Engineering: Searching for traces in Germany

© Robert Zobel

After having explored bridges in other European countries in previous years, this year's bridge excursion focused on outstanding engineering structures in Germany. During the eight-day excursion, the 8th semester students were able to gain insight into existing structures as well as new bridge construction and repair.

Starting with the sweeping Dragon's Tail Bridge in Ronneburg, Europe's longest span timber bridge, the excursion took them right through the green heart of Germany. Here, the imposing Froschgrundsee valley bridge and the Grümpental bridge were presented by Deutsche Bahn as representatives of the VDE 8 transport project. With an arch span of 270 m, both bridges are the widest-span concrete railroad arch bridges in Europe.

The journey continued via Stuttgart, where integral and semi-integral structures such as the bridges of the Stuttgart Trade Fair Center, the Backnang viaduct and the BOSCH parking garage over the A 8 freeway were presented in more detail by the LAP engineering office. The students were also able to experience the repair of the Kocher Valley Bridge, Germany's highest valley bridge at 185 m, up close during a guided tour of the construction site and through the prestressed concrete hollow box.

Another highlight was the tour of the aging Müngsten Bridge, a railroad bridge built in 1897. During the guided tour of the rehabilitation of the 107 m high and thus Germany's highest steel lattice structure, the students were shown that building in existing structures is often more difficult than planning new structures.

Many of the selected bridges on the route have received bridge building awards in the past or have been nominated for them. This included the Slinky Springs to Fame span bridge in Oberhausen and the attractive S-shaped bike path bridge over Gahlensche Straße in Bochum (SBP). The lightweight structure allowed the students to experience the concepts of "vibration" and "excitation" for themselves.
On the way to Hamburg, they visited the Gläserne Brücke (Glass Bridge) in Bremerhaven, which, in addition to its function as a swing bridge, characterizes the harbor landscape with its glass shell. Arrived in Hamburg, the 3618 m long Köhlbrand Bridge, the Baakenhafen Bridge and the inspection of the important infrastructure project Retheklapp Bridge were visited, as well as the Hafencity Hamburg with the Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall, which was explored in a harbor tour from the water.

Other engineering structures such as the observation tower on the Killesberg in Stuttgart and the 62 m high sculptural Messeturm in Rostock, as the highest tensegre structure in Europe, were also part of the wide-ranging program of this year's excursion.
The final highlight was the ascent of the 40 m high pier of the Strelasund Bridge. The three-cell steel box girder as well as the prestressed concrete box girder of the cable-stayed bridge could be visited.