Øresund Bridge

Abstract

The Øresund Bridge is part of the international fixed link currently under construction across the sound separating Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, and Malmö, the third-largest city in Sweden. The link, scheduled to open in 2000, is a toll-funded motorway and railway crossing. The 15.8-km coast-to-coast part of the link consists of a 0.5-km artificial peninsula at Copenhagen Airport, a 3.5-km immersed concrete tunnel, a 4-km artificial island, and a 7.8-km bridge. The bridge includes as its central section a 1.1-km cable-stayed bridge. The 490-m main span crosses the international shipping lane Flintrännan with 57-m minimum headroom and on completion will be the longest span of any cable-stayed bridge in the world carrying both road and railway traffic. Approach spans leading up to the cable-stayed bridge are typically 140 m. The owner of the link is Øresundskonsortiet, a company jointly and equally owned by the Danish and Swedish states responsible for financing, planning, implementing, and operating the link. ASO Group is the owner’s bridge consultant responsible for the concept, the technical documentation, and for monitoring and auditing the construction of the bridge. Described are the background and strategy in procuring this major international infrastructure project and the development of the bridge design from design competition to construction.

Beyond the Socio-Economic Impact of Transport Megaprojects

“…[2] notes that this megaproject experienced a 10% cost overrun before the construction began, and an additional 38% cost overrun occurred on the Danish side alone during the construction phase. From the operation and maintenance costs (OPEX) point of view, the high-quality concrete structures are designed of the bridge to be exploited without essential maintenance for at least 100 years, whereas the replaceable concrete components can be serviced after 50 years [24]. The bridge constructions are moreover equipped with the continuous monitoring equipment that provides a continuous structure monitoring availability [25].…”