La Vicaria Arch Bridge

La Fuensanta Reservoir and the River Segura divide the municipal district of Yeste into two parts.

Ferrovial-Agromán gathered, and expanded on, previous ideas in order to find a complete solution that included an innovative construction process.

The structure is a 168 m through arch bridge with approaching spans, taking advantage of the natural valley's morphology and the width of the reservoir at this point.

The deck is a continuous composite structure, consisting of concrete and weathering steel, simply supported on piers using neoprene bearings and rigidly connected to the arches at their intersection.

The arch sections are quasi-rectangular steel tubes, filled with self compacting concrete, formed by 4 metal plates that are folded and welded at their ends.

Each arch is embedded at the ends in a reinforced concrete block (the smallest being 6 m long, 7 m high and 5 m wide) connected by means of a joint of 28 steel bars until reaching the suitable foundation surface in the rock.

Once tensioned, the 470 ton bowstring was raised 40 m, using a lifting machine, to its final level, taking just eight hours by subcontractor ALE Lastra.

Section of the arches
Lifting