The Rion-Antirion Gefyra in Greece -longest cable stayed bridge in the world- has been labeled as a construction miracle by Popular Science magazine

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/rion/images/494_67.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/rion/images/493_20.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/rion/images/gef_47060.jpg

http://www.daniilidis.gr/main/rion/images/495_39.jpg

http://www.popsci.com/popsci/bown/2004/showcase/article/0,22221,785072,00.html

Miracle is too much. One of the most technologically advanced bridge is realistic.

That bridge is really cool! :cool:

looks like millau viaduct but in the water, fantastic.

It looks like vasco de gama bridge a bit, bu of course vasco de gama is waaaaay longer

yup a litle, the link is betwin mainland and a island correct?

Actually it connects central Greece with Peloponessos. Peloponessos is not considered as an island even though it has all the nessecary features (surrounded by water and the name means "the island of Pelopas") The construction of Corinth canal at late 1800s separeted peloponessos from attica and rest of greece but it still considered as a part of mainland greece

Ah! :) Efcharisto for posting these pictures, Carpe diem! :okay:

During your country's preparations for the Olympic Games, along with so many other projects, the Greek forumers also showed construction photos of this bridge. I simply fell in love with it! :love:

http://www.ce.jhu.edu/zmedina/IMAGES/Rion-Antirion/july04_4.jpg

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-08/09/xinsrc_130801091354714161728.jpg

http://assets.in.gr/dGenesis/assets/Content200/Photo/9550_b.jpg

Actually it connects central Greece with Peloponessos. Peloponessos is not considered as an island even though it has all the nessecary features (surrounded by water and the name means "the island of Pelopas") The construction of Corinth canal at late 1800s separeted peloponessos from attica and rest of greece but it still considered as a part of mainland greece
Vasco da Gama onli have 2 towers, the sea around the bridge is deep?

Yes,the sea is deep,up to 70 meters and there's an important seismic activity so foundations have a diameter of 90m.The pylons have a height of 220 from the seabed

:eek2: foundations with a diameter of 90 meters givs a good resistence to the bridge.

Peloponesos isnt a part of the Mainland is it? It is Just a seperate region. i always thought the main land was upto the canal

This is the amanziger european bridge!!

Peloponesos isnt a part of the Mainland is it? It is Just a seperate region. i always thought the main land was upto the canal


Technically it is seperated because of the canal that was made, but really, it is the mainland....

ok. i just always thought the mainland was between Peloponessos and Makedonia. Dont ask me why... :runaway:

Some "fresh" photos (23/03/2005)

1) The bridge as seen from Rio west side ferryboa deck.

http://www.geocities.com/thalassitsa2004/yliko/gef1.jpg

2) View of snowed Mount Panachaiko (~2000m) and the south exit of the bridge

http://www.geocities.com/thalassitsa2004/yliko/gef2.jpg

3) Night view of the deck of the bridge. (many people go for running or walking , 30 min walking distance from Rio to Antirio , breathing always the sea breeze )

http://www.geocities.com/thalassitsa2004/yliko/gef3.jpg

4)
http://www.geocities.com/thalassitsa2004/yliko/gef4.jpg

5,6) Night views of the bridge from the west beach of Rio.

http://www.geocities.com/thalassitsa2004/yliko/gef5.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/thalassitsa2004/yliko/gef6.jpg

i CAN ONLY SEE :redx: :tongue3:

:eek: :eek2: :eek2: :eek2:

great pics, great bridge!
Simply amazing!!!

Majevcan

[P.S: This bridge really deserves a longer post(from me), but I'm very lazy :bash: :D ]

Some photos from www.hellascams.gr

http://www.hellascams.gr/grc/rion/images/bridge02.jpg

http://www.hellascams.gr/grc/rion/images/bridge07.jpg

http://www.hellascams.gr/grc/rion/images/bridge03.jpg

Castle of Rio
http://www.hellascams.gr/grc/rion/images/rion_fort_06.jpg

http://www.hellascams.gr/grc/rion/images/rion_fort_08.jpg

Part of the castle of Rio and some view of the bridge behind
http://www.hellascams.gr/grc/rion/images/rion_fort_03.jpg

It has really a wonderful design. Nice pics, thank you for sharing :okay:

Wow!!!Very well designed.
I just don't like yellow belt.

fantastic, bro!
I would like to see more!

