Harsco Infrastructure

Case studies

Bela Bridge, Czech Republic

Project Challenges

In order to improve living conditions in the Czech Republic, road infrastructure must be expanded. The European Community therefore funds the expansion of the road infrastructure in the Czech Republic. This is also true for the construction of a ring-road around the small town of Česká Bělá, which has been hit hard by the increasing traffic.

Insight Onsite™

Harsco Infrastructure has designed, delivered, erected and dismantled material for the construction of Bridge SO 202, crossing the Bělá valley. 62.000 m³ of the modular scaffold system CUPLOK was used as the supporting structure for the construction of the two-girder reinforced concrete deck.

The supporting structure has been designed in a way that enables it to withstand high loads, among which - considering the height of the falsework of up to 23 m – the wind load is the main one. The load has been discharged by timber stiffening trusses. These have been embedded into steel U-profiles put on a temporary floor constructed of H 20 beams. Contouring of the bridge’s horizontal curve was achieved by dividing the falsework lengthwise into 23 individually standing trestles. 

Due to the wet and soft ground conditions, stable foundations for CUPLOK had to be created by temporary precast concrete road slabs. Special support structures have been built from MKII Soldier trestles in order to support the CUPLOK birdcage on valley slopes and also for the passage of the local road under the bridge. Some of the MKII Soldier trestles were mounted onto small concrete piers.