Ukraine needs to develop a comprehensive program for the protection and resilience of bridge infrastructure; the foundation for this approach was laid as early as 2022, according to the website of the Ukrainian Center for Steel Construction (UCSB).
As explained by the UCSB, Ukraine developed the “Fortress Country” concept for the comprehensive protection of critical infrastructure facilities at that time, which was subsequently approved at the national level. It provides, in particular, for standard solutions for the protection of road and rail bridges.
“Today, it is important to implement these solutions as part of a systematic program for the protection of bridge infrastructure. Critical bridges must be assessed, priorities identified, appropriate design solutions developed, reserves of materials and structural components for repairs established, and the responsible organizations and procedures for responding to damage defined. Otherwise, we will always be reacting: first, damage occurs, then an inspection, a search for design solutions, materials, and contractors—and only then does restoration begin,” notes military officer Artem Bilyk, a member of the Coordination Headquarters for the Engineering Protection of Critical Infrastructure and a leading co-author of the “Fortress Country” concept.
According to him, this model is far too slow for critical infrastructure. We must act proactively, anticipate what the enemy might target, and protect the infrastructure’s vulnerabilities.
A comprehensive program should include at least five areas, such as: surveying and ranking bridges by criticality and the potential consequences of their damage; engineering protection of the most critical structural elements and facilities; organizational and technical measures, including surveillance, security, and countermeasures against drone and missile threats; preparation of reserves for rapid restoration: design solutions, materials, steel structures, and equipment; and the creation of a network of Ukrainian manufacturers capable of producing the necessary structures as quickly as possible and ensuring their installation.
A large-scale program for the engineering protection of bridges could have the added benefit of supporting the Ukrainian steel industry and manufacturers of steel construction products,” notes Andriy Ozeychuk, director of the construction company Rauta.
According to Bilyk, the top priority for bridges should be to identify the most critical elements of a specific structure and reinforce them, taking into account possible damage scenarios.
Depending on the structural design and operating conditions, various solutions may be applied: protective structures, gabion structures, concrete and other barrier elements, steel protective structures, and so on.
Another approach involves creating pre-detonation screens, which increase the distance between the explosion source and the main structural elements. Such solutions must be designed individually for each structure and should not pose additional risks to the bridge’s operation, the expert notes.
Metal-based solutions are best suited for protecting bridges. These can include lattice steel structures, metal mesh, and cables, or a combination thereof, depending on the bridge’s design and the required distance to the pre-detonation screen,” Ozeychuk clarified. He noted that high strength combined with low weight, along with the modular approach to creating protection from various elements, makes it possible to adapt existing metal products to the specific geometry of bridges, as well as to easily replace or reinforce structures locally.
Equally important is protection against secondary damage factors: fires, fragment damage, and damage to auxiliary systems. It is advisable to protect vulnerable elements of the bridge infrastructure with appropriate non-combustible structures.
As for alternative crossings, according to the expert’s assessment, it is extremely difficult to fully replace the existing city bridges across the Dnipro River with temporary structures. A temporary crossing must be integrated with road and rail infrastructure, have the necessary capacity, and meet safety requirements, explains Bilyk.
In addition, it is noted that a modern bridge is far more than just a means of road traffic. Bridge crossings can accommodate railroad tracks, subway lines, utility lines, pipelines, cables, and other systems. Therefore, a pontoon bridge or other temporary crossing can serve as a backup solution but is not a full-fledged replacement for the developed bridge infrastructure of large cities, according to the website.
As noted in the press release, the strategy should not involve choosing between a bridge and a pontoon, but rather creating a multi-tiered resilience system where a protected main bridge is complemented by rapid restoration capabilities and backup transportation solutions.
BRIDGE, INFRASTRUCTURE, OZEYCHUK, PROTECTION, steel structure, UKRAINE
Over the next two days, March 17 and 18, traffic on several bridges and overpasses in Kyiv will be partially restricted. During this time, specialists from the Kyivavtoputemost municipal enterprise will be repairing sections of the road surface, according to the Kyiv City State Administration.
