Can Architects Help Protect The Environment?
Pollution caused by car engines is a major threat to the
environment. Sometimes radical architectural projects, which can raise
architects' professional liabilities
issues, can help to
ease the strain by reducing traffic jams and excessive fuel consumption.
Here is one such project.
The Millau Viaduct
The Millau Viaduct is world’s highest and longest bridge.
Located in Millau, France, the cable-stayed bridge is both an engineering
and architectural wonder. The design of the bridge is a huge achievement and
is an indication of the role that architects play in bridge constructions.
The bridge opened in 2004, and its highest point is about 270 meters. It is
2.4 Km long and has two lanes. British architect Norman Forister was
responsible for the design. The bridge design did not just aim for
appearance but functionality and the utilisation of available technology.
The Purpose
The Millau Viaduct serves as a link between Paris and
Barcelona. Initially, the A75 autoroute provided passage across Massif
Central Mountains from Clermont-Ferrand to Beziers. With the Millau
Viaduct, it is possible to cross straight from Paris to Barcelona. The
purpose of the Millau Viaduct was to get people across the River Tarn.
The river runs across two massive plateaus, and it was just imperative
to come up with a way that people could go from one plateau to the other
one.
Before the construction of the Millau Viaduct, there were problems of traffic congestion at the River Tarn Valley. Traffic queues came about when there were diversions of traffic off the N9.
Before the construction of the Millau Viaduct, there were problems of traffic congestion at the River Tarn Valley. Traffic queues came about when there were diversions of traffic off the N9.
The Construction Challenges
The building of the bridge took 38 months, which is a
record for such a structure. The biggest challenge when designing and
constructing the Millau Viaduct was how to get across the expanse of the
River Tarn. The distance from one plateau to another was 2.4Km.
Typically, bridges use two or three pylons, but the Millau Viaduct used
seven, which was the only solution to the distance problem. The bridge
has the world's highest pylon.
The construction of the bridge took into account the effects a straight road would have. Driving on a straight road would give drivers a sensation of floating. To avoid that, the bridge has a curve that is 20Km in range and a light incline of 3° for better visibility.
There was pressure to complete the structure in the shortest amount of time, and that is why the engineers chose to make the deck from steel instead of concrete. There was pre-construction of the deck pieces, which reduced the timeframe. Preassembly on the ground meant that there was less work to do on the site. By using steel rather than concrete, there was a reduction in costs. The beam was also lighter in weight and slenderer.
It was necessary to do something that would accommodate the expansion and contraction of the deck. Engineers split the columns into two to make them thinner. The installation of windshields on the outside of the beam was vital in preventing high-sided vehicles from overturning. Another factor that determined the design was the landscape around the River Tarn. The condition was that the bridge would not obstruct the magnificent view. It is why the structure of the bridge looks so delicate and transparent.
When counting the most impressive structure in modern times, the Millau Viaduct cannot miss. When it gets misty in the area, the bridge appears to be floating. Besides being a marvel to look at, and providing a fast and cheaper way to travel to the Spanish border, it has helped to reduce atmospheric pollution by thousands of tons of carbon dioxide annually.
The construction of the bridge took into account the effects a straight road would have. Driving on a straight road would give drivers a sensation of floating. To avoid that, the bridge has a curve that is 20Km in range and a light incline of 3° for better visibility.
There was pressure to complete the structure in the shortest amount of time, and that is why the engineers chose to make the deck from steel instead of concrete. There was pre-construction of the deck pieces, which reduced the timeframe. Preassembly on the ground meant that there was less work to do on the site. By using steel rather than concrete, there was a reduction in costs. The beam was also lighter in weight and slenderer.
It was necessary to do something that would accommodate the expansion and contraction of the deck. Engineers split the columns into two to make them thinner. The installation of windshields on the outside of the beam was vital in preventing high-sided vehicles from overturning. Another factor that determined the design was the landscape around the River Tarn. The condition was that the bridge would not obstruct the magnificent view. It is why the structure of the bridge looks so delicate and transparent.
When counting the most impressive structure in modern times, the Millau Viaduct cannot miss. When it gets misty in the area, the bridge appears to be floating. Besides being a marvel to look at, and providing a fast and cheaper way to travel to the Spanish border, it has helped to reduce atmospheric pollution by thousands of tons of carbon dioxide annually.
