The Millau bridge is the most difficult and highest in the world. Viaduct Millau (France) - the world's highest transport bridge: description, dimensions Norman foster bridge in France

Millau bridge considered the highest bridge over which cars travel, there is, of course, and higher, for example, in the state of Colorado, but only pedestrians are allowed to move along it, or in China on the Syduha River, but its supports are located on a plateau, which is also above the ground. Therefore, to be honest, it is Millau who is the tallest with its 270 meters.

Such heights could not be unnoticed, so many tourists come to this place to take pictures of the miracle bridge. It looks especially impressive when there is fog in the Thar Valley, then the bridge seems to hover over it. Such a sight is really breathtaking.

Why was Millau built?

The Millau viaduct bridge seems to hover over the Tar Valley.

Many people wonder why such a huge bridge was built in this area. It does not lead to any large cities, but connects Paris and the small town of Béziers. It turns out that the town, although small, is where many elite educational institutions are located.

All students eager to get an elite education come here from Paris and other French cities. In addition, Beziers is located very close to the Mediterranean Sea, so the influx of people heading to the city is quite large.

Previously, all motorists driving in this direction moved along highway number 9. But due to the large flow of people, traffic jams were often formed there. Tourists could not arrive on time to their destination, truck drivers could deliver goods, students did not have time to study - everyone stood in huge traffic jams for hours.

Now, thanks to Millau, the path is clear. You can have time for business on time. However, it should be borne in mind that travel on Millau is not free, but read about how much it costs to travel across the bridge below.

Construction and difficulties in the construction of the bridge

The studies that were carried out before the construction of the bridge, according to some sources, lasted 10 years. During this time, Chief Architect Norman Foster, together with Michel Virlageau and the Eiffage Group, were able to create an almost perfect bridge design. By the way, Eiffage includes the Eiffel workshop, which designed and built the main Parisian landmark.

They worked on Millau for exactly three years. On December 14, 2001, construction began, and ended on the same date, only in 2004. During this time, the developers had to overcome many difficulties.

The most important thing is the development and installation of the supports that hold the bridge. Each support was developed separately, each has a different length, weight and diameter, the largest support has a base of 25 meters.

There were big problems with their transportation. For example, the largest support has 16 sections, each of which weighs at least 2300 tons. It is clear that it was impossible to deliver the entire support to the bridge. Therefore, we had to deliver in parts. It took a lot of time and effort. In total, there are 7 supports, besides there are pylons and a lot of other structural elements on the bridge.

However, the difficulties of the developers did not end there. The Millau bridge was threatened with deformation of metal structures, which are not only very expensive, but also difficult to replace.

So the project team had to invent a new asphalt formula. The coating was designed to protect the canvas from deformation and meet other standards. As a result, it was possible to develop a unique asphalt concrete on which motorists drive.

Despite the well-thought-out project and the hardest work, not everyone liked the idea. Pont Millau was sharply criticized, staged demonstrations, the purpose of which was to stop construction. Few believed in the success of the project. And even when they began to build the bridge and had already invested in it, there were people and organizations who tried with all their might to prevent its construction.

Is the bridge project successful as a business? Time will show

The Millau bridge is considered the highest bridge over which cars travel

Now that the Millau bridge has already been built, the developers had to face another difficulty. The bridge is not a state one, it was built for the money of "Eiffage", but the French government gave only 78 years to recoup these costs. And by the way, 400 million euros were spent!

That is why motorists have to pay 7, 7 euros for the passage, trucks from 21, 3 euros, motorcyclists 3 euros and even pedestrians a symbolic 90 cents.

However, the company can be understood, such costs are difficult to recoup, especially for such a line, and this despite the fact that the guarantee for the Eiffage bridge itself was given for 120 years. But if you look at it, then this project was developed not in order to make a profit, but in order to strengthen the image of the famous company, which now can be famous not only for the Eiffel Tower.

Bridge viaduct Millau - VIDEO

The Millau Viaduct Bridge is the tallest transport bridge in the world, one of its pillars is 341 meters high - slightly higher than the Eiffel Tower and only 40 meters lower than the Empire State Building. The bridge stands on 7 pillars. The total length of the bridge is 2460 m, its width is 32 m. See how the Millau bridge was built.

http://youtu.be/SdhGM3N4CXY

Since December 14, 2004, a bridge across the Tarn River, which was named Millau, was opened and is still in operation. The name of the viaduct was given in honor of a city located nearby in the south of France in the Aveyron department. Viaduct Millau is structurally the tallest bridge in the world, with the longest support.

Millau is cable-stayed bridge... It consists of 7 supports on which pylons are installed. Ropes (cables) from each pylon support the roadway.