O WOW! :banana: :banana: :banana:

Efcharisto, Skaros! :okay: These pictures are just stunning. :eek:

As people who've been here for a while know, I've been a big fan of this Bridge long before it was finished (and thanks again to all of you who showed it in the construction stage :) ).

What a magnificent edifice spanning those beautiful waters! :cool:

Stunning!!

Airplane shot of the bridge (from Mesogeion Aeroclub , March 2005)
http://www.mesogeion-aeroclub.gr/images/air-to-ground/rio_2.jpg

fantastic

Amazing!

Greece's Rion-Antirion Bridge Named 2005 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award Winner


Posted: April 14, 2005 at 12:35 PM EST (17:35 PM GMT)

-PRESS RELEASE -

Reston, Va.-Completed four months ahead of schedule-in time to carry the Olympic torch over Greece's Gulf of Corinth toward Athens-the Rion-Antirion Bridge was named the 2005 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement (OCEA) by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Presented this evening at the sixth annual Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) awards gala in Tysons Corner, Va., the award recognizes the project's significant contribution to the civil engineering profession and its local community. The longest cable-stayed bridge in the world was chosen from a field of five finalists, which were selected from the 22 nominations.

Spanning the Gulf of Corinth from Rion to Antirion, the bridge was completed in August 2004. Extreme environmental conditions, including deep waters, high seismicity and constant winds, were only a few of the challenges that had to be overcome to make this century-old vision a reality for Greece.

"Many have dreamed of bridging the Greek mainland with Peloponnese," said ASCE President William P. Henry, P.E., F.ASCE. "Now an international design team has harnessed the environment in this outstanding engineering feat and opened a new avenue of economic opportunity for Greece and Europe."

Despite its many challenges, the bridge's construction set numerous world records and defined new standards for innovative application of engineering principles and construction techniques. The Rion-Antirion Bridge is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world-one-and-a-half times longer than Tatara in Japan and the Normandy Bridge in France, with the longest fully-suspended deck at 2,252 meters. It is the first bridge with four consecutive cable-stayed modules (five spans) and has the first foundation built on weak subsurface soils to be reinforced by deep steel pipe inclusions. It also has the deepest bridge foundations at 65 meter depths, the largest bridge diameter at 90 meters and includes an innovative foundation system of "floating" pier bases bearing on a gravel bed over reinforced soils.

Financed through public funds, private equity and bank loans, the project tackled very stringent design requirements. The bridge had to resist seismic forces corresponding to earthquake magnitudes of 7.5+ on the Richter Scale, forces from 250 km/hour winds and a collision of 180,000-ton tankers traveling at 16 knots. The project also had to accommodate tectonic movements of 2m in any direction between any two adjacent pylons.

The design evolved significantly from the original concept as a result of extensive analytical and numerical studies. Design changes included a system of dampers and fuses to control deck and pylon movements and transition piers capable of accommodating three dimensional displacements and rotations to "hold" the deck down during a seismic event.

The project's viability was enhanced after Greece joined the European Union and the bridge was confirmed as one of the 14 priority infrastructure projects for the European economy. As part of the Trans-European Transportation Network, the bridge provides efficient distribution of goods to the region and ports of Italy, thus facilitating commerce with Western Europe. The bridge will strengthen communications with western Greece, which has suffered from underdevelopment and unemployment.

