• Location: A-44 Motorway, Dúrcal – ízbor Section (Granada, Spain) SEE MAP
• Scope of Works: Detailed Design
• Client: Ministry of Public Works (Spain)
• Date of project: 1998
• Opening date: 2002
• Main features: Detailed Design of 10 structures, including 3 viaducts
• Length of the section: 8,5 km

The A-44 Tropical Coast Highway in Spain is owned by the “Red de Carreteras del Estado” and connects Bailen (Jaén) with La Gorgoracha (Granada).

The Dúrcal – Ízbor section of the motorway is 8,5 km long and was opened to traffic in 2002.

TORROJA INGENIERIA did the Detailed Design of the structures for this section, including 3 overpasses, 4 underpasses, and 3 special viaducts; two for the highway, and one for the access road to Lanjarón. Below you can find a brief summary of these viaducts:

TABLATE II VIADUCT: this viaduct is a deck arch bridge, with two steel arch ribs connected to an upper composite continuous deck. The arch is made of two main ribs separated by 11,5 m. The main span is 125 m long and the approach spans are 25 m long. So the overall length of the bridge is 175 m. The deck is a composite concrete-steel continuous beam that is 13,5 m wide. The arch was built as a cantilever structure, using inclined provisional high strength steel bars as temporary, resistant elements.

LANJARÓN VIADUCT: this new bridge crosses over the ravine of the River Tablate and it has improved the access to the village of Lanjarón. The viaduct is a steel tied-arch, with underlying composite deck, so only vertical forces are supported by the foundations of the bridge. The arch and the deck are both made up of two main chords connected by transverse beams. The inclined truss connects the arch and the main beams of the deck. The span of the bridge is 112,6 m long and it has a 15 m rise. The construction process used was an innovative method, launching the bridge and “fishing” it from the opposite abutment.

TORRENTE VIADUCTO: this bridge is a precast prestressed girder made up of 14 spans. The lengths of the spans are 31,75 m and the total length of the bridge is 470,0 m. The cross section of the deck is made of 4 double T precast prestressed concrete beams with a depth of 2,05 m. A 0,25 m thick concrete slab is placed on top of them.