Storstrøm Bridge

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Storstrøm Bridge viewed from Masnedø

Storstrøm Bridge (Danish, Storstrømsbroen) is a road and railway arch bridge that crosses Storstrømmen between the islands of Falster and Masnedø in Denmark.

Together with Masnedsund Bridge it connects Falster and Zealand (Sjælland). It was the main road connection between the islands until the Farø Bridges were opened in 1985. It is still the railway connection between the islands of Lolland, Falster, and Zealand. It is on the rail line between Copenhagen and Hamburg, Germany.

Storstrøm Bridge is 3199 metres long and 9 metres wide. The longest span is 136 metres, and the maximum clearance to the sea is 26 metres. Storstrøm Bridge was opened by King Christian X on September 26, 1937.

The bridge was commissioned by the Danish state railways (De Danske Statsbaner) and designed by them with assistance from Christiani and Nielsen A/S of Copenhagen. Construction was by Dorman Long and company, with Christiani and Nielsen acting as sub-contractors responsible for foundations and reinforced concrete sections. The contract for the work was signed on 13 May 1933. Bridge designer Anker Engelund and chief civil engineer Anson Maunsell.

view from Masnedø end of bridge

The bridge has 49 piers of different heights, extending to a maximum water depth of 14 metres. Each pier rests upon concrete foundations cast on the excavated bed of the sea, inside a cofferdam. Some piers could be excavated and cast with the cofferdam empty of water, where the soil was sufficiently waterproof, but others had to be excavated and cast underwater. Steel sheet piles were driven into the bed around the cofferdam. The foundations were continued upwards to a level 3 metres below the water surface.

Bridge deck showing two road lanes and one rail

The section of pier from 3 metres below water level to 3 metres above was made from pre-cast and granite clad concrete shells. These were set into position and then filled with concrete. The remainder of the height of each pier was created using sliding steel forms. The upper sections of the piers are hollow. Piers full height extends to a maximum of 38 Metres.

The bridge is not only used for rail and road traffic. It carries also an overhead powerline [1].