called a diffuser
to extract the sugar content into a water solution. This is then followed by three
further processes carbonatation, evaporation and crystallization to produce
sugar crystals.

CONNCT 55

4TH NGL TRAIN PROJECT, ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Strengthening relationship with PT

he tally of tanks constructed by Abu Dhabi-based BBR Network

Member Structural Systems Middle East has recently risen to 17
with the award of a contract for the post-tensioning of a further six
LPG tanks in Ruwais, reports Contracts Manager Mahesh Nayak. The
contract reflects a successful 12-year long working relationship in the
UAE with designer and tank subcontractor, Chicago Bridge & Iron (CB&I).

Included in the contract is the construction

of six identical 34.3 m internal diameter
35.63 m high LPG storage tanks three for
propane and three for butane. Concrete
walls were designed as 1,000 mm thick at
the bottom and tapering to 500 mm at
7.13 m from the base slab, remaining at
500 mm thick right up to the roof.
CB&I had expressed the required long-term
prestressing as a function of height along the
wall (kN/m) and we were contracted to
provide all methods, shop drawings, material,
supervision and specialist equipment
required for the supply, installation, stressing
and grouting works.
The tanks were built with a permanent inner
steel liner which was prefabricated and
welded in-situ over the full height of the
tank. The concrete wall was then
constructed in ten equal lifts of nearly 3.5 m
each carried out over 15 day cycles with
conventional timber formwork for the
outside face.
The post-tensioning anchorages and
corrugated galvanized iron (GI) ducts were
placed prior to concreting, while prestressing
steel was installed after the wall pour. Mast
climber platforms were erected to enable PT

56 CONNCT

works to proceed in an efficient manner,

while tower cranes provided the necessary
hoisting requirements for equipment such as
stressing jacks.
Prestressing was applied to the tank wall
using 52 horizontal tendons made up of
either 18 or 19 strands. We used the BBR
VT CONA CMI 1906 system for cryogenic
applications with 150 mm2 strands with a
tensile strength of 1860 MPa, delivering a
Minimum Breaking Load (MBL) of 279 kN.
All in all, a total of 73 km of GI ducting and
1,620 t of stressing steel was consumed. The
tendons were stressed in three stages:

u Stage 1 Ring beam tendons prior to

casting of the top roof
u Stage 2 Tendons above Temporary
Construction Openings (TCOs)
u Stage 3 Tendons passing through TCOs
upon casting and closure of TCO.
Stressing was carried out when the concrete
achieved a 50 MPa cube strength, as
specified in our contract.
The grouting specification required that the
bleeding should be determined by a wickinduced bleed test as set out in BS EN
447:2007 and, when tested in this way, the
average of three results for bleeding should
not exceed 0.3% of the initial volume of the
grout. The minimum compressive strength
after 28 days was to be 50 MPa. To achieve
this requirement, grout trial mixes were
conducted.
The project is being constructed on a fasttrack basis and well ahead of its original
schedule due to excellent coordination
and management by the entire project team
with the works expected to complete
some way in advance of the programmed
June 2012 completion date.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Abu Dhabi Gas Industries Ltd. (GASCO)
MAIN CONTRACTOR Flour
DESIGNER/TANK SUBCONTRACTOR
Chicago Bridge & Iron
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER Structural Systems
Middle East LLC (United Arab Emirates)

SAVA BRIDGE, BELGRADE, SERBIA

eaturing BBR technology in its
construction, a dramatic new
structure, near the confluence
of the Danube and Sava rivers, has
become Europes largest single
pylon stay cable bridge. The elegant
Sava Bridge the third river bridge
in Belgrade will reduce city-centre
traffic congestion, as well as
unleashing the Serbian capital citys
northerly expansion. g

CONNCT 57

STAY CABLES

Europes
largest
single
pylon
stay
cable
bridge

erbias newest landmark owes its reality to an international

design competition held in 2005 by the City of Belgrade.
An outstanding solution was sought for a new crossing of
the Sava River carrying three lanes in each direction, two tracks
for tramways, plus pedestrian and bicycle paths on either side.
The winning design was a single pylon asymmetric cable-stayed
bridge, which crosses the River Sava in a single span without
disturbing the river beneath. BBR Network Member
Vorspann-Technik took up the challenge of the stay cable
works, and their Site Manager, Marcel Bartikowsky, presents a
review of the project and its challenges.

THE 376 M MAIN SPAN

IS OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION
SUPPORTED BY 20 PAIRS OF
STAY CABLES ANCHORED AT
THE PYLON AND THE
SUPERSTRUCTURE.

58 CONNCT

The old city of Belgrade was founded on

the south bank of the Danube, on an
easily defensible outcrop of limestone,
and spread to the south, east and west.
The city now has a population approaching two million people and its continued
expansion northwards has been
significantly constrained by the limited
capacity of the existing bridges crossing
the Sava River. This created a bottleneck
which increased the level of traffic congestion in central Belgrade. To reduce
the city centre congestion and increase
the capacity of the highway network, a
third major road bridge across the Sava
River was necessary. The new Sava
crossing is in sight of downtown
Belgrade and passes over the tip of Ada

Ciganlija island. The structure, including

the approaches, is the largest viaduct of
the Balkan region, connecting the
recently constructed business zone New
Belgrade in the north with the historic
centre of Belgrade. The bridge forms an
integral part of the inner semi-ring road
and, for a couple of years, was the
biggest infrastructure project in Serbia.

PROJECT OUTLINE
The overall length of the continuous
bridge is 964 m which consists of a
338 m long side span, a 50 m end span
and the main support system, a 576 m
long asymmetric cable-stayed structure.
The total width of the Sava Bridge is
45.1 m by comparison, normal six lane

bridges are around 25-30 m wide. The stay

structure has a 200 m high cone-shaped pylon
which was constructed in concrete using selfclimbing formwork. The lower section of the
pylon is split into two legs which penetrate
the deck between the carriageway and railway
track. The two legs merge at a height of 98 m
and continue as a single circular shaft where
the stay bearings are placed up to a height
of 175 m. For the pylons tip the uppermost
25 m a stainless steel jacket made of sheet
metal is mounted.
The 376 m main span is of steel construction
supported by 20 pairs of stay cables which
are anchored on the pylon and the
superstructure. The extremely long and heavy
main span requires the bridge to be counterbalanced by a concrete back span of 200 m
which also has 20 pairs of stays. A box section
form was chosen to anchor the stay cables in
the superstructure. The box section is divided
into three cells two smaller ones on the
outside with the anchorages and a wider one
carrying all utility lines in the centre. The
deck slab is supported by a hollow box girder
which is 14.5 m wide and 4.75 m high. The
outer 15.25 m wide cantilever slabs are
supported by raked brackets at four meter
intervals. The deck of the main span was
formed as a rectangular steel box, also divided
into three cells, and weighs 8,600 t in total.
The deck units were shipped to Belgrade and
unloaded in the preassembly yard, close to the
side span, where the sub-elements were
stored and preassembled into 16 m long
segments.

NO PROPS IN RIVER
A stipulation for the bridges construction was
that the main span across the River Sava
should be realized without temporary
propping in the river during erection. Thus,
the free cantilever method operated from
one riverbank was chosen for the erection
of the 21 main span segments. The segments
were loaded on a barge at the preassembly

Dipl.-Ing., Holger Svensson, PE, CEng, is a

professional engineer and former Speaker of
the Executive Board of renowned consulting
engineers Leonhardt, Andr und Partner
(LAP). Recently, he has published a book,
Schrgkabelbrcken 40 Jahre Erfahrung
weltweit, about stay cable bridge design and
construction, based on over four decades of
extensive experience of design engineering
for major international projects. He now
shares a few thoughts and experiences on
the Sava Bridge project and cable-stayed
structures generally.
Sava is an interesting bridge its form is that
of half a normal cable-stayed bridge, so if you
doubled the size you would arrive at a very
large bridge indeed. It also has a couple of
unique aspects. Firstly, its the largest cablestayed bridge with a single tower in Europe
and, secondly, the sidespan which doesnt
rest on piers over the water acts as an
exact counterbalance to the main span.
Originally, the bridge was designed completely
in steel to reduce the weight, because the
sidespans could only be supported from the
shore. LAP submitted an alternative proposal
for a hybrid bridge with a steel main span
and concrete sidespans the concrete acting
as a counterweight for the
main span. This was a really
competitive alternative, as it
delivered a significant cost
reduction for the client over
the steel option.
The whole project went
extremely smoothly and
came in on time and on
budget. There were sliding
forms for tower
construction and sidespans
constructed using the
incremental launching
method which,
incidentally, was invented by
LAP in the 1960s. The 45 m sidespans were
quite something involving extremely heavy
weights. The 376 m long free cantilevering

yard and shipped to the correct position

under the bridge. A derrick crane, located at
the tip of the corbel, lifted the segments
which weighed up to 360 t each. After
welding, the cantilevered deck was completed,
the derrick was moved to the new segment
and the new pair of stay cables could be
installed.

STAY CABLES

WE COMPLETED OUR TASK

WITHIN JUST A YEAR INSTEAD
OF THE ORIGINALLY
PROGRAMMED 18 MONTHS.

On the record:
with Holger Svensson

main span was fabricated in Asia, shipped to

site, preassembled and installed not a
unique situation, but it went very well indeed.
LAPs relationship with BBR began with the
cable-stayed Schillersteg footbridge back in
1960. Fritz Leonhardt thought of using BBR
tendons for their strength and stiffness and,
along with colleagues, developed a system
which later became BBR HiAm. This small
bridge, with its parallel wire technology, was
the forerunner of whole generations of major
cable-stayed bridges which followed around
the world.
Today, design challenges are largely around
realizing longer spans. The trickiest thing with
longer spans is cable dynamics. So, we use
three types of countermeasures profiled
sleeves to avoid rivulet formation, dampers
and thirdly, we have the
option of using cross-ties,
although this is preferably
to be avoided.
Personally, I believe the
casual observer should be
able to see the flow of
forces, to understand
how the structure
functions many cablestayed bridges do this
well. Above all, simplicity
this is a golden rule for
creating a successful
cable-stayed bridge.
Schrgkabelbrcken-40 Jahre Erfahrung weltweit by Holger
Svensson was published by John Wiley & Sons Limited in
2011, ISBN 3433029776, 9783433029770, 450 pages. The
English version will be available in May 2012.

STAY SPECIFICATION
For the stay cables, we used BBR HiAm
CONA 5506, 7306, 8506 and 9106 anchors
which were preassembled in our specialist
workshop in Austria. The number of strands
installed in each cable followed the
requirement of the design and the sizes of
the stay anchorages were chosen to g

CONNCT 59

accommodate further strands allowing the

insertion of additional strands, should this prove
necessary at some future stage.
The cables each up to 375 m long consist of
compacted bundles of parallel seven-wired
strands. Each individual strand is galvanized and
sheathed with polyethylene coating, which is filled
with grease to prevent corrosion. The outer
diameter of the covering HDPE pipes varies from

60 CONNCT

200 to 280 mm, depending on the

number of strands. In total, 1,280 t
of high grade steel was used for
the 80 cables.

ADVANCING WORKS
PROGRAM
The permanent works for the
bridge began on 1 April 2009 and
followed a period of extensive
investigation and testing of
materials for use in the structures.
There was a three year
construction program stay cable
works were scheduled for oneand-a-half years. We planned the
preparation and installation works
for one set of two back span cables
and two main span cables on a
three weeks cycle including
HDPE-pipe welding, strand precutting, cable lifting, strand
installation and stressing the cable
to the required force.
However, political pressures meant
that the opening date for the
bridge was brought forward to the
end of 2011 much earlier than
originally scheduled. So, to meet
the new deadline, we made some

changes to our procedure for strand installation

on site. Our solution was to rewind the strands
directly from the coil, without pre-cutting them.
Thereby, time for installing the cables was reduced
and it was possible to finish one set of stays
within 12 days including the lifting of pipes,
installation and stressing. We completed our task
within just a year instead of the originally
programmed 18 months.

INSTALLATION & STRESSING

First, we installed the back span cables and then
the main span cables. The extremely unusual ratio
between self-weight of the steel (200 KN/m) and
superimposed dead load (242 KN/m) demanded
that the installation should have a two stage
tensioning process an initial stressing during free

been tensioned, the cable forces achieved

and uniformity were checked by carrying out
lift-off tests on a number of strands. To avoid
unwanted effects from temperature and
solar radiation, the tests were made early in
the morning and completed by parallel
measurements of the geometry pylon and
deck. The required stressing force was set by
the design and had a tolerance of only
+/-2.5% within the strand bundle and +/-3%
difference from each other, in one stage.

HOLD-DOWN CABLES
At the end of the back span, beside the
bearings, we installed hold-down cables
which were designed to prevent uplift
occurring under any load combinations in
the Ultimate Limit State (ULS) under
factored load. The tensile stresses were kept
relatively small, so that the additional stresses
caused by stay bending did not exceed 0.55
x GUTS, in total, at the extreme deformation
position. The required stressing was about
27 MN per bearing. To cope with the
bending stresses, these vertical hold-down
cables were of the same type as the stay
cables. Three stays with 73 strands each
were arranged at both of the two bearings.

