The Ízbor-Vélez de Benaudalla section of the Sierra Nevada Highway (A-44) runs through the province of Granada. This is a newly laid highway section measuring 10 km long, with six viaducts of different types, which together make up a total of 2,700 m in length and 5 million m3 of excavation.
The route passes through geotechnically complex terrain, where there are many active landslides which have made it necessary to carry out a whole range of geotechnical stabilization measures; it also has a very rugged topography, making it necessary to build six viaducts of different kinds, adapted in each case to the features of the terrain.
The viaduct consists of a single deck 24.00 m wide and 924.63 m long, divided into fifteen spans with the following lengths: 65.00 + 140.00 + 65.00 + 65.00 + 11x55.00 + 49.63 m.
In the first three spans, the section is a post-tensioned concrete box with a depth of 8.00 m at the support of the piers and 3.20 m in the centre of the span, with 8.00 m long prefabricated concrete javelins. In the 55.00 m spans, the depth is a constant 3.20 m.
The Ízbor viaduct has foundations at the bottom of the valley, avoiding the slopes on both sides, where there are large-scale landslides. The maximum height of the pier shafts is 70.80 metres.
The first three spans were built by means of successive cantilevers, and the rest by means of self-supporting shoring.
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Location: Granada, Spain.
- Contract type: Construction.
- Infrastructure: Viaduct 924.63 metres long, with a 24 m wide deck and piers up to 70 metres high.
- Year of project completion: 2008