BRIDGE OVER THE OLD COURSE OF THE RIVER TURIA IN VALENCIA

This bridge was the forerunner of a new structural type of continuous bridges and an innovation in Spain. By using post-tensioning, large statically determined precast box girders are connected together so to achieve a continuous box system.

The main idea behind the design was to use a set of internally post-tensioned U-beams, guaranteeing they lack of cracking in all design hypotheses as if they were steel box-girders, and take advantage of the favorable conditions of the small amount of structural steel available in these beams. This way, the arrangement of these steel elements eases the casting of the concrete deck slab, ensures the connection between the precast beams and this slab and enables the on-site jointing of these beams. Once jointed and externally post-tensioned, the deck slab is cast using solely passive reinforcement.