COUNTERING VIBRATION
Many years ago, engineers discovered that
long stay cables oscillated due to wind, rain
and traffic and, today, methods to counter
these effects are well-established. So, to
prevent stay cable vibrations on the new
Sava Bridge, each stay cable is equipped with
BBR Square Dampers at the lower end, just
above the deck. Damper installation took
place after the second stage stressing,
because there would then be no further
changes in cable geometry.
The largest single pylon cable-stayed bridge
in Europe now takes its place with pride
unlocking the potential of the city of
Belgrade and, with its elegant lines, providing
an aesthetic addition to the cityscape.
l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER City of Belgrade
MAIN CONTRACTOR
Ogranak Porr Technobau und Umwelt AG
DESIGNER Leonhardt, Andr und Partner
TECHNOLOGY BBR HiAm CONA stay
BBR Square Damper
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Vorspann-Technik GmbH (Austria)

CONNCT 61

STAY CABLES

cantilevering and the final stressing in

successive stages, after completion of the
main span erection. Thereby, a portion of the
superimposed dead load was placed on the
superstructure and the geometry was
checked. Then, every second stay was
stressed to final force, the achieved alignment
was again measured and the remainder of
the superimposed dead load was placed on
the deck. After this, the remaining stays were
tensioned to their final force level.
The stressing of the strands was completed
from inside the superstructure, by
monostrand jacks. After a pair of stays had

RIVER MINHO BRIDGE, LUGO, SPAIN

Suspension solution

n a 25 million scheme, the new bridge over the

River Minho in the city of Lugo has taken over
duties from an old Roman bridge that was no
longer able to withstand the high traffic volumes.
Work was completed in record time eight months
before the programmed completion date reports
Jose Luis Plaza of BBR PTE, the BBR Network
Member in Spain.

The 195 m long bridge comprises two distinct sections. Firstly, there
is a 95 m length over the River Minho which was constructed as a
parabolic arch with a composite deck, supported by hangers. The
second section is 100 m long and has two box girder approach
viaducts constructed in two spans of 50 m and joining the central
arched span at the western abutment.
The lower deck is supported by 24 75 mm diameter stay cables
which are connected to the parabolic arch terminating in a fork
socket secured by pins at the upper anchorage and in a threaded
socket with a spherical nut at the lower end. During construction, the
arch was supported by two temporary towers situated over the
steel deck.
Cable installation was performed using two cranes one to erect the
stay cables, the other to allow our technicians to align the fork socket
hole with the upper arch anchorage, so that pins could be inserted.
Next, a cable was introduced into the steel pipe in the steel deck
girder, until the threaded lower end appeared beneath the lower
anchorage.
After hanger installation, we began stressing. Four pull bars and four
stressing bridges had been designed to provide symmetrical
tensioning to keep the balance of the structure.
The cylindrical socket has an external and internal thread. The
external one is for the permanent nut and the internal one is
designed for connecting pull bars. We used four hydraulic jacks
working simultaneously in pairs to carry out the procedure according
to a prescribed sequence.
This was followed by several phases of checking and re-stressing
previously stressed cables to compensate for load losses until
they reached their final design stress.
After all the cables had been stressed and checked, the cables and
nuts were protected against corrosion with protection caps and
grouting wax.
To dissipate cable vibrations, neoprene centering rings were installed
once the cables were structurally active and carrying the permanent
loads of the structure. After all hangers had been re-stressed and
grouted, the two temporary piers under the arch were removed. l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER City Council of Lugo & Ministerio de Fomento
MAIN CONTRACTOR FCC Construccion
DESIGNER FCC Technical Services
TECHNOLOGY Hanger
BBR NETWORK MEMBER BBR PTE, S.L. (Spain)

62 CONNCT

FOOTBRIDGE, WITRYLOW, POLAND

he contract for supplying and constructing the suspension
system for the new footbridge in Witrylow was awarded to BBR
Polska whose scope of work here included the installation of
two main support cables, bar hangers from which a steel deck is
suspended and wind stay cables. Adrian Basta takes up the story.

This work was carried out using two 63 mm

diameter 210 m-long main cables. During
installation, the cables were suspended from a temporary cable and transported to the other river
bank by a system of winches and special trolleys.
The main cables were then installed and fixed in
the pylon deviators and, at ground level, they were
anchored at the retaining blocks the tension was
based on a proper arrangement of anchor bolts in
a bridge anchorage. During this stage, continuous
control of the main cables and all supporting
elements was necessary. The 150 m distance
between the pylons, as well as the river current,
greatly complicated the whole operation. Including
all preparatory work, the task took seven working
days to complete. The suspended steel platform
had been designed to use 98 20 mm diameter
hangers. Bars were attached to the main cable with
fork anchorages and special clamps. Bar installation
took place just before the steel platform was
constructed and simultaneously with suspension
work. The final step was to regulate the length of
the hangers to maintain the designed level of the
footbridge platform. The main challenge here was
the limited access to the bearing cable over the
main channel of the River San.
The footbridge was fixed with 24 mm diameter
wind stay cables at six points on each side of the
bridge. Ten cables were used two of which were
leading along the footbridge (steel deviators were
used in the platform plane) and ended on the
opposite bank. Stay cable anchoring was provided
by fork anchorages, which offered the option of
transferring the forces to the cable with the
tension connector working as a screwdriver. The
design strength of 50 kN was introduced with the
help of special equipment. Minor corrections were
applied to maintain the footbridge alignment.
The most difficult element of the work was the
installation of the main carrying cables. This required the use of tailor-made solutions and installation
technology specially adapted for site-specific
conditions. The whole project took seven weeks
and the BBR Polska team was on site for 17 days. l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Commune Dydnia
MAIN CONTRACTOR Mota Engil Central Europe S.A.
TECHNOLOGY Suspension, stay cable
Hanger
BBR NETWORK MEMBER BBR Polska Sp. z o.o.
(Poland)

CONNCT 63

STAY CABLES

Adapting to
conditions

BASARAB FLYOVER BYPASS,

BUCHAREST, ROMANIA

Avant
garde

connections

n the centre of the city, two 80 m high pylons, part of the large
infrastructure Basarab Flyover Bypass, emerge from the bustle
of the city. This project has become a tremendous boost for
other projects due to start in Romania over the next few years,
transmitting the values of progress and innovation associated
with it. Gustavo Delgado Martin from BBR PTE, the BBR Network
Member for Romania, outlines this avant-garde project.

With a total length of 1.9 km, four lanes

two in each direction and two tram
lines, the Basarab Flyover Bypass will
relieve city centre congestion by
directing the inbound traffic, from the
north of the capital, off to the south,
west and east, thus keeping it away
from the centre of Bucharest. The
Bypass has been designed to support
4,000 vehicles a day and is expected to
be used by 32 million passengers a year.
The main structure is the five span
Basarab cable-stayed bridge. The span
lengths are arranged as follows
57 m + 75 m + 168 m + 36 m
+ 30 m. The first two spans serve as
counterbalances for the stay cables on
the 168 m main span and the remaining
two spans are not cable-stayed.

64 CONNCT

COMPLEXITY
A number of factors serve to make
this stay cable bridge a complex
project:
u It has an irregular, somewhat
unsymmetrical, plan shape, both
longitudinally and transversely
with ramps that enter and exit
the lintel.
u It is a large bridge with a main span
of 168 m and a single tower which
would be equivalent to a bridge
with two towers and 340 m span.
u It is in a seismic zone.
u It has two types of load road and
track as well as a covered station
in the centre of the main span.
u Its main span crosses over railway
lines near the North Train Station.

STAY CABLES
The Basarab Bridge is a steel stay cable
bridge featuring the BBR HiAm CONA
stay cable system with 30 front stays and
30 back stays.
The stays with sizes from 31 to 109
strands were executed with 15.7 mm
galvanized, 1860 MPa GUTS waxed
strands, individually sheathed with a
HDPE coating providing a triple corrosion protection system and enclosed
in a white UV-resistant HDPE stay pipe.
Due to the large variety of stay cable
sizes, a wide range of elements in different sizes were necessary. For example:
u Anchor heads 60 Uni Head
anchorages and 60 Nut Head
anchorages, 11 different sizes.
u HDPE stay pipe a total length of
4,865 m distributed in HDPE pipes
with seven different outside
diameters.
u AV deck pipe seven different
models of anti-vandalism deck pipe
for a total of 60 cables.
u AV pylon pipe 60 different models
of anti-vandalism pylon pipe.

ANCHOR HEADS
Work started with the installation of the anchor
heads. The Uni Head anchorages were installed
on the deck, while in the pylon we used 60 mm
adjustable Nut Head anchorages, allowing 20 mm
for stressing and 40 mm for unstressing.
The upper anchors transfer their load to the
pylon under transverse post-tensioning pairs of
curved tendons embracing each anchor level. We
used the BBR VT CONA CMI system for this
post-tensioning element.
The next job, prior to stay cable installation, was
the preparation of the strands. A 160 m table
was set up at the back of the bridge for cutting
the strands to the required dimensions and
peeling the HDPE sheathing at both ends.
Simultaneously, mirror-welding for the HDPE stay
pipe assembly was being carried out. After lifting
the HDPE stay pipe, the installation of the stay
cable began.
INSTALLATION CHALLENGES
Installation was performed using the strand-bystrand method, whereby a strand pushing
machine placed at the top of each pylon raises
each strand from the deck, up towards the pylon.
When the strands reached the correct position,
they were individually stressed from the deck
with a mono-strand jack using the BBR
ISOSTRESS tensioning method.
For us, the critical issue was the installation
program we started the installation of the first
strand on 29 September 2010 and we had to
finish before Christmas. A total weight of 439 t of
steel strand comprising 2,392 strands of lengths
between 42 m and 164 m had to be installed
and first stage stressed (6-10% GUTS) in less
than three months!
One major challenge was the fact that the stay
cables could not be assembled and stressed g

HIAM CONA ANCHORAGE

OPTIONS
Usually, the end of the stay cable from
which the tensioning is performed
the stressing end is fitted with an
adjustable Nut Head anchorage. The
opposite end, or the dead end of the
cable, is typically fitted with a Uni
Head or BBR Pin Connector.
The ring nut of a Nut Head is
screwed onto the anchor head, which
transfers the cable loads by contact
pressure onto the support structure,
whereas the Uni Head option
transfers the load directly to the
support structure.
The HiAm CONA Nut Head comes
with a typical adjustability of 0, 60 or
120 mm.
In addition to the standard anchorage
configuration, a compact configuration
is available for special applications
such as cable replacement and has
smaller openings in the bearing plate.

BBR ISOSTRESS
The installation of the HiAm
CONA stay cable system is
typically carried out on site
using the strand-by-strand
installation method.
After preparatory cable work
including installation of lower
(deck) and upper (pylon)
anchorage, strand pre-cutting
and peeling and stay pipe
assembly is completed, the
cable is lifted using two master strands to the anchorage locations. The two strands
need to be cut to a longer length to account for the catenary effect. After stressing
of the master strands, each individual pre-cut strand is pulled up through the stay
pipe to the upper anchorage, before it is guided and fixed in the deck anchorage.
Then, the strand is immediately tensioned with a mono-jack using the BBR
ISOSTRESS method.
The BBR ISOSTRESS method requires two different stressing phases stressing and
adjustment. In the stressing phase, each single strand is tensioned to achieve a
predetermined elongation which depends on the final load in the stay cable, deck
and pylon stiffness, etc. The adjustment phase is carried out either with a mono- or
multi-strand jack to ensure the correct final bridge deck geometry.
The BBR ISOSTRESS method ensures an equal stress distribution among the strands
of an individual cable and complies fully with latest stay cable recommendations such
as fib Bulletin 30 or PTI.
CONNCT 65

STAY CABLES

A NUMBER OF FACTORS SERVE

TO MAKE THIS STAY CABLE BRIDGE
A COMPLEX PROJECT

Technical insight:
HiAm CONA anchorage options and
BBR ISOSTRESS

simultaneously, it had to be done individually.

And there was one more problem winter
was fast approaching. With shorter working
days because of diminishing daylight hours
and temperatures below zero degrees,
finishing the installation on time was a real
challenge. In addition, 20% of the stay cables
were placed over live railways so their
installation took more time because of the
need for extreme precautions and safety
measures in this area.
In spite of everything, we did it! On
16 December, just after the installation of the
last strand, a heavy snowfall began it
seemed that the snow had waited for us to
finish!
It was very important to finish on time
because the tension in the strands achieved
by first stage stressing allowed the deck slab

WHEN THE STRANDS

REACHED THE CORRECT
POSITION, THEY WERE INDIVIDUALLY STRESSED FROM THE
DECK WITH A MONO-STRAND
JACK USING THE BBR ISOSTRESS
TENSIONING METHOD.

to be cast. Casting the deck took three

months and when it was finished, the second
stage stressing was performed stressing
from the pylon this time. A second
adjustment in some stays was needed to
complete the stressing work.
The only remaining task was the closure of
the stays and the injection of sockets and

protection caps. The injection work was

carried out meticulously to ensure the steel
elements were protected against corrosion.
With this injection, and successful testing
including a leak tightness test to the latest
international standards on the BBR HiAm
CONA system, we can reasonably assume a
100-year service life for the stay cables.
The BBR VT CONA CMI post-tensioning
system with multi-strand 1906 to 3106
anchors has been used in the construction of
all the concrete viaducts that access the
cable stay bridge. The connection between
stages was achieved with single plane
couplers. The length of the viaduct meant
that a total quantity of 665 t of PT strand
was installed.

