Germany's longest bridge

A six-year project to construct Germany's longest bridge is underway in the Saale District of Sachsen-Anhalt.

When complete in 2012, the 8.6 km-long Saale-Elster Viaduct on the Erfurt–Leipzig/Halle high-speed rail line, will be the longest bridge in Germany.

"Part of the route for the bridge runs through nature reserves where there is no access, so much of the bridge is being constructed using complex cantilevering," said a Schwing spokesman.

Initial concreting at the eastern end of the bridge was completed using Schwing S42 SX truck mounted concrete pumps operated by Kann Beton.

Hochtief then specified Schwing SP 2800 and SPB 30 stationary concrete pumps and placing booms at both ends of the bridge so that they could ‘travel' with the Doka cantilevered falsework. Approximately 200000 m³ of concrete will be used for the construction.