The length is 2,460 m. It crosses the entire Tarn Valley, which is characterized by a difficult climate and landscape.

The maximum height from the ground to the roadbed is 270 m. The maximum height from the ground to the peak of the pylon is 343 m.

Most high bridge on the planet, it is 32 m wide, which made it possible to organize four-lane traffic, two in each direction, and also make two reserve lanes. The metal, but relatively light roadbed (36,000 tons) is covered with special asphalt concrete.

7 pylons with a height of 88.92 m each are on supports, submerged in the ground by 15 m. The height of the supports is different due to the difference in the height of the landscape of the valley. It ranges from 77.56 m to 245 m.

The construction uses 154 cables, 22 cables on each pylon. The cables are protected from corrosion by wax coating, galvanizing and polyester sheathing.

The bridge is equipped with sensors that allow you to record every deviation from the norm and any shift with micrometer precision. Also, telephony and communication enables the viaduct service staff to quickly perform their functions at any point.

The bridge bed is at a slope of 3.0025%, ascending from north to south, and also has a curvature with a radius of 20 km. This is done for the best possible visibility for drivers.

• 
  Construction of one of the pillars.
• 
  Viaduct under construction.
• 
  The photo shows the rise and curvature of the bridge for better view drivers.
• 
  
• 
  Another comparison with the tower
• 
  Diagram of the Millau bridge and sizes.

Millau Viaduct facts

• The viaduct runs through the Tarn River, whose valley is characterized by a harsh climate and varied topography.
• Construction lasted for three years and was completed on December 14, 2004, ahead of schedule.
• The authors of this building are architects Michel Virlogeau and Norman Foster.
• The highest point of the bridge is 343 m from ground level, this is the peak of the pylon. This is higher than (324 m) and only 40 m lower than the Empire State Building in New York.
• The bridge is equipped with the highest support in the world - 246.96 m. The previous record belonged to the Tulle and Verriere viaduct - 141 m (also across the Tarn River).
• The height of the tower with a pylon - 343 m is also a world record.
• Viaoudc Millau has the world's highest transport roadway - 270 m from the ground. Adjacent to him in this title is the Royal Gorge Bridge (USA), the road of which is densely located at an altitude of 321 m, but this is a pedestrian bridge.
• The viaduct connects Paris and the southern part of France, becomes part of the route to the Mediterranean Sea, Spain, Portugal, as well as to northern Europe.
• The Viaduct Millau is the highest bridge on the planet from a constructive point of view - the height from the ground to the roadbed is 270 m, and to the peak of the pylon is 343 m. But there are bridges that are higher from the surface of the earth than Millau. For example, the bridge over the Syduhe River (China) is 472 m from the ground. However, its pores are not located at the bottom of the gorge, but are located on the nearest hills, plateaus and other elevations. And the Millau pillars are located directly at the bottom of the gorge. Syduhe is the world's tallest bridge in terms of clearance between the roadway and the ground. Millau is the tallest support in terms of height.

Panorama of the Millau viaduct.

Construction history

Construction began on October 16, 2001. During the first three years, the foundation was laid and all the supports were installed.

On February 25, 2003, the builders began to build the roadbed. With the help of hydraulic jacks, which were controlled via satellite, the canvas was pulled out through the supports at a speed of about 150 mm / min. During the construction process, the canvas was held on temporary supports. On May 28, 2004 the alignment of the roadbed was completed.

At the end of the same year, all seven pylons were raised, the asphalt concrete began to cover the roadway, and the temporary supports were completely dismantled. Tests were carried out in November 2004.

There are a total of four motorways leading from Paris to the south of France: the A7 via Lyon, the A75 via Orleans and Clermont-Ferrand, the A20 via Limoges and Toulouse, and the A10 via Poitiers and Bordeaux along the Atlantic coast. The shortest route to the Mediterranean Sea is along the A75, one of the highest motorways in Europe. For a long time, the main disadvantage of this road was considered to be huge traffic jams in the area of ​​the city of Millau, where the A75 crossed the Tarn River. Every year during summer holidays and holidays congestion stretched for many kilometers, so over time, the construction of a viaduct over the Tarna Valley became a necessity. Research began in 1987, and he viaduct Millau only opened in 2004. This masterpiece of engineering has broken several records and is today considered the tallest transport structure in the world. In my opinion, it is impossible to drive past and not enter the parking lot to enjoy the views of the bridge and the southern landscapes.

I have already driven through the Millau viaduct three times and each time made a stop next to it, so this story will contain photographs taken on three different days. There will be an opportunity to see the bridge under different lighting conditions.

The city of Millau is located in the incredibly picturesque valley of the Tarn River and is surrounded by the mountains of the Massif Central.