FURTHER WORK
The main structure of Basarab Flyover
Bypass was the cable-stayed bridge, but there
was another task performed by BBR for this
project.
At the end of the bypass, opposite the stay
cable bridge, there is an arch bridge over the
Dambovita River. We collaborated in its
construction by assembling and stressing the
hangers which provide a connection
between the two arches and the deck. This

66 CONNCT

HIGHLIGHTING
CAPABILITIES

Basarab Flyover Bypass records

u
u
u
u

The longest cable-stayed bridge in Romania (355 m)

One of the widest cable-stayed bridges in Europe (43.3 m)
The longest bypass in Bucharest (1.9 km)
The largest intermodal point in Romania.

connection was performed by ten vertical hangers on each arch. The

hangers were stressed by stressing the PT bars placed in the lower
steel anchorages.
Yet another job realized by BBR on this project was the launching of
a section of the steel bridge over railway tracks. The proximity of the
structure to the railway network made it impossible for installation by
crane, so launching techniques were necessary. This highly specialized
heavy civil engineering work was the subject of an earlier article
see CONNAECT 2011.
The Basarab Viaduct is set to become Romanias benchmark for
infrastructure construction, now that the benefits of innovative posttensioning and cable-staying techniques, developed by the team at
BBR PTE, have been fully explored and recognized during the
evolution of this complex structure.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER City Hall of Bucharest, Romania
MAIN CONTRACTOR Basarab JV (FCC Construccion & Astaldi)
DESIGNERS Carlos Fernandez Casado S.L., Spain
FHECOR, Spain
C&T Engineering S.R.L., Italy
TECHNOLOGY BBR HiAm CONA stay
BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER BBR PTE, S.L. (Romania)

he Blackburn Pedestrian Bridge one of the

longest cable-stayed pedestrian bridges on the
continent has recently been recognized with a
prestigious Fulton Award. Structural Systems Africa
provided specialist stay cable and post-tensioning
services to the project which featured in the last
edition of CONNAECT.
During the 2011 Fulton Awards, the Concrete Society of
South Africa declared the Blackburn Pedestrian Bridge the
overall Winner in the Civil Engineering category.
Among many aspects of this project, which features the BBR
HiAm CONA Pin Connector, the judging panel were
impressed by the careful attention to design and detail, which
was necessary due to
the uniquely shaped
pylon. They also
commented that: The
towering pylon and
fanning stays of the
bridge highlight the
capabilities of civil engineering and construction
in South Africa.
The judges praised not
only the project itself, but
also the way in which
the professional team
consulted and interacted
with the community. l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER South African National Highways Agency Limited (SANRAL)
MAIN CONTRACTOR JT Ross / Devru Construction JV
DESIGNER SSI Consulting Engineers
BBR TECHNOLOGY
BBR HiAm CONA stay
BBR Pin Connector
BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Structural Systems (Africa)

CONNCT 67

STAY CABLES

PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, BLACKBURN, SOUTH AFRICA

Untangling the traffic

OTOPENI BRIDGE, BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
he cable-stayed Otopeni Bridge over Bucharests ring railway is
as well as being the second largest infrastructure project in the
city after the Basarab Flyover Bypass the third longest stay cable
bridge in the country. Ana Contel, Romanian BBR Network Member, BBR
PTE, describes the project.

Keeping road traffic moving on the DN1 a

major national north-south route as well as
streamlining the junction area of the existing
Otopeni Bypass has driven the need for
improvements around the DN1 and the
Bucharest ring railway. To realize this, a multilevel intersection over the railway tracks and
an overpass with four lanes was necessary.
Until the construction of the new bridge, road
traffic in this area ran to the right of the
railway line, to a level crossing across the
DN1, after which it continued on the left side

68 CONNCT

of the railway. The lanes connecting the DN1

with the Bucharest ring road and the road toand-from Otopeni, also met at this level
crossing. The junction was completely
outdated, given current traffic flows, and often
caused road congestion especially when the
level crossing gates were closed.
The bypass over the railway lines has
substantially improved the traffic flow in this
intersection area, eliminating the queues and
traffic jams at the junction.
The final solution for the design of the
overpass was a cable-stayed bridge with a
total length of 240 m and spans of 35 m +
85 m + 85 m + 35 m. The deck needed to
be of a shallow depth because of the
clearance required above the railway lines. To
decrease the span length, a large pylon was
sited in the centre of the bridge, breaking the
central span into two sections. The design of

the pylon permits railway tracks to pass

between its shafts. As the bridge is close to
Bucharests Henri Coanda Airport, the pylon
height has been limited to 48 m to comply
with aviation safety requirements.
Bucharest is in a highly seismic area, thus the
main requisite was to minimize the mass of
the structure. Accordingly, the pylon was
designed with a hollow section of minimal
thickness apart from the area close to the
foundations which has been designed as a full
concrete section. Also, two steel cross beams
between the pylons play an important role in
the new structures transversal seismic strength. Both the connection between the two
sections of the pylon and the connection between the pylons and the cross beams, were
executed with post-tensioned high tensile
steel bars. The post-tensioning and injection of
these bars was also carried out by BBR PTE.
The deck and pylon are joined by 32 BBR
HiAm CONA stay cables ranging in size
between 20 and 34 strands and lengths from
32 to 95 m. This amounted to a total quantity
of 72.5 t of steel strand for the stay cables,
with a ultimate tensile strength of 1860 MPa
and strand cross-section of 150 mm2.
The main operations lifting of the HDPE
stay pipe, threading and first stressing of the
strands with the mono-strand jack were
carried out in only 20 working days! Total
execution time, including the stressing with
multi-strand jacks, the injection of the sockets
and protection caps and the installation of the
anti-vandalism pipes, was just two months
setting a new record.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER CNADNR SA-DRDP, Bucharest
MAIN CONTRACTOR
JV FCC Construccion & Alpine Mayreder
DESIGNER FHECOR
TECHNOLOGY BBR HiAm CONA stay
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR PTE, S.L. (Romania)

SPECIAL APPLICATONS

Sinking

with success

2ND COENTUNNEL, AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS

he existing Coentunnel carries some 120,000 vehicles daily under the Noordzeekanaal, but it
now forms a bottleneck on the A10 motorway, with long queues every day. A new immersed
tube tunnel is under construction to improve traffic flows around Amsterdam. Ben
Grundlehner of BBR Network Member Spanstaal explains the major role that BBR technology is
playing in the creation of the 2nd Coentunnel. g

CONNCT 69

ijkswaterstaat, the government body responsible for ensuring the smooth

flow of traffic and water on national networks, awarded a 500 million
30-year design, build, finance and maintain (DBFM) contract which
includes construction of the second Coentunnel to the Coentunnel Company.
The new structure was to be constructed with
immersed tube tunnel elements built in the
existing dry dock at Barendrecht and transported
to the tunnel site where they would be
submerged. Four elements were required each
over 178 m long and consisting of seven sections,

each of the latter were around

25.5 m long, almost 30 m wide and
more than eight meters high.
Construction of one section took
about a month the four elements
only just fitted in the dry dock, so

Tunnel construction in the Netherlands

ts position on the North Sea and at the delta of the Rhine and Maas rivers
means that water has always been an important consideration in creating
infrastructure in the Netherlands. Tunnels play a vital role in providing river
crossings, where sometimes ocean-going vessels or occasionally inland ships
in rivers and canals influence the way these are delivered. This is why most
tunnels in the Netherlands are built using immersed tube tunnel methodology.
The first river-crossing with a rectangular concrete cross-section to be built
using the immersed tube method was the Maas Tunnel in Rotterdam which
opened in 1942. Since then, dozens of road, railway, metro and also pipeline
tunnels have been constructed here using this method. Our experience has
also been exported to other countries including the UK, Germany, Denmark
and Korea.
Typically, tunnel elements are constructed in temporary locations rather than
on the alignment of the finished tunnel. They are built in a dry-dock and
floated out to their final positions on the river crossing. Here, they can be sunk
to the right depth and place in a very short time, thus presenting only minor
disruption to shipping.
During the last 50 years, technology has changed dramatically making it
possible to prefabricate and transport longer-and-longer elements. For
example, the first Coentunnel built in 1961 had six 90 m long immersed
units. Now, almost five decades later, the second Coentunnel is being
constructed with four 178 m long immersed units.
Many dozens of tunnels have been constructed in the Netherlands, the
majority of these were built using immersed tunnel sections which were posttensioned for transportation. Most of the associated post-tensioning works
were carried out by Spanstaal using diverse and flexible BBR technology.

70 CONNCT

good workspace and materials planning was vital.

During transportation and immersion, large forces
arise on tunnel elements and this is critical at
section joints. So, it is now common practice to
construct post-tensioned tunnel sections.
Although at first PT tendons only performed a
temporary function during transportation and
immersion since the mid-1980s, they have been
used to give more permanent strength to tunnels.
In the early days, the tendon ducts were not
injected with grout and it was possible to remove
the tendons after immersion the thinking was
that they could be used again for future tunnel
construction activities. The modern view of
tunnel design is that post-tensioning plays an
enduring role, whereby ducts must be grouted to
achieve a bond between the PT steel and the
encased concrete and thus creating greater
strength from their synergy. Also, grout supplies
the protection needed against corrosion. This
working method presented two challenges:
u To conquer the friction between the bottom of
the tunnel and the dry dock (working) floor,
grouting operations would mainly be carried
out after the dry dock had been flooded.
u To avoid the unverifiable forces after immersion,
often the grouted cables would be severed at
joints between two adjacent segments, so that a
tunnel element could settle down onto the
subsoil.

TRANSPORTING ELEMENTS
After producing the four tunnel elements,
preparations were made to transport them
from the production site in Barendrecht to
the building site in Amsterdam. First of all,
the four elements were provided with
temporary watertight bulkheads at both
ends, allowing them to float during
transportation. To facilitate this, each element
was longitudinally prestressed to ensure that,
during its three day voyage, the construction

remained watertight even when exposed

to waves in the sea. The route was across
the River Maas from Barendrecht, to Hoek
van Holland and further across the North
Sea to the locks of IJmuiden and finally, across
the Noordzeekanaal to Coenhaven in
Amsterdam a total distance of 160 km.

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
At the end of January 2011, the dry dock
was ready for flooding and then several tasks
were executed, including the grouting of
ducts. In March, the four tunnel elements
were individually transported to Amsterdam.
In April, the first element was submerged
the last element was sunk at the end of May.
Consequently, the post-tensioning tendons at
the section joints were severed. Thus, the

prestressing had completed its work for the

transportation and immersion phases and
now continues to contribute to the strength
and stiffness of each section. It is expected
that the second Coentunnel together with
the new Westrandweg will be opened to
traffic in 2012 and together they will provide
better traffic circulation and access for
vehicles in-and-around Amsterdam.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Rijkswaterstaat
MAIN CONTRACTOR Coentunnel Company
SUBCONTRACTOR & DESIGNER
Coentunnel Construction
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Spanstaal B.V. (Netherlands)

THE PRESTRESSING HAD COMPLETED ITS WORK FOR THE

TRANSPORTATION AND IMMERSION PHASES AND NOW
CONTINUES TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE STRENGTH AND STIFFNESS OF
EACH SECTION.

CONNCT 71

SPECIAL APPLICATIONS

PT TACTICS
The selection of the Barendrecht dry dock
necessitating transportation by sea
combined with the choice of four 178 m
long tunnel elements meant that large posttensioning forces had to be delivered.
We used 1906 BBR CONA tendons and
installed 38 tendons for the two outermost
elements and 44 for the two innermost
elements. Each tendon consisted of 19
15.7 mm diameter strands of 1860 MPa steel
quality and strand cross-section of 150 mm2.
This delivered a post-tensioning force per
element of 161,000 kN and 187,000 kN
respectively roughly equally divided over
the roof and bottom of the segments.
The tunnel elements were fabricated in two
production streams of two elements each.
Before casting of the bottom and roof
sections, 100/106 mm diameter ducts were
placed and, at the same time, anchor plates
for the post-tensioning tendons were
installed. So-called de-bonding tubes were
placed at section joints. These measures
ensured that prestressing forces could be
introduced smoothly into the concrete.
After finishing the tunnel elements, the PT
tendons were placed, using the strand-bystrand installation method and with the help
of a pushing machine. Then the cables were
stressed until they reached the required
force. Normally, prestressed tendons would
immediately be injected with grout now, to
give them corrosion protection however,
in this case, it was not possible.
Pressure created during prestressing causes
shortening of the concrete. This shortening
would have been prevented between the
tunnel bottom and the dry dock floor. If the
duct had been grouted in this position, then
the prestress forces in the joint would have
been reduced. This was resolved by grouting
the ducts from a pontoon when the
tunnel elements were partially floating in the
flooded dry dock.

