Final countdown: New Danube bridge to be passable soon!

At the end of January, the watercourse closure on the new Danube bridge was completed, and the connection between the Paks and Kalocsa banks was established. The construction of the Danube bridge between Kalocsa and Paks has now passed the test loads. For the two-day operation on Saturday, the contractor Duna Aszfalt Ltd. mobilised 20 40-tonne trucks, which means the bridge was loaded with 800 tonnes. We will soon be able to walk on the 20th Danube bridge!

New Danube bridge to be passable soon

The new Danube bridge between Kalocsa and Paks wil soon be passable. Photo: Facebook/Duna Aszfalt

Hungary’s new Danube bridge was tested in spectacular operations over two days. The new crossing between Kalocsa and Paks has already passed the test loads: for the two-day operation, Duna Aszfalt deployed 20 40-tonne trucks, MagyarÉpítők reports.

The slab on the 946.2 m long structure, which has 10 supports, was completed in January, and the traditional barrel-rolling took place in March (according to colas.hu, celebrating the completion of a bridge by rolling a barrel across the deck is a longstanding tradition). The bridge is composed of two floodplain bridges (ártéri híd) and a river bridge (mederhíd). The three parts have different structural systems but form a single unit.

Testing of the new bridge done

The Ministry of Construction and Transport (Építési és Közlekedési Minisztérium, ÉKM) said that the recently completed project element started on Friday. On this day, the testing of the left and right floodplain bridges was carried out with 8 trucks weighing 40 tonnes each. On Saturday, the static and dynamic tests of the middle bridge element were carried out as part of an all-day project.

According to the ÉKM, the vehicles spent long minutes in numerous formations. During this time, the experts measured the deformations caused by the weight and the stresses in the individual structural elements at predetermined points on the bridge structure. Among other things, the bending of the main girder, the sinking of the supports and the natural frequency of the structure were also investigated.

The dynamic load was a much busier and shorter measurement event than the previous ones, with two trucks crossing the bridge at speeds of 5, 20, 40, and 60 km/h. Check out some impressive photos of the testing HERE!

Opening ceremony and the name of the Danube bridge

The technical handover procedure for the Kalocsa-Paks Danube bridge and the 14.3 km road connected to it will be completed at the end of May, followed shortly after by the opening ceremony.

The bridge will be named after Pál Tomori, a name already agreed to by construction minister János Lázár. Pál Tomori (c. 1475 – Mohács, 29 August 1526), general, Archbishop of Kalocsa, one of the chief commanders of the Hungarian army at the Battle of Mohács. He took the archbishop’s post because his two brides had died. It was with great difficulty that he accepted the title of commander-in-chief of the Hungarian army, encouraged by Pope Clement VII.

Read also:

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