Millau Viaduct is the tallest bridge in the world with a structural height of 336.4 meters thanks to its tallest tower.
The structural height of a bridge is the maximum vertical distance from the uppermost part to the lowermost exposed part. The uppermost part is the top of a bridge tower while the lowermost exposed part is where its piers, towers, or mast pylons emerge from the surface of the ground or water.
Where is the world’s tallest bridge?
The world’s tallest bridge, Millau Viaduct, is located in France, particularly in the department of Aveyron. Crossing the gorge valley of the Tarn, the bridge forms the last link of the A75 autoroute locally known as “la Méridienne”, from Clermont-Ferrand to Béziers.
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When was Millau Viaduct constructed?
The tallest bridge in the world was constructed between 2001 and 2004. Approximately 14 days after the laying of the first stone on 14 Dec 2001, workers began digging deep shafts for the Millau Viaduct pilings.
In March 2002, the bridge pylons emerged from the ground following which the speed of construction increased rapidly. Every three days each pylon increased in height by 4 meters.
The tallest bridge in the world was inaugurated on the 14th of Dec 2004 and opened to traffic on the 16th of Dec 2004. In total, the ridge used up 127,000 cubic meters of concrete, 19,000 tonnes of steel for the reinforced concrete, and 5,000 tonnes of pre-stressed steel for the cables and shrouds.
Who built Millau Viaduct?
The world’s tallest bridge was constructed by Compagnie Eiffage du Viaduc de Millau (CEVM). CEVM was made up of the Eiffage TP company, the Eiffel company and the Enerpac company. Other companies involved in the project include Setec, SNCF Engineering, Appia (company) Forclum and Freyssinet, a subsidiary of the Vinci Group specializing in prestressing.
The Walloon engineering firm Greisch, PERI, PAECH Construction Enterprise and Norman Foster also played key roles in the realization of the Millau Viaduct.
How much did the tallest bridge in the world cost to build?
Millau Viaduct was constructed at a cost of slightly over US$ 452M. This is inclusive of a toll plaza 6 kilometres north of the viaduct.
The contractor, Compagnie Eiffage du Viaduc de Millau (CEVM), financed the project in return for a concession to collect tolls for 75 years, until 2080. However, if the concession yields high revenues, the government of France can assume control of the bridge as early as 2044.
