Construction Innovation:The Millau Viaduct Deck

Launch

Paul Eliasson

Brian Follweiler

The Millau Viaduct

• Recently completed Cable-Stayed bridge in Southern France.

• Built to span the plateaus of the Tarn Valley.

• Boasts the highest bridge pylons in the world. The deck rises 1,125 ft above the ground.

Construction Overview

• Temporary piers used to help launch and support the deck as the the pylons were constructed.

• The 2460m deck was launched in two pieces.

• Pylons and cables were added on top of the piers.

Deck Launching

• 7 temporary piers help support the weight of the deck.

• 2 deck segments are launched from the each end of the bridge.

Hydraulic Launchers

• Computerized launchers push the pre-fabricated deck segments onto the piers.

• Each cycle moves the deck 600mm. Total of 5000 cycles required.

Nose Recovery

• Weight of steel box-girder deck sags as span is completed.

• Nose recovery system attached to raise the deck to the level of the next pier.

Completion

• Two deck segments joined in May of 2004.

• Opened to traffic on December 16, 2004. This new route shaves 60km off the Paris-Barcelona route.