Rion-Antirion Cable-Stayed Bridge

The Rion-Antirion Bridge in Greece, which was first opened to traffic in August 2004, was the product of a seven-year construction project from 1998 to 2004 (including a two year preparation period 1998–1999 and a five-year building period 2000–2004) and resulted in the world’s longest cable-stayed bridge.

With a suspended deck of 2,252m, the Rion-Antirion Bridge features four pylons (where there are usually two) and has a reference span of 560m. Located in the western end of the Gulf of Corinth in Greece, the Rion-Antirion Bridge links the Peloponnese (southern Greece) to the Greek mainland.

The bridge also unites two major roads: the intersection of the Patras–Athens–Thessaloniki motorway (which forms part of the European motorway) and the western axis of the Kalamata–Patras–Igoumenitsa road.

The five-spanned bridge was completed in May 2004 and after its opening the bridge has significantly reduced the crossing time of the Gulf of Corinth to around five minutes from 45 minutes (previously by ferry). Currently 10,000 vehicles cross on a daily basis.

The Rion-Antirion Bridge’s pylons are made from reinforced concrete and pylon legs range from 25m to 45m above sea level. The pylon heads reach a total of 160m above sea level. Because of the high seismic activity of the area, the Rion-Antirion Bridge required seabed reinforcement via 200 hollow steel pipes (for each pier) driven into the seabed and topped with gravel.

A 27.2m-wide deck contains two traffic lanes plus a safety lane and pedestrian walkway in both directions. The structure of the deck is composite with a steel frame of two longitudinal 2.2m-high plate girders with transverse plate girders.

In addition, there are two approach viaducts, one 392m long on the Rion side and the other 239m on the Antirion side.
Read less