Costing more than $900 million, the marvel completes a vision to span the Gulf of Corinth that reaches back more than 100 years. The bridge is named after Harilaos Trikoupis, the prime minister of Greece at the end of the 19th Century, who first proposed the notion of the bridge. Significant technical challenges resulted in failed tenders by Greek authorities, but a Concession contract was finally awarded in 1993 and financing closed in 1997. The Athens-based joint venture Gefyra S.A., a consortium of the VINCI Group of France and six Greek contractors, was awarded the contract to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the bridge. New York-based Parsons Transportation Group and Langan Engineering and Environmental Service acted as technical advisors to lenders.

Merit finalists for the 2005 OCEA award are the AirTrain JFK Light Rail System at JFK International Airport in New York City; the Mubarak Pumping Station in Toshka, Egypt; the Olivenhain Dam and Reservoir in San Diego; and the Time Warner Center in New York City.

Established in 1960 by ASCE, the OCEA program recognizes projects on the basis of their contribution to the well-being of people and communities, resourcefulness in planning and design challenges, and innovations in materials and techniques. The 2005 OCEA finalists are outstanding examples of how civil engineering can contribute to a community's economic success, improve residents' quality of life and realize a country's decades long dream. Previous winners include the relocation of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the World Trade Center Towers.

The OPAL awards honor outstanding projects and professional civil engineers for lifelong contributions in five categories-public works, construction, management, design and education. For information on press passes to the gala, please contact Jill Dixon at (703) 295-6404 or jdixon@asce.org.

Founded in 1852, ASCE represents more than 137,000 civil engineers worldwide, and is America's oldest national engineering society. ASCE celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2002.

###

-PRESS RELEASE -

woow! nice pics

those nite pics ofda bridge.. :eek: i like it! :okay:

Nice Bridge. :)

Hi there, since a new NatGeo special of the Rio Antirio bridge has been released some time ago, I thought you could watch the first 2 minutes of it as a temptation to keep watching it in the full version. Yeah, I'm bad :devil: .

Hehehe, actually now that I watched that special, I'm even prouder of it; since the technical issues that surrounded its construction surpass by far any comments of the yellowist media trying sometimes to bash it in the past, even harder than a lightning itself :) .

Finally as a bonus point I added a few links to other videos regarding the bridge. Like that of a guy crossing it at 300 km/h (I guess that he won't try it again, as with the new transit fines he should give his bike in order to cover the amount). Or the other one that makes the bridge a scenario of a popular game named Max Payne.

NatGeo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_uT8EInJxU

All right, if you click in this link you can get into the official Megastructures Natgeo site, and retrieve three more minutes of this fantastic doc.
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/video/index.html?searchquery=PROGRAM-MegaStructures

Max Payne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_1GE0KNtQY

Krazy nutto crossing the bridge at 300 kms/h
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jKN76Pdg5I&mode=related&search=

Your usual car crossing of the bridge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtY7V11aM08&mode=related&search=

A clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCyg3NoFujU&mode=related&search=


plus some pics of its construction

http://bts.stgatien.free.fr/grece2003/rion11.htm

I would really like to see the full NatGeo Doco but when will it play in Australia?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9496316@N03/670508256/

today I saw that doco. That bridge is impressive.

The way they solved the problem with earthquakes and strong winds made my face look like that:

:eek2:

I actually remember when I was young before the bridge construction started there was a little building set up near the site. There they had sort of a mini-movie theater that showed how the construction will take part and the challenges they will have to over come. My dad had recorded it one time, I think I still have that video somewhere along with some brochures.

I like this bridge very much and I would love to find some wallpapers featuring it. Do you people have high resolution pictures of it, be it in 4/3 or 16/10 (laptop format)? Thanks very much if you do.

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/7933/rioantirion2on1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/8392/rioantirionbridgegreecegb1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Dear Matthieu visit this lik (182 picures) choose a picture or 2 and i will make you a wallpaper.. Please tell me the resolution of your screen (1600 x 1200..)

http://de.structurae.de/structures/data/photos.cfm?ID=s0001110&min=0

Thanks very much, I'm actually looking for pictures that would really fit as a wallpaper you know?

my resolutions are 1280*1024 (desktop) and 1440*900 (laptop).

