Emergency Response Bridges for Iraq
Facts and Figures:
Place/Country: Mosul/Iraq
Completion: 2016
Project type: Panel (Bailey type) bridge - Emergency Response Bridges
Client: Ministry of Construction and Housing, Iraq
Description:
In 2016, Waagner-Biro supplied fourteen double-lane steel panel bridges (Bailey-type bridges), each equipped with anti-skid steel decks, to the Ministry of Construction and Housing in Iraq. Simple to build, the modular structures serve to restore disrupted routes and replace damaged bridges. Waagner-Biro’s scope of supplies also included the delivery of rapid-erect steel ramps, span junctions to build multi-span structures and corresponding launching equipment.
At the end of January 2018, the first Waagner-Biro panel bridge was completed in Mosul, where a reinforced concrete bridge had been severely damaged, leaving only a few spans in place. It is the fourth of five crossings across the River Tigris that had been disrupted or destroyed during the battle of Mosul. This had left the residents of Mosul struggling to move from one side of the city to the other and vice versa. Rapid replacement was indispensable. It was decided to use Waagner-Biro’s panel bridges to re-establish the first of the key links between the eastern and western side of the city.
Four spans were pre-assembled on the cantilevered and intact span of the concrete bridge and then launched across the gap towards the opposite shore. Some piers had to be replaced with temporary steel structures. After launching, the span closest to the shore was jacked down on one side to compensate for the height difference of 3.6m between the old abutment and the remaining parts of the concrete bridge. Three spans were connected by span junction components, allowing for a small amount of movement as individual spans are loaded. The overall length of the panel bridge is 172m, divided into four spans of around 43m each.
Besides the technical aspects, there were other challenges to be addressed: Only a small construction team was available on site, which still had to work following a tight schedule, while maintaining tight site security and safety. Waagner-Biro’s technical team in Vienna backed up the on-site construction team via skype and email, providing support during all steps of the installation process.