A little more than 20 thousand people live in Millau.

To admire the viaduct, it is best to spend a little time and energy and climb observation deck hanging over the parking lot.

Viaduct Millau is a cable-stayed bridge with a total length of two and a half kilometers, standing on seven pillars, one of which is higher in height than the Eiffel Tower.

Unlike other, higher bridges (if you count the distance from the roadway to the bottom), the supports of the Mijo viaduct are installed at the very bottom of the gorge. That is why the bridge can be considered the tallest in the world.

The implementation of the project was entrusted to the design company Eifage, and the chief architects were the famous Norman Foster and Michel Virlogeau, the author of the impressive Normandy Bridge at the mouth of the Seine.

The designers faced a number of difficulties: the huge size and depth of the gorge, winds reaching 200 km / h, some seismic activity, as well as resistance from local residents and associations for the protection of nature.

Preliminary studies have identified four possible routes for the highway: East (involving the complex construction of two high bridges across the Tarn and Durbi valleys), West (construction of four viaducts, which would greatly affect environment), "Close to RN9" (technical difficulties, since it would have passed through already built-up areas) and finally "Sredinny" - which received more approval among local residents, but also associated with certain geological and technological difficulties.

Additional research has shown that the “Median” project can be implemented. It remained only to choose from two options: the "upper" option meant the construction of a viaduct 2.5 km long, and the "lower" one meant a descent into the valley, a bridge over Tarn and an additional viaduct with a tunnel. The shorter, cheaper and safer "top" option was eventually approved by the Department of Supply.

In 1996 (that is, 9 years after the start of research), the final design of the viaduct (third from the top), which best fits into the landscape, was selected from several options.

The bridge is supported by 7 supports (or pylons). 11 pairs of cables with tension from 900 to 1200 tons extend from each pylon to the roadway.

The weight of the steel deck of the bridge is 36 thousand tons, which is five times heavier than the world famous Eiffel tower.

On both sides of the roadway, a special windscreen is installed, which protects the viaduct and motorists from strong gusts of wind.

The condition of the bridge is monitored using a huge number of sensors that measure pressure, temperature, acceleration, tension, etc. Vibrations of the flooring are recorded with millimeter precision.

I believe that the Millau Viaduct is one of the most beautiful and elegant bridges in the world. Its severity of lines and seeming simplicity of design not only do not spoil, but even decorate the landscape.

Many opponents of the construction cited the fact that tolls on the bridge would scare off motorists and truck drivers, and the project would not pay off. It turned out the other way around: the viaduct attracts not only freight forwarding companies (saving time and nerves of drivers), but also tourists who come specially to see the miracle of engineering.

Although cars no longer pass through the city center on the road south or south, hotels and restaurants in cities adjacent to the bridge are seeing an increase in traffic, dubbed the "viaduct effect."

The toll station is located north of the viaduct. It can serve 16 lanes. The fare on the bridge in 2013 in the summer season is 8.90 € for cars, 32.40 € for trucks.

Initially, the bridge had a standard speed limit of 130 km / h, but it was lowered to 90 km / h to reduce the accident hazard - many drivers slowed down to enjoy the scenery.

The radius of curvature of the bridge of 20 km allows motorists to move on a more accurate trajectory and gives the viaduct the illusion of infinity.

Some say that these days no one thinks about the aesthetic component of large structures, as capitalism seeks to reduce the cost of construction to the detriment of appearance. The Millau Viaduct is direct evidence of the opposite.

How to get there: by car, 6 hours from Paris or a little over an hour from Montpellier.
Bridge fare: 8,90 € in summer, 7 € out of season

Friends, what bridges impressed you at one time?

The Millau Viaduct is the world's tallest transport bridge overlooking the Tarn Valley near the city of Millau in southern France. In its arsenal, the cable-stayed bridge has as many as three records - as the owner of the highest bridge support (244.96 meters), the highest mast crowning the support (343 meters) and the highest roadbed of the transport bridge, which lies at a height of 270 meters above the ground. The Millau Viaduct holds the status of one of the greatest engineering achievements of all time and has been honored with an award from the International Association of Road and Bridge Construction.

Part of the A75 high-speed motorway, this structure serves as the shortest route from Paris through the city of Clermont-Ferrand to the Mediterranean Sea, in particular to the city of Béziers, which is located in the south of the state, 15 km from the sea coast. Before the construction of the Viaduct road traffic between southern France, Spain and the rest of the French cities, running through the Tarn River valley, had some problems - during the holiday season and vacations, the site suffered from congestion and was filled with congestion for many kilometers. Over time, the emergence of a bridge over the valley was the only way out of the situation, which would shorten the path by 100 km, reduce the load during the holiday season, and also protect the city of Millau from pollution caused by continuous traffic jams.

