Bar Tendons Stabilize Paraná Bridge

Context

Until recently, people had to cross the Paraná River, the second longest river in South America, by ferry to get from one part of the federal highway to another and to reach the province of São Paulo. As this ferry trip is very time-consuming, a new bridge is now being built. The Paraná River Bridge will allow a quicker passage into the province of São Paulo, significantly improving the country’s infrastructure.

The bridge structure, which has an overall length of 1,700m, consists of a 200m long and 18m wide main span with two side spans of 100m each as well as 1,300m of approach structures. The main bridge spans the Paraná River by virtue of a 400m long, two pylon stay cable structure.

Solution

While the access bridges were built using precast segmental construction, the free cantilever method was chosen for constructing the 400m long superstructure segments on each side of the pylons. In the latter case, reinforced concrete elements are used that are post-tensioned longitudinally with double corrosion protected DYWIDAG St 85/105, Ø 32mm THREADBAR®. The epoxy coated bar tendons were installed in corrugated sheathing and permanently grouted after tensioning.

DYWIDAG Bar Tendons were also used as reinforcement in both pylons and especially in the upper part of the pylons for the installation of the stay cable anchorages. DYWIDAG Bars were also used to temporarily support the form travellers.

On the whole, DYWIDAG supplied approximately 13,000m of DYWIDAG Bars, 1,672 anchorages as well as the technical equipment for installation and post-tensioning.

DYWIDAG is pleased to have contributed to the successful completion of this important infrastructure project.