Bascule bridge in the port of Valencia

Abstract

In order to divert railway traffic and, this way, to liberate part of the harbor space, the inner basin, to be freed fot the use of the City of Valencia, it was built a bascule bridge berween the eastern and western jetties of the inner basis of the harbor. This bascule bridge deck is formed by two mobile leaves 62,50 m long each one, 49,0 m being beyond the hinges and toward the midspan, and 13,50 m corresponding to the back span, where the counterweights are lacated to position the mass center of the structure over the supporting hinges. Given that the vertical alignment of the bridge is very close to the sea level, it has been necessary to build two deep pits to acconmodate the counterweight back spans of both deck leaves. All relevant aspects regarding design and construction of this bridge are reviewed.