RIVER DANUBE BRIDGE, VIDIN

CALAFAT, BUGARIA & ROMANIA

SUNGAI SIOL BRIDGE, MATANG, SARAWAK, MALAYSIA

TIMELY TESTING SOLUTION

W

hen problems arose with pile testing on the three span Siol River Bridge in
Sarawak, Tie King Bang of BBR Construction Systems Malaysia, reports that
they were asked to take over piling operations and provided innovations which
rescued the situation. He describes how a successful and economic method for
large diameter pile testing can be provided by applying post-tensioning to vertical
reaction piles with a horizontal steel beam.
Each bridge pier is supported by three
1,200 mm diameter bored piles and two
750 mm diameter raked bored piles. Ground
conditions meant that it was not practical
and costly to carry out a maintained load
test using concrete blocks for kentledge. The
initial pile test using the biaxial load
method, with an embedded hydraulic jack
had been unsuccessful.

The test load of the pile was 1800 t twice

the working load. A new pile was installed to
act as an anchor pile and replace the failed
one which was at the edge the center pile
was selected for the next test.
Anchored nearer to the test pile, the new
pile would experience higher pulling forces
due to the smaller lever arm. Consideration
of the forces for both anchor piles was
reflected in our geotechnical design. Strands
were embedded in the anchor pile during the
bored pile construction. A steel plate girder
was placed over the anchor piles and posttensioned to them. Load was applied to the
test pile by jacking the top of the test pile to
the soffit of the plate girder.
The anchor piles were subjected to high pullout forces during testing and had been
anchored more deeply than the test pile for
this reason. Additional main reinforcement to
the bored pile was required at the rock
socket region to control tensile stresses and
minimize structural cracking during testing.
Each anchor tendon was preloaded to

72 CONNCT

40% UTS before commencing the load test

to reduce the elongation of strands during
testing which, if excessive, would have lifted
up the test beam.
Each anchor pile consisted of four BBR
CONA 1906 tendons, with their dead end
anchorages inside the rock socket region.
The strands near the top of the pile were
debonded by installing the PE sheath to a
depth of 25 m.
Two hydraulic jacks, with a 2,000 t combined
capacity, were used to jack against the test
pile and plate girder. At each load
increment/decrement, the deflections were
monitored over three load cycles.
The installation of the long, heavy tendons
into the anchor pile was a challenge. They
were tied to the reinforcement cage of the
bored pile and the dead ends were staggered
to avoid congestion and ease concreting. The
entire assembly was lifted and lowered
carefully into the bored hole.
The project team wanted a strong plate
girder which could be assembled in easily
transportable modules. We achieved this by
dividing the girder into two separate steel
box girders each 1,000 mm wide,
1,600 mm high and weighing 20 t. They were
laced together at the top and bottom of the
plate girders using channels to ensure they
behaved monolithically under loading.
l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER Public Works Department, Sarawak
MAIN CONTRACTOR Zecon Berhad
TESTING DESIGNER/CONTRACTOR
BBR Construction Systems (M) Sdn Bhd
BBR TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Construction Systems (M) Sdn Bhd (Malaysia)

VESSEL
IMPACT

PROTECTION
he new major road and
rail bridge being built
across the River Danube
in eastern Europe will boost
traffic links between Bulgaria
and Romania. Crossing this
navigable waterway, however,
means that vessel impact
protection is needed for the
bridge piers, Enrique Arana
from BBR PTE describes the
scheme and their work.

The new crossing which includes a main

bridge with three 180 m long extradosed
spans, is on transport corridor IV of the
Trans-Europe Network and links
Germany to Turkey through Romania,
Bulgaria and Greece.
The new river crossing connects the towns
of Vidin, in Bulgaria and Calafat, in Romania.
At this point, there is an island in the River
Danube which makes a convenient stopover for the bridge and enables it to be
divided into three main sections.
First, there is a low-level rail approach
viaduct with 40 m long spans on the
Bulgarian river bank, next comes a 612 m
long viaduct over the non-navigable
channel that has eight spans, of which all
but one are 80 m long and finally a singlecell box girder bridge over the main
navigation channel. This main bridge has
five spans three spans of 180 m, one of
124 m and another of 115 m. The 400 m
long low-level viaduct serves to align the
road and rail lines correctly as they
approach the main crossing.
To protect the bridge piers from vessel
impact, 152 precast prestressed concrete
units are being installed. On the bridge
section over the navigable waterway, each
of the four pile caps on which the
bridge piers will be formed will be
protected by 38 units. Seven different
types of unit are being cast in the onsite
casting yard. The heavy ones weigh 120 t

SPECIAL APPLICATIONS
and the lighter ones are 70 t each.
In the yard, two structures have been
designed for vertical storage of the units
(which is the correct position for installation)
and these stand close to the jetty crane for
ease of loading onto the mobile pontoon. To
allow this storage, they are turned
hydraulically from horizontal to vertical.
When both units have been loaded onto the
special structures welded over the pontoon,
the pontoon travels a distance of more than
two kilometers to the pile cap a journey of

around 45 minutes. On arrival, the pontoon

is positioned and secured to the pile cap
structure.
A purpose-designed steel structure then lifts
and positions the units correctly on the pile
cap. Three 250 bar 85 t heavy lifting jacks at
the top of the structure carry out the lifting,
turning and positioning maneuvers.
Joints between the pile cap and the vessel
impact protection require filling with mortar
and we are carrying out a two phase
grouting process. When the prestressing of

the units has been completed, the structure

moves to the next pier cap by which time
the next units will be ready.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Republic of Bulgaria: MT-PIMU
MAIN CONTRACTOR FCC Construccion S.A.
Klon Bulgaria
DESIGNER Carlos Fernandez Casado S.L.
TECHNOLOGY Heavy lifting
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR PTE, S.L. (Romania)

CONNCT 73

WELLINGTON DAM, COLLIE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

ustralian BBR Network Member Structural Systems is continuing
its recent run on high capacity ground anchoring projects with
the remedial works to Wellington Dam in the south west of
Western Australia. The existing concrete gravity structure has been
strengthened with the addition of ground anchors, using BBR VT CONA
CMG technology with anchors of up to 91 strands equaling the current
world record capacity. Mark Seisun, Project Manager, takes up the story
which was first reported in CONNAECT 2011.

Wellington Dam is owned by the Water

Corporation of Western Australia and was
constructed on the Collie River in 1931 as a
mass concrete gravity structure. Originally
19 m high and 232 m wide, the dam wall was
raised one meter in 1944 and an additional
15 m in 1960, to give the dam its present
34 m height, with a total wall length of
366 m. The dam has a capacity of 186 million
kilolitres when full and provides irrigation
waters for the regions farming community.
As part of the Water Corporations statewide dams safety and maintenance program,

74 CONNCT

important works were required to bring

Wellington Dam into line with current
engineering standards. In response, a process
of identifying, analyzing, evaluating and culling
of various options was undertaken to either
strengthen, replace or lower the dam. The
final design incorporated 43 permanent
ground anchors to strengthen the existing
concrete gravity structure, as well as an
access bridge for both the construction and
future servicing of the anchors.
The Wellington Dam Alliance was formed
between Leighton Contractors, Structural

Systems, Entura (dam design consultants) and

AECOM (bridge design consultants) in
partnership with the Water Corporation. The
Alliance designed the access bridge
incorporating a deck that would wash away
during a peak flood event to ensure the
dams safety.
The design of the bridge is unique in several
ways. The bridge piers serve the dual
purpose of supporting the bridge deck as
well as housing and protecting the anchor
heads. To ensure retention of the bridge
decks wash away capability during extreme
flood events, Teflon bearings and an adjustable
HDPE guide system were developed.

ACCESS CHALLENGE
The significant challenge of the bridge
construction work was gaining safe access to
the dams spillway and, for this, extensive
temporary works were commissioned. These
works included a low-level platform which
served to provide access to the bridge piers
during construction, as well as providing a rail
for task-specific construction trolleys to run
on. A series of trolleys were developed which
ran on the access platform rail and a second
rail fixed to the spillway crest. The trolleys
were fitted with overhead monorail hoists to
complete the tasks of initially constructing the
access platform as they advanced, wire sawing
and concrete removal for the bridge pier
notch, drilling and installation of starter bars
to the notch, plus the reinforcement,
formwork and concrete placement for the
bridge piers. The pier construction work was
assisted with lifting capacity for formwork,

SPECIAL APPLICATIONS

Leaders in ultra-high
capacity anchors
Facts & figures
reinforcement and concrete by
50 t crawler cranes that were
installing the precast concrete
bridge decks close behind the
advancing pier construction. Two
construction teams advanced
from either side of the dam,
constructing the bridge to meet
at the spillways midpoint.
A specialist drilling contractor
was engaged on the project to
drill the 355 mm diameter holes
with a purpose-built drill rig
utilizing a down-the-hole
hammer.
Our team was focused on the
fabrication, installation, grouting
and stressing of the 43
permanent ground anchors. The
anchors were the same design as
we used on our recently
completed dam projects at
Catagunya and Tinaroo and
incorporated BBR VT CONA
CMG technology for vertical

anchor sizes of 31, 42, 55, 65 and

91 x 15.7 mm (279 kN MBL)
strands. The 91 strand anchors
equal our previous world record
capacity anchors installed at
Catagunya in 2010 with an MBL
of 25,389 kN. The anchors are
monitorable and restressable
with a design life of 100+ years.
Anchor lengths varied from
64.2 m maximum to 18.4 m
minimum.

PIVOTAL ANCHOR
TECHNOLOGY
The availability of the high
capacity CONA CMG 9106
anchor technology was pivotal to
the designs viability. The final
design required two 9106
anchors per 50 ft wide concrete
monolith across the spillway.
As the bridge piers double as
anchor housings, the number and
location of piers was determined

u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u

Permanent anchors = 31-91 x 15.7 mm diameter strands

Vertical anchors = 18 or 64 m long each
Bond length = 12 m each
Drill hole size = 355 mm diameter
Minimum breaking load = 25,389 kN
Test force = 19,042 kN (75% MBL)
Lock off load = 18,280 kN (72% MBL)
Design working load = 16,503 kN (65% MBL)
Strand tonnage = 230 t
Class G Oilwell Cement & GP cement = 221 t

by the anchoring requirements.

A reduced anchor capacity
would have required increased
anchor numbers and subsequently increased the number
of bridge piers from 30 to 45
significantly impacting on spillway
discharge characteristics and
ultimately the solutions viability.
The anchoring works
commenced in November 2010
and were completed in June
2011 two months ahead of
program. The on site anchor
fabrication facility used purposebuilt equipment to grease and
sheath with HDPE each
individual strands free length
with the bare bond lengths (up
to 12 m) being steam cleaned to
maximize bonding to the grout.
The individual strands were
assembled into the completed
anchor using a series of spacers
and strapping to the bond zone
to form an hourglass effect,
maximizing the load transfer into
the surrounding rock, via the high
strength grout.

The completed anchor was

transported on public roads to
the dam wall on a series of up to
30 purpose-built trolleys,
negotiating some difficult bends
and steep declines along the way.
Anchor installation was
completed in two stages.
First the 280 mm diameter
HDPE outer sheath was installed.
This consists of an HDPE g
CONNCT 75

REINFORCED SOIL STRUCTURES, POLAND

corrugated sheath over the bond length with

7.5 m lengths of HDPE smooth sheathing
fusion-welded on site to form the free length
sheath. As this sheathing is the primary form
of corrosion protection for the anchor, its
integrity is critical and it is pressure tested
with water to detect and allow the repair of
any leaks that may be observed.
Installation of the anchor into the installed
sheath was achieved with a custom frame
and a 17 t braking winch to control the rate
of descent. The anchors were suspended in
the hole during the grouting process which
uses Class G Oilwell cement to the bond
length and GP cement to the free length.

TAILOR-MADE STRESSING JACK

Following 28 days minimum grout curing time,
the anchors were stressed using a purposebuilt 2,200 t capacity hydraulic jack. Typically
each 9106 anchor was proof loaded to 75%
MBL (19,042 kN) and locked off at 72% MBL
(18,280 kN). With the recent development of
the low-friction strand entry transitions to the
BBR VT CONA CMG anchor heads, excellent
results have been achieved during stressing.
No strand or wire failures have occurred
within the three projects (168 anchors)
where we have used this technology to
deliver the worlds highest capacity permanent
ground anchors.
The overall success of the project is reflected
in the numerous engineering and safety
awards for which the project has been nominated. Meanwhile, the successful completion
of the anchoring works further advances
Structural Systems position as world leaders
in the development and execution of ultrahigh capacity permanent ground anchors. l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER
Water Corporation of Western Australia
MAIN CONTRACTOR
Wellington Dam Alliance (WDA) comprising
Leighton Contractors, Structural Systems, Entura
and AECOM in partnership with the Water
Corporation
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMG ground
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Structural Systems Limited (Australia)

76 CONNCT

ONE GIANT LEAP

he much anticipated completion of their first soil-reinforced

construction project was the final step in implementing this technology
and a challenge for engineers, reports BBR Polska engineer Marcin
Harhala who has had much experience of deploying this technology.
Our first project using panel wall
technology was built near Warsaw in
Nowy Dwor Mazowiecki. The viaduct on
which the reinforced fill technology was
applied forms part of a scheme to upgrade
the E-65 Warsaw to Gdynia railway line.
The total surface area of 2,255 m2 consisted of four retaining walls of varying
heights backing onto two embankments.
In one embankment, there was a culvert for
pedestrians its location made this one of
the most challenging parts of the
construction project.
We participated in a four week design
period, aimed at optimizing materials and
methodology. Retaining walls were designed
as reinforced fill construction with
intractable reinforcement, using a IBDiMcompliant panel wall system consisting of
elevated panels and steel zinc-coated wire
mesh forming the soil reinforcement, with
backfill placed in successive layers.

