Trains operating on the new Madrid–Lisbon line cross the Almonte River near Cáceres in Extremadura, Spain. The viaduct carrying them is 996 m long, spans 384 m over the river, has a deck supported on 20 piers 36 – 45 m apart and is the largest reinforced concrete arch in the world carrying high-speed trains. No part of the substructure – not even temporary works – could be located in the river because of strict environmental protection rules. This required a very detailed investigation of the various possible bridge types and how they could be constructed.
The deck is designed as a continuous beam with sliding bearings on the piers and a fixed bearing at the arch crown. The arch performs all the critical functions in the transfer of the dynamic forces generated by trains travelling at speeds of up to 350 km/h. The arch was erected from both sides of the river as cantilevering arch segments supported by temporary cables.
The deck is designed as a continuous beam with sliding bearings on the piers and a fixed bearing at the arch crown. The arch performs all the critical functions in the transfer of the dynamic forces generated by trains travelling at speeds of up to 350 km/h. The arch was erected from both sides of the river as cantilevering arch segments supported by temporary cables.