Avenida Bridge rehabilitation

Irún, Spain

Structural typology: REHABILITATION OF BRIDGES
Date: October, 2020
Scope: rehabilitation project and monitoring

The Avenida bridge was built in 1915, being the third Bidasoa crossing in Irun after two masonry vault railway bridges built in 1864 and 1912. Between 1915 and 1966, it was the pedestrian and road link between Irun, Spain, and Hendaia, France. However, since 1966, this 112 m long truss bridge with five 22.40 m spans has been devoted to pedestrian use only.

Like every bridge, it was conceived as a link. However, this bridge played a key role in tragic events due to wars and its border-crossing condition.

Bridge rehabilitation works have included demolition and reconstruction of the cantilevered slab areas, and renewal of their support elements, replaced by ones resembling the original configuration, altered in the 1960s. The primary intervention has been the complete restoration of the steel structure, since many of its elements presented significant corrosion, threatening its integrity. These works required the hanging of the spans by means of two steel beams, from which the deck was suspended.

FHECOR and INJELAN were commissioned by the Irun City Council to design the bridge rehabilitation project, and to steer the rehabilitation works, which were carried out by ACCIONA.



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