The project involved the installation of

606 prefabricated panel units, of which
294 were designed as atypical elements to
reflect the slope of the road. The basic
1,829 mm x 2,440 mm x 140 mm panel
walls were all produced to concrete bridges
class C30/37 standards, thus meeting
additional requirements regarding absorbability and frost-resistance. We also used
around 50 t of steel mesh on the project.
By choosing this type of prefabricated panel
wall, we were able to construct two
retaining walls with a total area of 788 m2
in just four weeks, as well as placing some
4,530 m3 of backfill and compaction.
The city centre location required well
thought out logistics and organization for
handling materials, as storage on site was
practically impossible. The knowledge and
experience gained from this first implementation will allow us to optimize the design
and improve the detailing and assembly on
site. We now look forward to securing still
more demanding projects and deploying
further new technological developments. l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER PKP-PLK (Polskie Koleje
Panstwowe Polskie Linie Kolejowe)
MAIN CONTRACTOR Intercor Sp. z o.o.
TECHNOLOGY Panel wall
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Polska Sp. z o.o. (Poland)

 THIS WAS A VERY COMPLEX

AND CRITICAL PART OF OUR
PROJECT. IT WAS ESSENTIAL
THAT THE ERECTION OF THE
SKIRT WAS COMPLETED
WITHOUT DELAYS, WITH NO
SAFETY CONCERNS AND THAT
THE 160 T OF SUSPENDED
MATERIAL WAS FULLY
CONTROLLED AT ALL TIMES
WITH A LARGE SAFETY FACTOR
ALLOWED FOR ON ALL THE
LIFTING AND LOWERING
PROCEDURES. ... IT HAS BEEN A
VERY SUCCESSFUL OPERATION
FOR THE PROJECT

JOHN ROBERTS,
SUPERINTENDANT,
ALLIANCE JOINT VENTURE

CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

GETS A LIFT
PRILL TOWER, MORANBAH, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
n Central Queensland , Australia, BBR Network Member Structural
Systems was recently engaged to provide heavy lifting services
utilizing BBR VT CONA CMI technology for the erection of a Prilling
Skirt in the construction of a new Ammonium Nitrate plant.

During manufacture of Ammonium Nitrate

required for explosives in Australias mining
industry the liquid Ammonium Nitrate
needs to be prilled. This process, which
involves the chemical being sprayed and
cooled to form solid beads, is performed
within a Prill Skirt. The Prill Skirt for the new
plant is approximately 11 m by 6 m in plan
and is 49.5 m tall. It is designed as a relatively
lightweight stainless steel construction to be
hung from the Prill Tower structure.

After the towers structural frame had been

completed and the lifting equipment
installed, the Prill Skirt modules were fed in
at ground level. The most critical aspect was
the necessity for the project team to be
working on the suspended load performing
specialized stainless steel welding procedures
without compromising safety. Our heavy lift
system gave the project team the required
confidence in safety over-and-above any
alternative lifting system available.

The complete skirt weighed approximately

150 t and we utilized four purpose-built
heavy lift hydraulic jacks for the operation.
A set of laser distance measurers were used
to monitor the Prill Skirts height and level
during lifting. A typical 5.5 m high lift took
less than four hours to complete.
The lifting tendons consisted of 15.2 mm
(260 kN MBL) strand and utilized 706 BBR
CONA VT CMI anchor heads with wedge
retaining plates for connection to the load
via a custom-built clevis and pin
arrangement. One of our challenges was
dealing with the large load variations due to
the staged lifting process. With the initial lift
being less than 10 t, only two strands were
engaged upon lift commencement, thus
ensuring adequate strand loads to provide
the necessary wedge draw-in and seating
pressure. As the weight of the lift increased,
through the staged addition of modules,
additional strands were engaged in the lifting
tendons.The complex lifting and Prill Skirt
assembly process was completed over a
period of approximately four months and
deemed a highly successful operation.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific
MAIN CONTRACTOR Alliance Joint Venture
between United Group Ltd, Bilfinger Berger
Services and BGC Contracting, Australia
TECHNOLOGY BBR VT CONA CMI internal
Heavy lifting
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Structural Systems Limited (Australia)

CONNCT 77

SPECIAL APPLICATIONS

AL-WEHDAH DAM, IRBID, JORDAN

Strength against forces

BR Network Member, Marwan Alkurdi & Partners has been working on a

technically demanding construction project for the new Al-Wehdah Dam.
The site is in the northern part of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on the
Yarmouk River which forms the border between Jordan and Syria in this location.
The Al-Wehdah Dam is a roller-compacted
concrete (RCC) dam, designed for
construction in two stages. The first stage
takes it to 70 m high to a crest elevation of
116 m, and the second stage involves raising
it by 30 m to a crest elevation of
approximately 146 m.
The owner required that provisions should be
included to permit the raising of the dam at a
later stage. The dam was constructed using
grout-enriched RCC (GERCC) facing on both
the upstream and downstream surfaces.
A grout curtain cut-off was constructed at the
upstream foot of the dam and the abutments
were extended to a depth sufficient to
accommodate second stage construction.
The multi-stage intake structure consisting of a

tower with three intakes at heights of 70 m,

80 m and 90 m along with two concreteencased 3 m diameter steel conduits and a
discharge structure was constructed in the
left abutment.
Our scope, as nominated subcontractor,
consisted of the construction of all the CVC

(Conventional Vibrated Concrete), in addition

to all necessary upstream and downstream
facing formwork using climbing formwork at
the upstream face and stepped formwork at
the downstream face and for gallery
construction.
The very tight schedule for construction
demanded the use of special climbing
formwork and scaffolding plus a 24-hour
working cycle, as the RCC work was carried
out in a continuous 24-hour operation. In just
72 hours, we had completed the formwork
for the grouting gallery approximately 1,170
liner meters of three meter high galleries of
widths varying from 1.5 m to 2.4 m. The
PT bar technology helped us gain time and
enough strength to deal with the great forces
induced by the RCC placement and the
working equipment.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER The Ministry of Water and Irrigation,
Jordan Valley Authority
MAIN CONTRACTOR Ozaltin Construction
Trade & Industry Co.
DESIGNER Montgomery Watson Harza (MWH)
CONCRETE WORKS Marwan Alkurdi &
Partners Co. Ltd.
(Nominated Subcontractor)
TECHNOLOGY PT bar; climbing formwork
BBR NETWORK MEMBER Marwan Alkurdi &
Partners Co. Ltd (Jordan)

TRIATHLON VIP ZONE, LONDON, UK

First for temporary PT structure

UK-based BBR Network Member, Structural Systems has
been busy assisting with preparations for the 2011 Hyde
Parks Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship by
constructing a temporary structure which forms the Tata
Steel VIP zone.
The pavilion is constructed from post-tensioned steel technology
which is an innovative solution and believed to be the first of its kind
to be applied to such a temporary structure in the UK.
Structural Systems has been working in collaboration with S2 an
Australian company wihich specializes in the design and construction
of large span steel solutions. The structure comprises a posttensioned structural steelwork hollow section latticed arch that is
pinned at each corner. l

78 CONNCT

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER TATA Steel
MAIN CONTRACTOR TATA Steel
DESIGNER S-Squared Corporation Pty Ltd
BBR NETWORK MEMBER Structural Systems (UK) Ltd

 the BBR Networks response

he earthquakes that struck New Zealands

Garden City in 2010 and 2011 have left many
of its buildings in ruins and others in urgent
need of repair. The BBR Network is proud to be helping the city get back on its feet and curious to see

how projects on which it has worked in the past have

fared through the earthquakes and the 8,000+ aftershocks that have followed. BBR Contechs Southern
Regional Manager, Peter Higgins, reports on the work
associated with the response and reconstruction. g

CONNCT 79

MRR

The Christchurch
earthquakes

BASED ON THE SUPERIOR

PERFORMANCE OF POSTTENSIONED SLABS, THERE IS A
HIGH LEVEL OF INTEREST IN
USING POST-TENSIONED SLABSON-GROUND FOR NEW
BUILDINGS AND TO REPLACE
DAMAGED FLOORS

Of those which have survived, a significant

percentage need repair and restoration. BBR
Contech has been kept busy as a result,
working on more than 50 projects in the
Christchurch Central Business District (CBD)
and beyond. The work has predominantly
focused on commercial and industrial
structures, as well as infrastructure and a
wide range of specialist activities have been
necessary.

Most of the damage in Canterbury was caused by three massive quakes

the first on 4 September 2010 (7.1 magnitude on the Richter Scale), the
second on 22 February 2011 (6.3) and the third on 13 June 2011 (6.3).
These plus further earthquakes in December 2011 and the thousands of
aftershocks wreaked havoc on the region, with many buildings
damaged in the first earthquake being utterly destroyed in later ones.
The very high ground accelerations, liquefaction and occurrence of
successive earthquake events are unprecedented internationally and
buildings have been subjected to some extreme loading.

80 CONNCT

POST-TENSIONING PERFORMANCE
Over the past 10 years, BBR Contech has
delivered over 30 post-tensioned slab-onground projects in Christchurch, ranging in
size from 1,500 to 32,000 m2. These
buildings are in various locations throughout
the earthquake-affected region and have
performed to a very high level.
With relatively high compression forces
integral to the design and a minimum of
joints, post-tensioned slabs have the ability to
resist high loadings and to bridge over areas
of local weakness. The performance of these
slabs has not disappointed in Christchurch,
with virtually no damage reported. Many
warehouses and storage facilities suffered
from collapsed racking, plus damage to other
building elements. However, the posttensioned floors remained intact and
provided a solid foundation to effect a rapid
clean-up and were ready for service again
once racking and stock was replaced.
The slabs have resisted high ground accelerations and the self-restoring characteristics of
the post-tensioning have enabled the floors
to mitigate the effects of the ground motions
and weak subgrades. Other buildings, with
conventionally reinforced floor slabs, have
suffered significant damage and the floors are
likely to require replacement. There is also

Professor Stefano Pampanin

is Associate Professor of
Structural Engineering at
Canterbury University,
Christchurch. He was invited
to become a member of the
Expert Panel of New
Zealands Department of
Building and Housing,
reporting to and advising the
Royal Commission of Inquiry
(RCI) into the earthquakes
which, in October 2011, released its preliminary observations. Among
other things, the report recommends consideration of new
construction technologies.
For the international construction engineering community, the
Christchurch earthquakes delivered no major surprises. There were
buildings designed according to older design standards and
technology here as indeed all around the world that have been
well-known for their inherently higher seismic vulnerability. Perhaps
the biggest shock was the severity of the 22 February 2011
aftershock although of smaller magnitude than the main event on
4 September 2010, it was shallower and the level of shaking was
almost twice what a newly designed building is currently required to
withstand. Without the outstanding legacy of Earthquake Engineering
techniques here in New Zealand, we could have been counting
casualties in thousands, rather than hundreds.
There is now a strong need to communicate what we have learnt
and what the latest technology can offer. Forward-looking dialogues
have been opened with the people and work is underway with
government departments to ensure that new construction meets
higher seismic standards. The insurance industry is already playing its
critical part in this process by requiring proof that a building to be
insured incorporates latest damage-resistant technology. The bottom

line is that, in todays society and in spite of the severity of the

earthquake, we cannot afford to have so many buildings damaged
beyond repairability aside from safety or social considerations,
downtime costs are higher than they were even just a couple of
decades ago.
Progress has now delivered better building technology, offering a costeffective approach. The PRESSS system, consisting of post-tensioned
rocking/dissipating precast concrete connections, and its very recent
evolution and extension to the timber construction industry, or PresLam system, developed by our team at the University of Canterbury,
promote damage-resistant construction capable of sustaining severe
earthquake shaking with a minor level of damage and business
interruption. At present, there are almost 10 PRESSS (concrete) and
Pres-Lam (timber) buildings either underway or completed in New
Zealand and many feasibility studies and preliminary designs under
consideration. The development and introduction of the Pres-Lam
system as a viable alternative solution for multi-storey timber
buildings, has sparked some healthy activity within the construction
market, previously dominated by just two materials or industry
champions steel and concrete. With a new and very serious
contender entering the arena, much innovation is underway to
demonstrate that they can all offer the same level of safety at a
competitive cost.
The reconstruction of Christchurch is an overwhelming challenge
one single industry alone cannot possibly deliver it and this is
fostering greater collaboration between industries. Its often said that
you can emerge stronger and better from a crisis and thats hopefully
going to be true here too this is our great opportunity to make
something absolutely brilliant, after such a catastrophic event, and
contribute to the creation of a safer and more beautiful place to live.
My congratulations to BBR Contech for being one of the few leading
organizations which has truly understood the value of investing time
and resources in research and development of new technologies
both for the design of new buildings and for the retrofitting of
existing structures. They are well-aligned to benefit from their early
experience of using new technologies and materials and I look
forward to our continued working relationship, as we explore yet
further new damage-resistant design techniques.

