The arch sets a new world record as the longest span on a single arch concrete bridge used for high speed trains, beating the Dashegguan Bridge in China with its 336m. It also overtakes by over 100m the 270m long concrete bridge over Lake Froschgrun in Germany.
Almonte’s span is considerable even when compared with non-railway concrete arch bridges. It now becomes the third longest concrete arch bridge in the world, very close to the longest of the bridges between the islands of Sveti Marko and Krk in Croatia, which spans 390m. The longest arch bridge is the Wanxian Bridge in China with 420m.
The bridge has been built for the state-owned Spanish railway infrastructure administrator Adif, which reports to the Ministry of Development, and it is part of a larger US$110 million project that encompasses three other now-completed bridges on a 6.3km-long route of double high-speed track in Garrovillas de Alconetar (Caceres), some 340km south-west of Madrid.
The design of the viaduct was carried out by Arenas & Asociados and Idom (Bd&e no 72), and the main contractor was a joint venture between the Spanish company FCC Construccion and the Portuguese company Conduril, with FCC Technical Services providing detailed design and construction process design works.
According to FCC, work will now focus on constructing the top tableau that will hold the twin high-speed rail lines and other elements required for the modern rail link.
You can read more about the challenges of building the Almonte Viaduct here.
Stunning drone footage of the new Almonte Viaduct being built can be seen here.
