Yesterday, the steel structure of a new bridge over the Savinja River at Špica was installed in Celje. The bridge steel structure, measuring 76.6 meters in length and weighing 127 tons, was transported from a nearby construction site using a 750-ton mobile crane, lifted, and placed into its final position. The impressive installation went smoothly and attracted numerous spectators to the popular Celje walking and hiking path along the Savinja near the Celje rowing center at Špica. The assembly was carried out by the companies VOC Celje d.o.o. and ŠUŠTERŠIČ d.o.o., while the steel structure was manufactured by BS VAR d.o.o. The bridge structure was lifted and placed on its final bearings in a single piece, eliminating the need for temporary intermediate supports in the Savinja riverbed. The temporary platform for the crane will be removed in the coming weeks, and the bridge is expected to be completed in the first half of next year. Once finished, it will be the largest bridge structure on the long-distance cycling route connecting Šempeter and Celje.
The bridge, with a span of 76.0 meters, is designed as a simply-supported arch "Vierendeel" girder. The girder’s structural height varies due to the arch-shaped upper chord, ranging from just 1.5 meters at the ends to 6.0 meters at the midspan. The vertical members are spaced 4.0 meters apart and aligned centrically (radially) relative to the curvature of the upper chord. The superstructure's bottom chord is strengthened by a composite Hi-Bond deck-slab, adding also to the dynamic stability of the slender bridge.
Project details:
Pedestrian and cyclist bridge over Savinja River at Špica in Celje
