The work and the technique: Third Bosforus Bridge, Turkey

Works on the Third Bridge on the Bosphorus were awarded to a joint venture led by the Astaldi Group, today part of the Webuild Group.

The bridge was designed using all types of technology and know how in terms of structural engineering, advanced calculation models, quality know-how and the capacity of materials to perform, cutting-edge construction techniques and methods, also considering durability needs. The design phase also considered the possibility of intense earthquakes, due to the fact that the area has a Anatolian layer that extends from East to West in the northern part of Turkey, to the Sea of Marmara.

The preliminary study was carried out in agreement with the AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) guidelines to design bridges.

The construction of this bridge allowed to greatly improve the characteristics and knowledge of how hybrid bridges behave. Thanks to its dimensions, the Third Bridge on the Bosphorus allowed to study and develop many constitutive elements placing them on a larger scale once again.

The bearing structure that supports the suspended cables to which the bridge's spans are connected, is made of two A-shaped piers, each with two triangular inclined pillars. The two main concrete-steel piers have their foundations inside the earth, on the strait's banks.