Post-tensioned warehouse floors remained

intact, providing a solid base for the clean-up of
collapsed racking, and businesses were quickly
able to resume trading.
substantial damage to saw cuts and
movement joints, as a result of lateral
displacements and pounding.
Based on the superior performance of post-

tensioned slabs, there is a high level of

interest in using post-tensioned slabs-onground for new buildings and to replace
damaged floors. A cost premium sometimes

exists for smaller floor areas, but the value

added by the prospect of minimal business
interruption is now very much in the mind
of building owners and tenants. g

CONNCT 81

MRR

On the record:
with Professor Stefano Pampanin

DAMAGE RESISTANT DESIGN

TECHNIQUES
In addition to slabs-on-ground, there is also
growing interest in using post-tensioned
technology in damage resistant design
techniques for multi-storey buildings. Precast
Seismic Structural Systems (PRESSS)
technology developed in the United States
(see CONNAECT 2008, page 74) has been
utilized on concrete buildings and now the
new Pres-Lam system which uses posttensioned timber frames has been

developed in New Zealand. Several buildings

have already been constructed and further
projects are underway. BBR Contech has
provided post-tensioning for three of these
schemes and is associated with ongoing
research and development. The
considerations and consequences of many
months of downtime, loss of occupancy and
sometimes irreparable level of damage is
now receiving much greater attention from
building owners not just in Christchurch
but all over New Zealand.

REMEDIAL WORKS
BBR Contechs remedial works in the past
12 months have covered a wide range of
structures, from historic buildings to modern
towers, shopping malls, hospitals and bridges.

Pres-Lam resists the shakes

nstead of concrete, Pres-Lam incorporates

laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and
delivers a similar result to PRESSS by
enabling the building to rock back-and-forth
during an earthquake, then return to an
upright position without significant structural
damage.
Pres-Lam offers a number of benefits in
comparison with concrete and steel
construction:
u LVL is made from a renewable resource
New Zealand radiata pine.
u Significantly lighter than concrete large
components can be prefabricated then
transported, also requires smaller on-site
equipment and less expensive
foundations.
u Strong and flexible qualities that hold
the structure together while helping it
spring back into place after an
earthquake.
u Long term effectiveness is assured any
damaged sections or beams can be
repaired or replaced with relative ease.
u Meeting changing needs beams and
columns can be coupled and uncoupled
for alterations, or dismantled altogether
for use in another construction project.
One such innovative new building at
Massey Universitys College of Creative Arts
in Wellington uses the Pres-Lam solution.
It will provide flexible studio teaching space
as well as classrooms and a workshop, greenscreen film studio, gallery and multipurpose
presentation space. Its lower levels align with
the site contours, while the upper three
levels are supported by a lightweight,
naturally ventilated LVL structure comprising
15 columns and 16 beams, braced by three
concrete shear walls. All structural components have been prefabricated off-site.
Project Manager Matt Mumford reports that
BBR Contechs role was to post-tension the
columns and beams using tendons

82 CONNCT

Demolition underway of the car park of the

Hotel Grand Chancellor giving an insight into
the scale of work necessary.
Some, such as the CBDs Forsyth Barr Tower
and Clarendon Tower, may need a doubledose of repairs. After both were damaged in
the September earthquake, our team
undertook crack injection work, injecting
epoxy resin, into cracks in floor topping slabs,
concrete gravity beams and car park columns
and beams.

comprising six 12.7 mm strands with

capacities of 1,100 kN. The beam and
column tendons are anchored using single
strand barrel and wedge to large plates at
each end. The concrete shear wall tendons
comprise 1905 anchorages with a capacity of
3,500 kN. Unlike the approach used in
PRESSS, the strands in the beams and
columns are greased and sheathed and fully
unbonded, whereas the shear wall tendons
have partial bonding close to the anchorages.
This is a highly viable solution that could be
the key to ensuring that buildings and lives
are saved should the unthinkable ever
happen again.
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Massey University
MANAGEMENT CONTRACTOR
Arrow International
ARCHITECT Ian Athfield Architects
DESIGNER Dunning Thornton Consultants
TECHNOLOGY BBR CONA internal
BBR CONA unbonded
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Contech (New Zealand)

Clarendon Tower in the Christchurch CBD,

despite repair work following the first quake,
may now need demolition.

BBR Contech carried out concrete repairs at

The Palms retail centre after the February
earthquake.
We have also worked on some important
community infrastructure repairs on hospital
buildings owned by the Canterbury District
Health Board. The older buildings of
Christchurch Public and Princess Margaret
hospitals suffered damage to concrete floors
and walls requiring extensive epoxy injection
of cracking. The liquefaction added stress to
basement regions causing ingress of water
and silt. A significant amount of
waterproofing has been carried out with
injection of polyurethane grouts to stem the
flows entering into important service areas.
The enormity of earthquake forces can been
observed in some areas where thick
concrete raft foundations have been pressed
upwards by hydraulic forces from
underneath causing localised cracking and
separation of construction joints.

Learning lessons and sharing initiatives

John Hare is a Director of Holmes
Consulting Group and has a long
association with seismic upgrading. He is
President of the Structural Engineering
Society New Zealand and currently also a
principal engineering advisor for the
Canterbury Earthquake Recovery
Authority (CERA).
Holmes Consulting and BBR Contech have
worked together on many projects, both
before and after the earthquakes. John now
shares with Paul Wymer, BBR Contech CEO,
some of the lessons learnt in terms of the
performance of buildings and some
initiatives towards providing greater
earthquake safety for buildings.
The learning process is still evolving but
some key observations and considerations
for the future, so far, are:
u Modern buildings on good foundations,
constructed in accordance with the
building code in force now protected
lives, even when exposed to greater
shaking than the code design level.
u Ongoing research and development and
the eventual use of the resulting
improved technology will help to further
reduce damage in larger earthquakes.
u The seismic design levels for existing
buildings imposed by central and local
government are likely to be increased to
better protect occupants and to provide
greater resilience. For new buildings, the
existing load levels may be adequate for
life safety protection, but if owners desire
better performance, higher load levels
and increased detailing for resilience may
be needed.
u Configure structures, so that they are as
symmetrical as possible, to minimize
eccentric loads imposed on some
elements.

In contrast, the new Christchurch Womens

Hospital opened in 2005 is the first building

MRR

Two shopping malls The Palms to the

north-east of Christchurch city and Eastgate
Mall in the east have had their own share
of trials and tribulations. After the February
earthquake, we carried out concrete repairs
to the tops and bottoms of a large number
of concrete columns in The Palms retail
centre and adjacent multi-level car parks.
This work included forming and pouring with
fine aggregate concrete and structural
mortar before confining the columns with
carbon fibre wrap. Further work was
required after the June 2011 shake and The
Palms was re-opened in September, while
Eastgate opened again in July.

u A greater emphasis is required on quality

control and inspections during
construction to ensure that the intended
methods of construction are achieved.
u Insurance and reinsurance considerations
are likely to drive a greater level of
attention to seismic resistance. Older
buildings and those that are deemed
earthquake-prone may become
uninsurable or could be subject to
special exclusions and high premiums.
Many of these lessons and initiatives to
provide greater earthquake safety will
inevitably result in extra costs for building
owners and tenants. The question of how
these costs balance out against the risk
appetite for the general public and
Government imposed design levels remains
to be seen. However, with the Christchurch
rebuild expected to cost in the order of
NZ$15 billion, there will be a strong
business case to support consideration of
some additional cost at the time of
construction or retrofitting. And included in
this business case will surely be a very close
analysis of the insurance position.

in the South Island to use base isolation

technology and it performed exactly as
intended. This 10 storey state-of-the-art
building has more than 20,000 m2 of floor
area and was designed to withstand
Christchurchs largest predictable earthquake.
The building foundation includes five
unbonded multi-strand tie-down tendons
anchored beneath the raft foundation
three with BBR CONA 4205 and two with
BBR CONA 1205. These anchors work in
tandem with the base isolation bearings to
provide the restraining force against uplift
during a seismic event g
CONNCT 83

Strengthening work carried out earlier by BBR Contech contributed to the resilience of Christchurch Arts Centres Old Arts School.

BBR projects how did they fare?

While nearly every building in the Christchurch
Arts Centre complex is in need of extensive
repair, the Old Arts School remains largely
untouched. The FRP strengthening work we
under-took in 2008 contributed to this resilience.
But the Great Hall was not so lucky after the
June 2011 earthquake, we were engaged in a
project to hold it together until a permanent
repair solution can be found. This work involved
using five cranes to install strand and bar tendons
through temporary structural steel frames at gable
wall ends.

Strand and bar tendons installed through temporary

structural steel frames at gable wall ends must hold
the Great Hall together until a permanent repair
solution can be found.
Another, more recent, FRP strengthening project
has also delivered results. Just five days before the
September earthquake, we completed
strengthening 23 circular columns at the
University of Canterburys Student Services
Building. This involved applying two layers of glass
fibre wrap in the top and bottom 600 mm of the
columns. Our post-earthquake inspection
revealed that the columns remained intact and
new cracks had appeared behind the glass fibre
where the additional confinement had resisted
the earthquake loading exactly as intended.

84 CONNCT

Just five days before the September earthquake, BBR completed the strengthening of 23
circular columns at the University of Canterburys Student Services Building.

SUPPORTING RESEARCH
Given its involvement in these and
many more earthquake-related
projects, we are delighted to be
participating in a six-year University
of Canterbury earthquake
engineering research study with the
theme of Retrofit Solutions for New
Zealand Multi-Storey Buildings.
The research team has built a threestorey pre-1970s reinforced

concrete model building to 40% scale and has

been testing it on the shake table at the
Universitys Structures Laboratory. They are
investigating the structural dynamics of the building
before and after a rehabilitation or retrofit
intervention, with the aim of upgrading its
performance when subject to the ground
movements produced by earthquakes.
The team has recently studied the response of the
building due to ground motions recorded in the
September 2010 Christchurch earthquake and

SEMEDELA OVERPASS, KOPER, SLOVENIA

MRR

Complex reconstruction

Chiles 8.8 magnitude earthquake in February

2010. The next steps involve observing its
response to the same conditions when we have
repaired and rehabilitated it with GFRP (glass-fibrereinforced polymer) a solution that is neither
invasive, nor expensive. In the light of what has
been happening in Christchurch, there will be
much attention focused on the outcome.

A LONG-TERM OUTLOOK
The Canterbury rebuilding programme has just
begun. We have provided estimates for a large
number of projects with approvals subject to the
resolution of insurance issues and land
designations.
The continuing aftershocks mean that nothing is
certain. While a number of CBD buildings
investigated for repair have since been demolished,
about 1,200 others remain standing awaiting
decisions on their fate and may eventually be
deemed economic to repair. Whatever the
outcome, the nature of the reconstruction will
change the face of Christchurch and BBR Contech
stands ready to help with repair and
strengthening or new build technology and
always with an eye to protecting, preserving and
future-proofing Christchurchs built environment
for many years to come.
l

n existing overpass has been rebuilt during the construction

of the new H5 Koper to Izola Expressway in Slovenia.
Kresimir Bogadi of BBR Adria presents a brief insight into
the project.

Originally built in 1981, the overpass had

three traffic lanes, plus two pedestrian
walkways, on its 15.2 m structure.
Reconstruction was completed in two
phases. The first was between axis OI
and axis 7, where the superstructure
was widened and the second, between
axis 7 and axis OD, where it was
necessary to demolish the
superstructure and build a new one.
In the new layout, the overpass lies
between two circular junctions, with the
Semedela junction sitting partially on the
structure.
The new traffic solution requires four
3.25 m wide traffic lanes. As there is a
pedestrian underpass near the structure,
it was decided that a pedestrian lane
was not necessary. This made it possible
to meet new traffic requirements with
strengthening and minimal widening of
the superstructure between axis OI and
axis 7.
For the second phase, there was 1.2 m
height difference between the old and

new structure and this part of the

overpass also widens in a funnel shape.
The latter was the reason for deciding to
demolish the old superstructure and build
a new one.
The superstructure was executed as a
continuous slab with cantilevers on both
sides and longitudinal post-tensioning with
51 BBR VT CONA CMI 1506 tendons.
While the width of the structure varies, its
thickness of 1.05 m is constant. Lack of
access meant that tendons had to be
stressed from one side to a force of
2,900 kN each resulting in a total force
of almost 150 MN.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER DARS d.d.
MAIN CONTRACTOR Kraski Zidar d.o.o.
DESIGNER GRADIS Biro Za Projektiranje
Maribor d.o.o.
TECHNOLOGY
BBR VT CONA CMI internal
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Adria d.o.o. (Croatia)

CONNCT 85

Repairs

for the rugby

QUEENS WHARF, AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

etween 9 September and 23 October 2011, New Zealand

became the centre of the rugby universe, with 20 teams
vying for the title of Rugby World Cup champion. In
preparation for this huge international event, Aucklands
waterfront area designated Party Central underwent some
redevelopment to deal with the large influx of fans and BBR
Contech was associated with a number of projects. BBR Contechs
Northern Regional Manager, Keith Snow and Project Manager,
Mark Kurtovich outline the work associated with the repair and
strengthening of Queens Wharf in preparation for the event.