Thanks very much, I'm actually looking for pictures that would really fit as a wallpaper you know?

my resolutions are 1280*1024 (desktop) and 1440*900 (laptop).

If you save the picture first to your computer, then applie it as a wallpaper, it should re-size it to fit your screen.

yes :). Unless it's too small and is ugly, but trully I'm looking for a picture that would be a good wallpaper, not just a simple picture (no matter how good it is). Like these and the Millau Viaduct: http://viaduc.midilibre.com/wallpapers/

So here 5 wallpapers a made.. i hope you like them... You can donload them at rapidshare. Filesize 5,6 MB.. ;)

http://rapidshare.com/files/43090630/gefyra.zip

^^ Thanks I'm downloading

EDIT: Well actually I can't, I reached the maximum bandwich from RapidShare, I'll get it this week end from another place :).

PS: If you make great wallpapers you should send some to interfacelift.com :).

An advice:

Diconnect from the internet, clear up your cookies, connect and then you will be able to download ;)

I have to go through a proxy I do not control :P

I took a picture when flying back from Athens to Brussels:

http://www.fredericlouis.be/photos/rioantirio.JPG

Wow!VERY GOOD!

Hi to all forumers! This is my first post ;)

23 million passes for the Rio-Antirio Bridge during it's 5-year operation ;););)

Site in greek:

http://www.gowest.gr/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17684&Itemid=1892

Welcome billkas!

The bridge is an example of professionalism.

...there were 258 incidents requiring assistance to drivers , which was provided 236 times and the average response time was 21 seconds!

I received this via e-mail from a friend today

...τέλος πάντων, το συγκεκριμένο από κάτω μου ήρθε με e-mail και το πόσταρα και στο "Πολιτικό καφενείο". Δε θέλω βέβαια να το... διαφημίσω, το ξέρω ότι στην Κίνα δεν υπάρχει ούτε σαν concept η έννοια και η οντότητα του... εργασιακού δικαιώματος αλλά και πάλι, αν διαβάσετε προσεκτικά τα νούμερα θα δείτε ότι κάτι τρέχει και ότι τα πολλά αυτά που... έτρεχαν, ,μπορεί να ήταν οι χιλιάδες λόγοι που (ελπίζω πως) παραλίγο να χρεοκοπήσουμε.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c94/gm2263/Greece%20-%20Rest%20-%20Infrasructures/BridgesGreeceRion-AntirrionandChina.jpg

Καλύτερα η όποια σύγκριση να γίνεται με αντίστοιχο έργο στην Ευρώπη. Δηλαδή, θα έπρεπε το κόστος τηε Ελληνικής γέφυρας να είναι 80 εκατομμύρια ευρώ; Μού φαίνεται πολύ λίγο.

Φίλε gm καλή δουλειά έκανε ο φίλος σου αλλά οι πληροφορίες είναι παραπλανητικές. Δεν αναφέρουν πολλά άλλα στοιχεία τα οποία έχουν μεγάλη σημασία όπως για παράδειγμα τις τεχνικές δυσκολίες των δύο έργων (κλάσεις πιο δύσκολη η περίπτωση της δικιάς μας γέφυρας ). Επιπλέον δεν αναφέρει πηγές που αντλεί τα στοιχεία (κυρίως για το κόστος αλλά και για τα υπόλοιπα ). Επίσης είναι γνωστό ότι δεν έχουν καμία σχέση (σε ότι αφορά το κόστος) οι πλήρως καλωδιωτές/κρεμαστές γέφυρες με άλλες πιο απλές. (γιαυτό και είναι αστείες οι αναφορές για κατασκευαστικούς ρυθμούς όταν εκτός από ένα μικρό τμήμα της η γέφυρα αποτελείται από απλούς μικρούς πυλώνες σε θάλασσα με μικρά βάθη)
Γιατί δεν αναφέρει τη γέφυρα Sutong (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutong_Bridge) με κόστος 1.7 δις δολλάρια? Αλλά αναξάρτητα από αυτό το σημαντικό είναι ότι Οποιαδήποτε σύγκριση με άλλη ευρωπαική γέφυρα θα είχε τα ίδια αποτελέσματα και όχι μόνο αυτη του Ρίου.

