The world’s first overpass bridge to be made entirely from stainless steel is to be built in Spain, using material from Outokumpu Stainless. The bridge is to be built in the area of Cala Galdana, one of the most popular beaches on the Mediterranean island of Menorca. It will be 55 metres long and 13 metres wide. The bridge’s load-bearing construction will be manufactured entirely of stainless steel, namely high-strength duplex steel grade (2205), while the actual roadway will be made of concrete. The new bridge will replace an old concrete bridge, which has been eroded by environmental and weather conditions. “The local environment is highly corrosive. The bridge is exposed to a combination of wind and seawater and the atmospheric humidity is also very high during most of the year. In view of this, the decision to focus exclusively on stainless steel offers considerable advantages. But aesthetic values have also played a part in the materials selection process,” says Anders Finnås, Manager Technical Marketing at Outokumpu Stainless Hot Rolled Plate. Outokumpu Stainless will deliver around 1000 bridge components, which after being plasma-cut to the proper size and shape will undergo edge preparation for welding. The designer for the bridge is Juan Antonio Sobrino from Pedalta Engeering, constructor is Ferrovial-Agroman and the fabricator is Ascamon. The work will begin in October 2004 and will be finished by spring 2005.
