The construction of the Suurhoff Bridge

In Krimpen aan den IJssel – on a site owned by Van Schie – a second “Suurhoff Bridge” has now been built to be placed next to the first bridge. This will distribute the load of traffic over both bridges in the coming years, thus sparing the old bridge.

The new bridge, built by steel builder Hollandia, is 200 meters long, 40 meters high and 20 meters wide. The big challenge, however, was: how to transport such a huge steel structure to the Maasvlakte? And that over a distance of 40 kilometers.

Actually, there was only one solution: over water, floating on two huge pontoons, pulled and steered by tugs. Hence, this arch bridge was built right on the banks of the New Maas River. But how do you “slide” this huge hulk from the quay onto the two floating platforms? A kind of roll-on-roll-off structure had to be built to ensure a smooth transition from the shore to the moving water of the New Maas.

Tidal movements

This had to take into account that the New Maas is subject to tidal movements and that a small elevation difference also had to be bridged. After soundings were made and the bearing capacity calculated (by the firm Huisman Traject BV), Van Schie first made a foundation, consisting of two rows of tubular piles 20 meters long.

Steel beams were welded to it as a support point for the roadway over which the 3,000-ton bridge was to travel. Step by step, meter by meter, jacked up and carried by two huge SPMT units from Mammoet Transport. These are composite transport platforms, here riding on 448 wheels and propelled by “power packs.

Van Schie made his mark on this project on several fronts. After the necessary ground work, a tight course was laid out toward the water. In the process, the steel bulkheads could do their service. And in building the bridge, the telecranes were able to do their part. By the way, the tubular piles were pulled out of the water afterwards, for reuse.