The first ideas for the construction of the Viaduct began to be discussed in 1987. In July 1996, the jury decided to build a multi-span cable-stayed bridge, as proposed by a consortium of French engineer Michel Virlogeau and Norman Foster, an architect from England. The project was implemented by the French design company "Eiffage", which includes the workshops of Gustave Eiffel, who built the famous Eiffel Tower. By 2001, a large-scale project had already been formed and its implementation began. Initially, huge supports were erected, together with temporary spacers to simplify installation a little. The engineers connected the roadbed from both sides at once - attaching the sections one after the other using specialized equipment.

The bridge construction was erected for almost three years - its official opening took place on December 14, 2004.

The engineering wonder of the world is a roadbed 2460 meters long and 32 meters wide, standing on seven concrete supports, one of which is almost 20 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower. In total, the bridge structure has eight spans, the two outermost of them are 204 meters long, and the six central ones are 342 meters long. The bridge is made in the form of a semicircle - its radius is 20 kilometers. The total weight of the steel deck of the Viaduct is 36,000 tons. On both sides of the highway, a special screen has been installed to protect motorists and the Millau Viaduct from strong gusts of wind.

The state of the French record-breaking bridge is regularly monitored using a variety of sensors measuring tension, temperature, pressure, acceleration, etc. Initially, the speed on the Viaduct Millau highway was limited within the standard limits - up to 130 km / h, but soon it was reduced to 90 km / h in order to reduce the likelihood of accidents, because drivers often slowed down to enjoy the surrounding scenery.

The construction cost of the tallest transport bridge in the world was approximately 400 million euros.

The main competitor of the Mijo Viaduct for the title of the highest bridge on the planet is the Royal Bridge, located in the Colorado Gorge in the USA, which lies over the Arkansas River and has pedestrian status. Its height is 321 meters, which makes it the highest pedestrian bridge in the world.

Engineers assume that the minimum lifespan of the Viaduct is 120 years. Held annually verification work examining the fastening of bolts, cables, condition appearance so that the bridge is always in excellent condition.

The fare for a passenger car on the highway of the Millau Bridge in the summer period (July-August) is 9.10 euros, during the rest of the year - 7.30 euros, for a truck - 33.40 euros all year round, for motorcycles - 4.60 euros all year round year.

Viaduct Millau is the highest bridge on the planet, the roadway is 270 meters above the ground. The bridge piers are 244.96 meters high and the largest mast is 343 meters long. The structure is based on 36,000 tons of steel. Thus, the most beautiful bridge broke three records at once and deserved an award. International Association road and bridge construction.

Millau Viaduct is located in the south of France (near the city of Millau) and runs over the Tarn Valley. The overpass is part of the A 75 and leads from Paris to the Mediterranean, providing the shortest and fastest route to Béziers.

Travel along the shortened route is paid and ranges from 4.6 to 33 euros, depending on the type of transport and the time of year. A trip by car costs from 9.1 to 7.3 euros.

The total length of the Millau bridge is 2460 m, and the width is 32 m - four lanes. The viaduct is made in the form of a semicircle with a radius of 20 km. The structure is supported by seven concrete pillars, the highest of which is almost 20 meters higher than the famous Eiffel Tower. Cars are protected from the wind with a special durable screen. It is allowed to move along the bridge crossing at a speed not exceeding 90 km per hour.

Talk about the need to build a short track in the Millau area began in 1987. Already at that time the roads leading to the sea were loaded. In 1996, the final decision was made to build a cable-stayed bridge with several spans, and in 2001 architects Norman Foster and Michel Virlazho set about making their project a reality.

Three years later, in December 2004, the viaduct was put into operation. In total, about 400 million euros were spent on the construction.

Despite the rapid construction, the Millau Bridge meets the strictest safety requirements. Each support was developed separately, taking into account not only the load, but also the installation location in a difficult landscape.

A special roadbed was used for the pavement - a specially developed asphalt concrete composition that is resistant to deformation and does not require frequent repairs, which is difficult to carry out in a viaduct.

Engineers have established the minimum life of the Viaduct Millau - 120 years... The facility is constantly monitored and subject to routine maintenance. Sensors are installed to monitor the state of the viaduct. Engineers are constantly monitoring the sensor signals.

The exterior of the bridge is admirable - stylish and modern, hovering over the beautiful Tarn Valley. He is already ranked among the wonders of the world. Photo viaduct decorates souvenir products, and tourists specially come here to appreciate the scale of the building with their own eyes and admire the beautiful landscapes that open from the highest bridge in the world.