Every year, the German Galvanizers Association honours extraordinary projects for the application of hot-dip galvanized steel. At this year’s competition, SSF Ingenieure came in 3rd place for its bridge over river Salzach near Kaprun. It is a trough structure by composite construction method; it replaces an older bridge with smaller span width to improve flood protection on the connecting road between Zell am See and Kaprun. The deck slab of the new bridge is made of prefabricated composite rolled concrete girder (VFT-WIB®) slabs and a cast-in situ component. The prefabricated elements are π-slabs with external reinforcement. The outer reinforcement is galvanized. It has been designed by Lang Hugger Rampp architects.
The jury published the following comment: “Like a strongly tensed, abstract arch, the bridge crosses river Salzach; the welded troughs with inclined upper webs create visible contours of the bridge structure and symbolise intriguingly the flow of forces towards the abutments. The deck slab, constructed between the troughs, and its minimal composite construction, skilfully relativise the perception of the structure’s height. Moreover, remarkable are the laterally attached media canals, framed by perforated plates, in which run the lighting and drainage systems, and which highlight the contours of the load-bearing structure and provide an unobstructed and geometrically ordered bottom view. Thoughtful constructions by using hot-dip galvanized composite dowel strips, a precise planning of the assembly sequence with shortened construction time and the integration of installation elements create an intelligent and innovative idea of a structure for a light road bridge of convincing elegance.”
The other award winners are listed here.
More information about the project is available in the special publication by Ernst & Sohn Verlag, as well as in our project description.