Having already completed a major

wharf repair project at Aucklands
Downtown Ferry Terminal, BBR
Contech was familiar with the
waterfront environment. So the
company was pleased to take on the
task of repairing the substructure of
Queens Wharf one project among
many to prepare it for its role as the
venue for Rugby World Cup 2011s
Fanzone, Festival and Showcase events.
Thousands descended on the wharf to
watch the games on big screens, enjoy
free concerts by top Kiwi bands and
experience displays of New Zealands
creativity, innovation and ingenuity. Key
attractions included The Cloud, a
purpose-built structure capable of
holding more than 6,000 people; the
ANZ Dome, which offered a host of
interactive experiences; and the Giant
Rugby Ball, which provided an audiovisual experience of New Zealand and
its landscape, culture and tourism
attractions.

86 CONNCT

Built of reinforced concrete and

completed in 1913, Queens Wharf is an
important part of Aucklands social,
industrial and engineering heritage. It is
the second oldest wharf structure left
on the waterfront and originally
developed as a key hub for New
Zealands burgeoning import and
export industries.
One hundred years after it was built,
the wharf was naturally exhibiting signs
of deterioration. BBR Contechs job was
to make it structurally sound by
removing and reinstating 185 m3 of
concrete and replacing much of the
reinforcing bar essentially two-thirds
of the wharf s substructure. The
defective concrete was removed using
hydro-demolition, applying highpressure water to deliver an excellent
bonding surface for repairs while
minimising noise in the inner city
environment.
The work was completed four weeks
ahead of schedule, the team having

overcome all the challenges of working

with the tides, managing the risks of
operating in such a public location,
dovetailing the work schedule with
other projects happening on the wharf,
and ensuring all the debris was disposed
of responsibly. BBR Contech also
completed a separate contract,
undertaking repairs to the wharf deck
while ensuring that historic features
such as old railway lines were preserved
and restored.
The client was delighted with the
results.
What impressed me most was the
consistency with which BBR Contech
performed, says Mark Fraser, Project
Leader Queens Wharf for Waterfront
Auckland. The team delivered exactly
as they said they would, but ahead of
time and with a larger scope than we
originally set out to achieve, all the
while working around and with two
other contractors on site. Delivering
possibly the highest-volume repair
project in New Zealand and in such a
short timeframe made for a very
impressive performance.

Speaking of impressive performances,

the New Zealand All Blacks completed
the tournament unbeaten and went on
to meet France in the final on 23rd
October 2011 and winning in a very
close and exciting match. After winning
the inaugural World Cup competition in
1987, the All Blacks had endured a long
wait before they could again hold the
William Webb Ellis Trophy aloft to
crown them as 2011 Rugby World
Champions, much to the relief of the
whole nation the so-called stadium of
four million people.
l

TEAM & TECHNOLOGY

OWNER Waterfront Auckland
MAIN CONTRACTOR BBR Contech
DESIGNER Beca Infrastructure
TECHNOLOGY MRR range
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
BBR Contech (New Zealand)

upplying the demands of energy hungry populations is a constant

battle for governments, scientists and businesses. Increasingly
environmentally-friendly or sustainable solutions are required from
the construction industry, while the practicalities and associated costs must
be weighed by infrastructure owners. With all these factors in mind, there are
some compelling advantages for choosing BBR technology. We examine
three sectors hydroelectric, nuclear and wind energy where the expertise
of the BBR Network has made a significant and sustained contribution. g

CONNCT 87

LANDMARK STRUCTURES

Electrifying
performance
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ENERGY

Lean,green

yet strong
s long as the human race inhabits this planet,
it will need energy to survive. The challenge
now is for us to be able to satisfy our energy
needs in a sustainable and economically viable way.
Use of post-tensioning promotes a sustainable
approach and reduces concrete volumes used, thus
delivers a lower carbon footprint. The BBR VT CONA
CMX range is particularly lightweight, very compact
and further reduces cross-sectional areas of concrete
structures due to the small centre spacing
requirement between anchorages. In addition,
recycled concrete can be used effectively with CONA
CMX post-tensioning as the tendons can be stressed
at comparatively low concrete strengths.

The constant development of BBR technology, driven by customers

through contact with the BBR Network, means that we can supply
lean yet strong solutions for all types of structure. Our solutions are
lean because you only use the amount of material you actually need
while achieving the same structural strength. In essence, with our
CONA CMX technology, we have engineered out the surplus.
As you will have seen, in Consuming passion for LNG on pages 49-53,
the use of BBR post-tensioning for LNG tank construction offers a
saving in both time and materials, while creating energy infrastructure
that is eminently maintainable. Now, we look at three further types of
energy installation where BBR technology and know-how plays a
crucial role.

HYDROELECTRICITY

Harnessing hydro power

ams are unique among
structures because of their huge
size and the massive amount of
water or other liquids they retain and
the vast scale of human, ecological and
economic losses their failure would
bring. They are expected to age and
deteriorate over time due to geological
and chemical factors, thus programs of
surveillance and maintenance using
continually advancing technology are
implemented to ensure their continued
safe operation.

88 CONNCT

BBR ground anchoring technology has

been used in dam construction and
strengthening projects for over 60 years.
The first BBR prestressed ground anchors
were used in 1951 to anchor the walls of
the underground machine room for the
Maggia Hydroelectric Power Station in
Verbano, Switzerland. The following
projects are milestones in the evolution in
the use of BBR technology and
techniques on the international scene for
dam strengthening and stabilization and
represent just a small number of such
projects carried out by the BBR Network.

STABILIZING INTAKE
In the early 1960s, BBRV rock anchors
were used to stabilize intake sections of
the Wanapum Dam in Washington State,
USA, allowing for later construction of
the power house substructure. Thirteen
anchors were placed in each intake and
holes were drilled to a maximum of
80 ft into the rock foundation. After
structural concrete had been placed and
attained the required strength, the
anchor assemblies were lowered into
the drilled holes and the bottom 30 ft
grouted.

GROWING STABILITY
In 1985, Australias Chichester Dam, on
the Hunter River, was fitted with BBRV
rock anchors to increase its stability and
height. The anchors, weighing up to three
tons each, were installed using a special
device running on the crest of the dam
which was equipped with pulling and
breaking winches. The anchors were
required to have double corrosion
protection, facilities for force monitoring
at any time and to be restressable during
the lifespan of the dam.
UPGRADING & SECURING
The upgrading project in the early
1990s at Waitakere Dam, near
Auckland, New Zealand, featured the

WORLD RECORD CAPACITY

ANCHORS
The existing ground anchors at
Catagunya Dam had reached the end of
their service life and were replaced
using 92 BBR VT CONA CMG tendons
but, with reduced availability of anchor
locations, even higher capacity was
sought. This led to the adoption of 91
strand tendons using 15.7 mm diameter
strand and setting new world records
for permanent ground anchors, with an
MBL of 25,389 kN, test load of
19,415 kN (1,980 t) and lock-off load of
17,772 kN (1,812 t). Since this project
was completed in 2010, similar ultra
high capacity anchors have also been
installed at Wellington Dam in Western
Australia, see pages 76 and 77.
l

CONNCT 89

LANDMARK STRUCTURES

MAJOR REHABILITATION
After rains, brought by Hurricane Agnes
in 1972, raised the water in the
reservoir to 2.5 ft above its normal
level, the decision was taken to upgrade
the 50-year old Conowingo Dam in
Maryland, USA. This initiated what was
then thought to be the biggest dam
rehabilitation project using posttensioned anchorages in the world. The
project involved drilling through some
200 ft of concrete and bedrock to
install 1,100 t of prestressing steel in the
form of 537 BBRV rock anchors. Today,
the dam provides feedwater for
hydroelectric power generation, cooling
water for a nuclear power station and
water for public supply.

installation of 55 vertical BBR CONA

rock anchors with lengths of up to
60 m. The anchors have the facility for
continuous load monitoring and
restressing. 260 BBRV tendons pass
through the dam to stress together the
sections of the original 1910 dam and
the dam extension built in 1928. Two
BBRV tendons were provided for each
vertical rock anchor to resist bursting
stresses.

three at Forsmark and all feature BBR

technology. Today, nearly 50% of Swedens
electrical energy is produced by nuclear
power plants.
Ringhals, on the west coast some 60 km
south of Gothenburg, is the largest power
plant in Scandinavia. It has four reactors
number 1 is a boiling water reactor and
numbers 2, 3 and 4 are pressurized water
reactors. In a normal year, Ringhals generates
some 28 billion kilowatt hours of electricity
about one fifth of Swedens total electrical
energy consumption.
The Swedish government decided not to
shut down the Ringhals plant as originally
planned, but to upgrade it instead. Now,
discussions are underway about replacing the
old reactors when the time comes, rather
than building new ones.

NUCLEAR POWER

Realizing longevity & safety

BR has over 60 years experience in the design and application of
post-tensioning products. Within the nuclear industry, the focus of
the BBR Network is on safety and maintenance to extend the safe
operating life of existing plants. Our leading edge technology and knowhow has been applied to 65 nuclear facilities in many countries.

Nuclear reactors have a nominal design life

of around 30 years, however, this may be
extended by further investment in reactor
maintenance upgrades. The Ringhals Nuclear
Power Station, in Sweden, is one plant where
such investment is currently underway, with
the help of the BBR Network.

90 CONNCT

THE RINGHALS STORY

Sweden has a total of ten nuclear reactors
four at Ringhals, three at Oskarshamn and

NUCLEAR REACTOR UPGRADING

Tommy Lindstrand of Swedish BBR Network
Member Spnnteknik AB explains that
Ringhals 1 is prestressed with 55 6 mm
diameter, cement-grouted BBRV tendons,
while Ringhals 2, 3, and 4 are pre-stressed
with 139 6 mm diameter BBRV tendons and
grouted with a grease/petrolate type nuclear
grade casing filler.
The upgrading of Ringhals 4 included
replacing three steam generators and one
condensator to increase safety and secure
future electricity production. We had carried

LANDMARK STRUCTURES
A steam generator is about 21 m long and
weighs nearly 334 t. Lifting operations,
performed on the outside, were assisted by a
660 t crane. A slide way was installed in the
opening to allow removal of the old
equipment and insertion of the new kit into
the reactor building.

out very similar work on an earlier occasion

for both Ringhals 2 and 3.

TRANSFER OPENING
The work required a transfer opening in the
secondary containment wall of 6 m by 8 m.
The 1,200 mm thick wall has a 20 mm steel
lining at approximately 1,000 mm from the
outer surface.

BALANCING CONTAINMENT
Our job was to remove the tendons crossing
the required opening and, to keep the
containment in balance, we de-stressed many
other tendons too.
Our scope of work included:
u Training program in 2010 connecting
and testing of ducts in the opening
u Training program in 2011 de-stressing
and stressing of tendons
u De-stressing, removal, storage, installation
and stressing of nine vertical and
20 horizontal tendons

u De-stressing and stressing of

56 horizontal tendons
u Grease grouting of 85 tendons
u Delivery, installation and testing of smooth
ducts for tendons in the opening
u Tent, including dehumidification, for
storage of tendons
u Work planning and documentation
u Necessary courses and medical
examination
u Accommodation for our personnel

At times, we had to work around-the-clock

and this required a team of 24 people.
With the grouting of the last tendons on
20 September 2011, our work here on this
major project was finished. All documents
are now approved and both the client and
indeed our own team are very satisfied with
the job which was performed exactly
according to the plan.
l
TEAM & TECHNOLOGY
OWNER Vattenfall
MAIN CONTRACTOR AREVA NP GmbH
LIFTING & CONCRETING SUBCONTRACTOR
NCC
TECHNOLOGY BBRV wire
BBR NETWORK MEMBER
Spnnteknik AB (Sweden)

CONNCT 91

WIND ENERGY

Chasing the wind

espite tough economic conditions, global wind power

capacity rose to 197 GW a 24.1% increase over the previous
year. The outlook for 2011 is more optimistic, with overall
investment predicted to reach 70.4 billion (US$96 billion) and
likely to translate into actual projects during the next two years.

A total of 84,074 MW is now installed in the

European Union, a growth of 12.2% on the
previous year. Germany remains the EU
country with the largest installed capacity,
followed by Spain, France, the UK and Italy.
The European offshore wind power market
experienced a massive increase of 51%
during 2010.
Since the end of the 1990s, the BBR
Network has been involved in both research
and development, as well as the construction
of wind towers often in harsh, inhospitable
environments. So far, BBR Network
Members have been contracted for over
12 wind park projects and prototypes.

