Building the Balan Bridge: Durability, Efficiency, and Sustainability

By: ViaCon Romania

Project Goals: Stability and Function

The Balan Bridge project aimed to provide a long-term solution for crossing the Almasului Valley in Romania’s Salaj region. The goal was to construct a bridge that would not only withstand the test of time but also function seamlessly, ensuring safe and efficient transportation for years to come. From the very beginning, the project team prioritized durability, efficiency, and sustainability, recognizing the importance of creating infrastructure that would benefit both the present and future generations. The bridge was envisioned as a vital link, facilitating connectivity and promoting economic growth in the region.

Design Challenges: Hydrology and Water Flow

The area’s unique hydrological conditions and water flow dynamics posed a significant challenge. The Balan Bridge project design needed to effectively manage water flow while maintaining structural integrity under various environmental conditions and load demands. Additionally, the project required careful material selection to ensure longevity, corrosion resistance, and structural strength, necessitating a custom design to address these specific requirements.

The Solution: ViaCon Partnership

To overcome these challenges, the Balan Bridge project team partnered with ViaCon Turkey. They constructed the bridge using a custom-shaped multiplate structure of type VN33 with Supercor corrugation, measuring 15×5.5 inches. To accommodate the required flow capacity for the area, they used a total of four of these structures. Each structure had a bottom length of 56.5 feet, and they used a plate thickness of 0.22 inches for construction.

Benefits: Cost-Effective and Efficient

The selection of a steel buried bridge solution proved to be both cost-effective and efficient. This approach successfully addressed the challenges of flow capacity, structural integrity, customization, and longevity, ultimately contributing to the development of reliable transportation infrastructure in the region.