Γιατί δεν μας λέει και για τη γέφυρα που σχεδιάζεται στη Σικελία (με λίγο μεγαλύτερο μήκος από του Ρίου αλλά πολύ μεγαλύτερο κόστος?
Γιατί δεν αναφέρει άλλες γέφυρες όπως π.χ. τις Νορμανδίας που για το μήκος τους και την εποχή που έγιναν έχουν συγκρίσιμο κόστος με του Ρίου ?

Ας είμαστε λοιπόν λίγο πιο προσεκτικοί (αναφέρομαι στο φίλο που μπήκε στον κόπο να φτιάξει όλο αυτό το σχέδιο, για να αποδείξει τι?)

Δεν τα βγάζουμε μόνοι μας μόνο τα ματάκια μας, είπαμε έχουμε κάνει τραγικά λάθη πολλές φορές στο παρελθόν αλλά μη φτάνουμε και στο άλλο άκρο.

Μην ξεχνάμε το βάθος και τον όγκο τσιμέντου που έχουν οι κολώνες της γέφυρας Ρίου Αντιρίου... Επίσης είναι σχεδιασμένη να αντέχει μεγάλους σεισμούς σε μια από τις πιο σεισμογενείς περιοχές της Ελλάδας και πολύ δυνατούς αέρηδες...

Engineering Feats

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio%E2%80%93Antirrio_bridge

Due to the peculiar conditions of the straits, several unique engineering problems needed to be considered. The water depth reaches 65 m, the seabed is mostly of loose sediment, the seismic activity and possibility of tectonic movement is significant, and the Gulf of Corinth is expanding at a rate of about 30 mm a year. For these reasons, special construction techniques were applied. The piers are not buried into the seabed, but rather rest on a bed of gravel which was meticulously leveled to an even surface (a difficult endeavor at this depth). During an earthquake, the piers should be allowed to move laterally on the seabed with the gravel bed absorbing the energy. The bridge parts are connected to the pylons using jacks and dampers to absorb movement; too rigid a connection would cause the bridge structure to fail in the event of an earthquake. It was also important that the bridge not have too much lateral leeway either so as not to damage the piers. There is provision for the gradual expansion of the strait over the bridge's lifetime.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Rio_AntiRio_Bridge_Elevation-fr.svg/800px-Rio_AntiRio_Bridge_Elevation-fr.svg.png

Και μια καταπληκτική φωτογραφία, μιας αξιοθαύμαστης γέφυρας...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/22/RioAntirioBridgeatNight.jpg

I...τέλος πάντων, το συγκεκριμένο από κάτω μου ήρθε με e-mail και το πόσταρα και στο "Πολιτικό καφενείο". Δε θέλω βέβαια να το... διαφημίσω, το ξέρω ότι στην Κίνα δεν υπάρχει ούτε σαν concept η έννοια και η οντότητα του... εργασιακού δικαιώματος αλλά και πάλι, αν διαβάσετε προσεκτικά τα νούμερα θα δείτε ότι κάτι τρέχει και ότι τα πολλά αυτά που... έτρεχαν, ,μπορεί να ήταν οι χιλιάδες λόγοι που (ελπίζω πως) παραλίγο να χρεοκοπήσουμε.

[/IMG]

polla erga vromane kai ola xreonoun osa o kosmos einai diatethimenos na dosei pou lene........to idio isxeii sta erga.

Distixos omos opote les pos 130 ekat. gia ena museio i 30 ekat gia kati grafeia einai polla se pernoun gia trelo.....giati?

giati gia aytous ayta apokliete na min axizoun toso....:ohno: