Recent trend marking applications of major steel structures in Denmark: Fid-Bau Portal

Recent trend marking applications of major steel structures in Denmark

Thomsen, K.

The present paper describes new developments and special features related to major steel structures recently built or under construction in Denmark, ranging from buildings and offshore structures to some of the world's largest bridges. The development of high capacity transport and lift equipment, such as floating cranes for offshore application and hydraulic cranes onshore, has largely affected construction methodology in recent years and lead to manufacturing of still bigger and heavier welded elements in the workshop for full size transport and erection. The offshore industry has pioneered this development and now handles lifts from 5000 to 10000 t. For multispan bridges erection time is reduced by full span mounting, procedures well known from the Great Belt bridge and the Northcumberland bridge with lifts up to 8200 t and will as well be used at the Öresund Link now under construction. Durable corrosion protection of steel structures by painting systems often amounts to more than 15 % of the unit price of the structure. A substantial cost saving has been achieved by replacing painting inside closed box girders and box members with a dehumidification system. This is for instance the case in the Great Belt east bridge, the Farö bridge, and the coming Öresund Link bridge. Further described examples are a water tower in the Danish town Tyrsted, the new swing bridge in Naestved and the star offshore platform concept, developed for marginal oil fields in the Danish North Sea. Advanced joint technology, weldable high strength steel, innovative transport and mounting technology, alternative corrosion protection method have been applied and largely influenced design and construction.