THE SAINT-NAZAIRE BRIDGE. THE LONGEST BRIDGE IN FRANCE: 3356 M. SPAN WORLD RECORD FOR STAYED GIRDER BRIDGES: 404 M

THE AUTHOR GIVES A DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THIS BRIDGE, THE LONGEST IN FRANCE, THE THIRD LONGEST IN EUROPE WHICH HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD SPAN OF 404M. IT CONSISTS OF THREE MAIN ELEMENTS: (1) METAL BRIDGE; THE DECK (REINFORCED WELDED SHEET PILE BOX GIRDER, 720 M LONG) IS SUSPENDED WITH EIGHT TIMES NINE STAYS ATTACHED TO TWO 65 M-HIGH TOWERS; (2) ACCESS VIADUCT: STATICALLY DETERMINATE DECK COMPRISING PRESTRESSED PRECAST CONCRETE GIRDERS; (3) SUPPORTS: ABUTMENTS AND PIERS, THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WHICH ARE GIVEN TOGETHER WITH THOSE OF THE DRIVING OF THE SHEET PILES AND PILES, CONCRETING, CABLES, ETC. THE PROGRESS ON THE SITE IS DESCRIBED, AND MENTION IS MADE OF THE PROTECTIVE MEASURES TAKEN: ROCK DYKES AGAINST SHIP COLLISIONS, CORROSION PREVENTION WITH ZINC PAINT ON SHEET PILES AND ONE LAYER OF EPOXY RESIN, AND PARAPETS.