Zuidhoornbridge

The province of Groningen has made the Lemmer - Delfzijl waterway suitable for four-layer container shipping. The canal was widened an deepened. At the Zuidhorn municipality, the Groningen - Leeuwarden railway line crosses the canal. The former railway bridge did not meet the new requirements of the channel and therefore was replaced.

The new bridge is considerably higher and longer than the previous railway bridge, so that the width of the waterway can increase, the overview for the skipper is increased and the ships can carry up to four layers of containers. The arc has a free span of 160 meters and a total span of more than 200 meters.

The masterplan for the canal demanded an arc bridge; the client added that ‘it had to be beautiful’. In the end this was achieved by a combined effort from the client, design team and contractor.

The design for the steel bridge is not a classic arch bridge with two separate arches which are connected. Instead the construction is a single 3-dimensional shape made up of surfaces which are curved in one direction. The surfaces follow the lines of the construction and make room for the passing of the trains. The optimum structural form is fused with the desired functionality.

The bridge shows itself as a minimalistic sculpture that exudes power and elegance. The top of the bow can be read as a hollow, powerfully stretched back with a slender waist and forms the body. The body is wide and extends like a gymnast to form a bridge. The limbs at the hands and feet melt together with the earth. In between, the rail deck hung in a tight line shoots to the ground.

A balance has been found in the integral design of the bridge whereby functionality, costs, manufacturability, architecture and maintenance are coordinated. A good example of this is the minimalist detailing of the bridge that leads to the sculptural appearance. Flanges of the main structure that are continued emphasize the contours of this shape and prevent unwanted leakage water and therefore pollution. Other flanges are extended to form a rail for the maintenance cart.