Sixth Large Reinforced Concrete Arch on the Adriatic Coast

Five large reinforced concrete arch bridges have been built so far on the Adriatic coast in Croatia, while the sixth is currently under construction. The performance in service of some arch bridges built between 1968. and 1980 cannot be deemed satisfactory. Structural defects were found at an early age and hence cannot be blamed primarily on the aggressive environment, but are attributed to conceptual design and errors and negligence on site. The Maslenica Highway arch bridge, completed in 1997, was designed taking into the account the severity of the marine environment, and the experience from inspections of other arch bridges. Skradin bridge over the Krka river canyon is curently under construction. The designer offered two alternatives. The first one envisioned a conventional prestressed concrete superstructure made of precast girders and in situ slab, similar to the Maslenica Bridge, while the other, which was adopted, a composite superstructure. Further developments of true reinforced concrete arches are discussed with respect to the structural materials, structural system and construction methods.

• Introduction

• Existing Bridges

• Skradin Bridge – the Sixth Arch

• Conceptual Design Considerations

• Durability Considerations

• Seismic Design Considerations

• Construction Methods

• Future Prospects

• References