WIND TOWER CONSTRUCTION

Basically, three types of construction are
common for the wind towers steel,
concrete and a hybrid mixed version.
Currently, the hybrid construction method
seems to be the most economical for high

92 CONNCT

towers which require thicker walls and tower

diameters in the foot. Post-tensioned
concrete plays an important role in realizing
the full potential of wind energy. Concrete
tower solutions are adaptable and durable

and offer long life performance with

minimum maintenance. The use of precast or
in-situ PT concrete, rather than steel, in the
construction of windfarms offers several
advantages to owners and operators:
u Reduced maintenance costs and long-life
performance through comparative
durability of concrete over steel.
u Up to 15% higher energy production PT
concrete pylons can be 30-40 m higher.
u Lower transportation costs casting is
not highly specialized and can be carried
out near the site.
u Design and construction flexibility
versatility of concrete enables design
solutions with no restrictions on height or
size.
u Dynamic performance PT concrete has
inherently high damping properties and
can deliver fatigue resistance solutions
with less noise emissions.
Taller wind towers need greater structural
strength and stiffness to carry both the
increased turbine weight and bending forces
from wind action on the rotors and the
tower and also to avoid damaging resonance.

CONA CMB tendons at a test field in

Bremerhaven. Meanwhile in Hamburg, they
built a further two towers using CONA
CMB technology these towers are
approaching 140 m high and have rotors
covering an area larger than a football pitch!

CHILLY ARCTIC WINDS

The team from BBR Network Member,
KB Spennteknikk in Norway, faced an arctic
climate and persistently strong winds to
provide foundations for 17 windmills for
their client Statkraft. The Kjllefjord Wind
Project is located 74 North, on Mount
Gartefjell 230-300 m above sea level in
the municipality of Lebesby in Finnmark,
Norway. Foundations for the windmills
consisted of 136 CONA Multi 1906 rock
anchors eight anchors per windmill. The

expected average annual output of the wind

farm which opened in October 2006 is
in the region of 150 GWh, equal to the
consumption of around 7,500 households.

STORMY WATERS
A wind farm has been built in Lake Vnern
covering an area of 5,655 km2, it is the third
largest lake in Europe. Spnnteknik, the BBR
Network Member in Sweden played a key
role in delivering the Vindpark Vnern wind
energy project. The round six meter
diameter foundations had been prefabricated
in one meter high sections with recesses for
the tendons. Each foundation was anchored
by 16 BBR CONA 1906 rock anchors with
a length of 25-28 m, depending on the water
depth and with the help of divers.
TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FUTURE
As well as awesome dam structures, timely
nuclear power services and breathtaking
wind energy projects, BBR ground anchors
have also been applied, as reported in
CONNAECT 2008, to strengthen bases of
electricity transmission tower bases in New
Zealands South Island. It is clear that the
BBR Network has both the technology and
the expertise to support the many and
diverse needs of the energy sector well into
the future!
l

TESTING TIMES
Recently, Vorspann-Technik the German
BBR Network Member constructed two
130 m high prototype wind towers using

CONNCT 93

LANDMARK STRUCTURES

Key issues are the minimization of material

content and structural weight and reduction
of construction time. In-situ slipform
construction overcomes the problems of
transporting large tower rings/sections and
need for large cranes for erection.
The ability to prestress concrete means that
individual wind tower structures can be
tailored to provide optimal levels of stiffness
and dynamic performance using posttensioned tendons.
Ducts can be incorporated into both precast
concrete units and in-situ concrete either
located within pylon walls or externally on
the inner wall of the pylon structure. This
facilitates thin, lightweight wall construction
with simple access for inspection and future
capacity upgrades. A combination of internal
and external tendons can be considered
whereby, for instance, external tendons
stabilize the tower from the base up to a
defined stage and are anchored in a corbel.
Internal tendons are stressed at full height
from the top corbel to the base segment.
The move towards taller wind towers is
tipping the balance towards PT concrete
design solutions with their many advantages.
BBR VT CONA CMX products ground
anchors, band systems, internal and external
post-tensioning are well-suited to the
construction of precast elements or in-situ
concrete method used for windfarms. With
the know-how of BBR Network Members,
concrete pylons could reach heights of
over120 m!

HEADQUARTERS

EUROPE

SWITZERLAND
BBR VT International Ltd
Bahnstrasse 23
8603 Schwerzenbach (ZH)

AUSTRIA
KB Vorspann-Technik GmbH
Weitwrth 25
5151 Nussdorf a.H.

GERMANY
KB Vorspann-Technik GmbH
Frstenrieder Strasse 275
81377 Mnchen

Tel +41 44 806 80 60

Fax +41 44 806 80 50

Tel +43 6272 40790

Fax +43 6272 4079040

Tel +49 89 72 44 969-0

Fax +49 89 72 44 969-12

www.bbrnetwork.com
[email protected]

www.kb-vt.com
[email protected]

www.kb-vt.com
[email protected]

BELGIUM
see Netherlands

HUNGARY
see Austria

BOSNIA/
HERZEGOVINA
see Croatia

IRELAND
see United Kingdom

Additional BBR technology licenses

have been granted in Europe, Asia
Pacific and America for more
information, please contact the BBR
Headquarters.

BULGARIA
see Spain

CROATIA
BBR Adria d.o.o.
Kalinovica 3
10000 Zagreb
Tel +385 1 3839 220
Fax +385 1 3839 243

AMERICAS

www.bbr-adria.com
[email protected]

CZECH REPUBLIC
see Austria

DENMARK
see Norway

LATVIA
see Austria

LITHUANIA
see Austria

MONTENEGRO
see Croatia

NETHERLANDS
Spanstaal B.V.
Koningsweg 28
3762 EC Soest
Post Address:
PO Box 386
3760 AJ Soest
Tel +31 35 603 80 50
Fax +31 35 603 29 02
www.spanstaal.nl
[email protected]

ESTONIA
see Austria

FINLAND
see Norway
EASTERN CANADA
Canadian bbr Inc.
3450 Midland Ave.
Scarborough
Ontario M1V 4V4
Tel +1 416 291 1618
Fax +1 416 291 9960
[email protected]

CONNCT
94 CONNCT

FRANCE
ETIC S.A.
48, rue Albert Joly
78 000 Versailles
Tel +33 1 39 50 11 20
Fax +33 1 39 50 11 03
www.etic-sas.fr
[email protected]

BBR DIRECTORY

NORWAY
KB Spennteknikk AS
Siva Industrial Estate
N. Strandsveg 19-21
Postboks 1213
2206 Kongsvinger
Tel +47 62 81 00 30
Fax +47 62 81 00 55
www.spennteknikk.no
[email protected]

PORTUGAL
see Spain

POLAND
(Head Office)
BBR Polska Sp. z o.o.
ul. Annopol 14
03-236 Warszawa
Tel +48 22 811 50 53
Fax +48 22 811 50 53 55
www.bbr.pl
[email protected]
BBR Polska Sp. z o.o.
ul. Tarnogorska 214a
44-105 Gliwice
Tel +48 32 331 47 98
Fax +48 32 330 24 11
www.bbr.pl
[email protected]

ROMANIA
see Spain

SPAIN
BBR Pretensados
y Tcnicas Especiales, S.L.
Antigua Carretera N-III
Km. 31, 150
28500 Arganda del Rey, Madrid
Tel +34 91 876 09 00
Fax +34 91 876 09 01

RUSSIA
see Austria

www.bbrpte.com
[email protected]

SERBIA
see Croatia

SWEDEN
Spnnteknik AB
Sjngsvgen 7
192 72 Sollentuna

SLOVAKIA
see Austria

Tel +46 8 510 678 10

Fax +46 8 510 678 19

UKRAINE
see Poland

UNITED KINGDOM
Structural Systems (UK) Ltd
12 Collett Way
Great Western Industrial Estate
Southall
Middlesex
UB2 4SE
Tel +44 20 8843 6500
Fax +44 20 8843 6509
www.structuralsystemsuk.com
[email protected]

www.spannteknik.se
[email protected]
SLOVENIA
see Croatia
CONNCT 95
CONNCT

MIDDLE EAST

ASIA PACIFIC

BAHRAIN
see United Arab Emirates

IRAQ
Specialized Prestressing Co
Karrada, Dist. 901, St. 1, Bldg. 16
Office No. 10
Baghdad
Tel +964 79 016 612 56

OMAN
see United Arab Emirates

www.spc-iraq.com
[email protected]
QATAR
see United Arab Emirates
JORDAN
Marwan Alkurdi & Partners
Co. Ltd
PO Box 506
Amman 11821
Tel +962 6 581 9489
Fax +962 6 581 9488
www.mkurdi.com
[email protected]

KINGDOM OF
SAUDI ARABIA
Huta-Hegerfeld Saudia Ltd
BBR Prestressing Division
Prince Sultan St. Lotus Building
PO Box 1830
Jeddah
Tel +966 2 662 3205
Fax +966 2 683 1838
www.hutahegerfeld.com.sa
[email protected]
SYRIA
see Jordan

UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES
NASA Structural Systems LLC
(Head Office)
Office 603
PO Box 28987
Dubai
Tel +971 4 2948 974
Fax +971 4 2948 984
www.bbrstructuralsystems.com
[email protected]
Structural Systems
Middle East LLC
Office M-01, Mezzanine Floor
Building Ref C-57
Al Muroor Road
PO Box 126740
Abu Dhabi
Tel +971 2 6438 220
Fax +971 2 6438 221
www.bbrstructuralsystems.com
[email protected]
Emirates & Australia Const.
Systems LLC
Office 112
Hatem Kamal Farah Building
Beirut Street
PO Box 62174
Sharjah

AFRICA
SOUTH AFRICA
Structural Systems (Africa)
Block B, 60 Civin Drive
Pellmeadow Office Park
Bedfordview, Johannesburg 2007
Tel +27 11 409 6700
Fax +27 86 616 7482
www.structuralsystemsafrica.com
[email protected]
CONNCT
96 CONNCT

Tel +971 6 5437 490

Fax +971 6 5437 491
www.bbrstructuralsystems.com
[email protected]

INDIA
BBR (India) Pvt Ltd
No. 318, 15th Cross,
6th Main
Sadashivanagar
Bangalore 560 080
Tel +91 80 4025 0000
Fax +91 80 4025 0001

JAPAN
Japan BBR Bureau
c/o P.S. Mitsubishi Construction
Co. Ltd
Harumi Center Bldg. 3F
2-5-24 Chuo-ku
Tokyo
Tel +81 3 6385 8021
Fax +81 3 3536 6937
[email protected]

MALAYSIA
BBR Construction Systems (M)
Sdn Bhd
No. 17, Jalan PJS 11/2
Subang Indah
Bandar Sunway
46150 Subang Jaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Tel +60 3 5636 3270
Fax +60 3 5636 3285
www.bbr.com.my
[email protected]

Tel +61 2 8767 6200

Fax +61 2 8767 6299
www.structuralsystems.com.au
[email protected]

Tel +64 9 274 9259

Fax +64 9 274 5258

Tel +61 7 3442 3500

Fax +61 7 3442 3555

BBR Contech
38 Waione Street, Petone
PO Box 30-854
Lower Hutt
Wellington 5040

Structural Systems (Southern)

Pty Ltd
PO Box 1303
112 Munro Street
South Melbourne
Victoria 3205
Tel +61 3 9296 8100
Fax +61 3 9646 7133
www.structuralsystems.com.au
[email protected]

THAILAND
Siam-BBR Co Ltd
942/137.1 5th Floor
Charn Issara Tower
Rama 4 Road
Kwaeng Suriwongse, Bangrak
10500 Bangkok

Tel +632 638 7261

Fax +632 638 7260

Tel +66 2 237 6164-6

Fax +66 2 237 6167

[email protected]

www.bbr.com.sg
[email protected]

SINGAPORE
BBR Construction Systems
Pte Ltd
BBR Building
50 Changi South Street I
Singapore 486126
Republic of Singapore

NEW ZEALAND
BBR Contech
6 Neil Park Drive, East Tamaki
PO Box 51-391
Pakuranga
Auckland 2140

Structural Systems (Northern)

Pty Ltd
Unit 1/12 Commerce Circuit
Yatala
Queensland 4207

www.structuralsystems.com.au
[email protected]

PHILIPPINES
BBR Philippines Corporation
Suite 502, 7 East Capitol Building
No.7 East Capitol Drive
Barangay Kapitolyo
Pasig City
Metro Manila 1603

FIJI
see New Zealand

Structural Systems (Western)

Pty Ltd
PO Box 4050
Victoria Park
Western Australia 6979
3 Craig St
Burswood
Western Australia 6100

www.contech.co.nz
[email protected]

Tel +64 4 569 1167

Fax +64 4 569 4269
www.contech.co.nz
[email protected]
BBR Contech
7A Birmingham Drive
Middleton
PO Box 8939
Riccarton
Christchurch 8440
Tel +64 3 339 0426
Fax +64 3 339 0526
www.contech.co.nz
[email protected]

Tel +61 8 9267 5400

Fax +61 8 9267 5499
www.structuralsystems.com.au
[email protected]

VIETNAM
see Singapore

Tel +65 6546 2280

Fax +65 6546 2268
www.bbr.com.sg
[email protected]

CONNCT 97
CONNCT

BBR DIRECTORY

AUSTRALIA
Structural Systems (Northern)
Pty Ltd
20 Hilly Street
Mortlake
New South Wales 2137

N e t wo

rk

of

Gl
o

E x p e
rt

19 4 4