Bridge building excursion 2010 - France

Exhausted but also impressed, the 17 students of the 8th semester and the two supervisors Dipl.-Ing. Steffen Schröder and Dipl.-Ing. Gregor Schacht from the Institute of Solid Construction arrived back in Dresden after ten eventful and bridge-filled days from the bridge construction excursion of the Institute of Solid Construction to France. Between departure and arrival there were more than 4500 km, more than 50 bridges, 8 campsites and countless beautiful experiences.

First stop was at the Marne east of Paris, where Freyssinet built a whole series of segmental prestressed concrete bridges more than 60 years ago. Fascinated by Freyssinet's genius, we continued on to Paris. Besides the Eiffel Tower and Sacre-Coeur, the laboratory of the École des Ponts et Chaussées was a main point of interest here. A meeting with Prof. Curbach and the scientists of the great French engineering school was rounded off by an extensive laboratory tour in addition to the interesting lectures.

North-west of Paris, there were then guided tours of the Pont de Normandie and Tancarville - magnificent testimonies to the art of French bridge building and, for the students, a walk through a box girder and tendons to touch.

The tour then headed south, where the Viaduct de Millau in particular impressed everyone. The highest bridge in Europe was followed by the oldest - many smaller viaducts from Roman times and finally the Pont du Gard. Via Marseille and a swim in the Mediterranean Sea we went through the picturesque Provence and through the Ardeche valley to Lyon.

Lyon appealed not only because of its beautiful old town, but also because of its many pedestrian bridges! And since trial and error is part of learning, the dynamics of pedestrian bridges were tested here. A visit to the Katzenberg Tunnel rounded off the trip before heading back to Dresden.