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Italy To Build World's Longest Suspension Bridge
Rei writes "According to the BBC, Italy has just granted contracts to begin work on the world's longest suspension bridge, connecting the island of Sicily to the mainland. The nearly four kilometer-long bridge across the Messina Straits is to carry a double six-lane highway and four high-speed railway tracks. Its main span will be 3.3 kilometers long; this would over 1.5x the current record-holder, the 1991-meter Akashi-Kaikyo bridge."
Instead of a concrete skyway like in the Florida Keys, the mayors of Oakland and SF, with the general backing of the Bay Area residents, wanted a signature span instead. The final design has never actually been built anywhere in the world on this scale. Consequently when bids went out for contractors, only one company decided to bid and get involved in this very political situation. Well that bids was far more than expected. Meanwhile over the years the cost of steel has increased dramatically, particularly steel made in the USA, which was a requirement for this project.
From www.beppegrillo.it
A bridge costing 3,880,000,000 Euro to save 20 minutes
Attacking the Messina Bridge is like attacking the Red Cross. This is plain even to an idiot who is completely useless, even though he is useful to the interests of someone.
After the ad hoc laws, we now have the ad hoc construction work.
The bridge is of no use to the Italians, including those from Reggio and from Messina, divided by nature for a million years. To go from Salerno to Reggio Calabria, it takes 48 hours. Then the bridge will allow you to save 20 minutes to get to Sicily.
The country has other priorities that are real. Motorways and railways are in an abysmal state.
The 3,880,000,000 Euro are ours. Why should we spend them for a useless construction? Our employees, incapable of managing our public debt, before spending the money for the bridge should explain how we will get a return on the money, and explain the utility, the environmental impact and the do-ability.
A 3,000 metre bridge with an aerodynamic profile, has never been constructed up to now.
There's no guarantee that it will stand up, especially if you consider that it's in a zone of major seismic activity (remember the Messina earthquake?) and with incredibly strong currents.
On this point refer to the interview with the Professor of architectural construction, Massimo Majowiecki. Some of his conclusions are given here.
"The Delegations of Superintendence of ANAS {Roads}, of FF.SS {railways} and the Ministry of Public
Works, in July 1995 conclude: " that the Progetto di Massima Definitivo {the final project plan} presented in December 1992, even given the undoubted value of the information supplied, it is not yet possible to indicate which project is definitely the one to be developed into a construction project, to be translated into the building of a bridge and a global passage across."
In present conditions, the technical uncertainties stil remain...."
But the bridge will create jobs and contracts and will get the approval of the Confindustria {employers' organisation} and of the Unions. Perhaps it would be better to get them to dig holes and fill them in again. It's a useless activity, but at least it wouldn't cause harm.
Beppe Grillo
Without wishing in any way to denigrate the Viaduc de Millau, it is not comparable to the Japanese bridge in engineering difficulty. The French effort is the highest bridge, but the Japanese bridge consists of three spans of 960, 1991 and 960 metres respectively. A main span of almost two kilometres is a formidible challenge under any circumstances, and especially when it must be built to withstand an 8.5 magnitude earthquake with an epicentre within 150 kilometres.