If we could weigh Croatia's centuries-old dream of territorial integrity, it would amount to over 100,000 tons.
More precisely, the Pelješac bridge consists of about 33,600 tons of steel in the construction span, 1,100 tons of diagonal braces, 68,000 tons of concrete built into the bridge, and 130-meter-long piles from the foundation.
"It is an indescribable feeling of pride and happiness. Pride because, on the one hand, Croatia is finally whole after more than three centuries. This achievement is comparable only to the most significant events in the contemporary history of Croatia, such as winning national independence. On the other hand, I am also proud that the company I work for, @INSTITUT IGH, d.d., was instrumental in this project. The task of technical supervision over construction was entrusted to us, together with our partners, @Investinženjering and @Centar za organizaciju građenja d.o.o. , said Mr. @Igor Džajić, a member of the Management Board of @InstitutIGH.
The bridge is dubbed as "one of the civil engineering ventures that will mark our generation", and following yesterday's ceremony is officially opened to traffic. The first cars that had the honour to cross the bridge were Nevera from RimacAutomobili and Niko Pulić, European race car champion, and the spectacle did not finish here. Majestic fireworks illuminated the sky at the height of the celebration.
It is an exceptional bridge in every way. With its length of L=2404 m, the Pelješac bridge is one of the world's most demanding bridges, both from the project's complexity and from the point of complex execution.
"The concept is structurally inventive. It is an integral hybrid construction with hybrid span construction. The cable-stayed span structure and the pylons are elastically fastened to the columns, so the bridge in the central part (75%) of its total length is a frame structure without bearings., said Mr Džajić about one of the most significant and attractive bridges built in Europe recently. Adding, "The bridge is located in an area of high seismic activity and strong winds which peak speed can exceed 180 km/h. Class IV and bridge type C are classified with the highest importance, with an expected service life of above 100 years. "
We would like to thank our team of 25 people (supervisory engineers, supervisory associates, and quality control experts) for their exceptional effort led by the main supervising engineer @Đuro Mihalić, B.Sc.Civ. Eng. Each of them dedicated their professional knowledge, expertise, and leadership to making this moment happen despite challenging circumstances caused by the Covid pandemic. For all of them, we are sure this project will also be a "civil engineering venture" that will mark their careers.
[custom_gallery ids="11124, 11106, 11122, 11120, 11114, 11112, 11108"]