According to the report, on Tuesday, March 17, repair work will be carried out on the Vozduhoflootsky overpass crossing the railroad tracks on Air Force Avenue, the bridge over the on Povitryanikh Sil Avenue, the overpass on Zhylianska Street, the Northern Bridge, and the overpass at the intersection of Dehtiarivska Street and Mykola Vasylenka Street with Beresteisky Avenue near the “Beresteiska” metro station.
On Wednesday, March 18, traffic will be restricted on the Vozduhoflootsky overpass over the railroad tracks on Povitryanikh Sil Avenue, the bridge over the Lybid River on Povitryanikh Sil Avenue, the overpass on Zhylianska Street, the Northern Bridge, and the overpass over the railroad tracks on Mykoly Vasylenka Street.
“During the work, traffic will be restricted partially and in stages. In the event of deteriorating weather conditions, the schedule for the work may be changed,” the Kyiv City State Administration emphasized.
Romania and Moldova have reached an agreement on the construction of a new road bridge across the Prut River, according to a government press release from Bucharest. Under the terms of the memorandum signed by the Romanian government, the project provides for:
– the creation of a new road crossing to strengthen cross-border communication between the two countries and integrate Moldova into the EU transport network (TEN-T).
– the formation of a joint working group and a mixed commission to coordinate technical, financial, and customs issues during the implementation of the project.
– financing from the Romanian budget: in the first phase of the design of four bridges across the Prut, approximately €0.22 billion is to be allocated for each section.
The implementation of the project will help reduce transport time and increase the capacity of roads between Moldova and Romania, as well as improve the overall logistics of the region and speed up transport flows, including between Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania.
The Taiwanese government will allocate $2.5 million to Kiev for the construction of a bridge to Obolonsky Island in the capital, according to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan.
According to the press release, earlier $1 million for the construction of the bridge was sent to Kiev by the Metropolis of Greater Paris. Taiwan, along with other countries, supports the reconstruction of Ukraine and emphasizes the importance of solidarity and cooperation of the democratic community during the Russian-Ukrainian war, noted in the message.
As reported with reference to Obolonska Regional State Administration, Kiev received about UAH 20 million from the Metropolis of Greater Paris to complete the construction of a pedestrian bridge on Obolonsky Island.
The pedestrian bridge on Obolonsky Island is being built since 2020 at the expense of patrons. According to the project, the bridge will rest on four supports, two of which are located in the strait. The width of the pedestrian facility is 4 meters, length – 164 meters.
By the beginning of 2023, three bridge supports were installed and materials were purchased. With the funds provided by the Metropolis of Greater Paris, it was planned to complete the installation of the fourth bridge abutment, purchase and install the auxiliary and partially purlin structures, and purchase steel structures.
Source: https://en.mofa.gov.tw/News_Content.aspx?n=1328&sms=273&s=115105
The French company Matiere will hand over 36 lightweight bridges to Ukraine, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
“Together with the French government and the federation of French industrialists MEDEF, we have agreed to transfer to Ukraine 36 easily assembled bridges from 23 to 46 meters long from the Matiere campaign. These structures can quickly replace the destroyed Ukrainian bridges, and subsequently replace them on a permanent basis,” Kuleba said on online briefing on Wednesday.
According to him, the French company Matiere has many years of experience in the rapid deployment of bridge crossings for road and rail transport, especially in countries where the war has destroyed infrastructure.
“Already on July 25, the company’s engineers will arrive in Ukraine and conduct a joint assessment mission with the engineers of Ukravtodor. Potentially, the company is considering the possibility of deploying the production of these bridge crossings in Ukraine,” Kuleba said.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved the draft letter to the government of Japan on the project of construction of bridge across the Pivdenny Buh river in Mykolaiv. The relevant decision was made at a meeting on Wednesday. In the explanatory note it is specified that it is necessary for official confirmation of intention and interest of Ukraine in joint implementation of this construction with the government of Japan and the Japanese agency of international cooperation, and it will also specify the priority of the project for development of Mykolaiv region and Ukraine as a whole.
The text of the letter is not provided.
As it was reported, in January, 2020 the Japanese agency of the international cooperation JICA confirmed cooperation in construction of the bridge in Mykolaiv.
JICA presented the project of construction of the bridge in Mykolaiv in June, 2018.
