Suzan Daniel bridge nears completion

The study work was carried out by Greisch firm; metal construction company Aelterman and Jan De Nul Group were responsible for the construction, together with a number of subcontractors. It became a rather unique realization because, in order to minimize the impact on the environment, it had to be built very compactly. The bridge will only be accessible for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.

With the Suzan Daniel Bridge, construction manager Beliris envisaged a smooth and fast connection between the Havenlaan and Willebroekkaai, near Tour & Taxis. The project is important as part of the further development and opening up of the Tour & Taxis site and the recreational port area of Brussels. It concerns an arch bridge of the 'Bow String' type where steel arches carry the weight of the bridge deck.

Impressive construction

The Suzan Daniel Bridge consists of a 60 m central bridge deck with a 30 m approach bridge on either side, plus an 80 m slope. This brings the total length of the structure to 200 m. For safety reasons, the bridge deck was divided into two separate sections. A 7 m wide strip is provided for public transportation and a 6 m wide zone is intended for cyclists and pedestrians. The pedestrian section, with wooden tread, is installed on a cantilever in the concrete. The entire structure weighs more than 1,200 tons, including about 290 tons for the steel arches and the two piers. The rest is concrete.

Compact for minimal impact

One of the main requirements was to minimize the impact on the environment. This is also one of the reasons why the study and preparation phase took so much time. The final realization, after numerous adjustments, is therefore very different from the initial concept. Mark Van Overbeke of Aelterman explains, "Precisely because of the minimal impact, it became a very low construction for a 60 m long bridge deck. The major arches are only 4 m high, which is quite exceptional. This therefore had its impact on the steel grades used (S355, S460 and S690), plate thicknesses and welding volumes."    

Bram Van Renterghem of Jan De Nul Group: "For our company, too, the architectural concept posed the necessary challenges. Due to the compact design and integration of the steel structure, the available space for post-tensioning and reinforcement is very limited and we had to work with particularly strict tolerances. The integration of the stainless steel pedestrian structure topped by a deck in tropical hardwood on the bridge is also subject to very strict tolerances. In order to meet these requirements, a kind of click system will be used for the stainless steel and wooden parts. This structure will be fully assembled in advance and mounted on site in a cantilever."

Phased construction

The steel arches were prefabricated in 4 pieces of 55 to 65 tons each. Together with the piers, these were transported by barge from the Aelterman workshops at the Kluizendok in Ghent Harbour. Jan De Nul Group was responsible for the preparatory work, the foundations, the construction of the 3 spans of the bridge deck, the abutments, the lighting, the pedestrian section, the 2 side spans in concrete and all final finishes such as roadway, railings and lighting.

For the construction of the main span, one side of the bridge was placed on pontoons and thus brought to the other side. Eight remotely controlled platform trucks were also used for this. Crane company Sarens from Londerzeel performed this work as a subcontractor, under the supervision of Jan De Nul Group and in collaboration with the Port of Brussels.

Afterwards, the bridge was supported on temporary piers. To limit disruption on the waterway, the bridge was erected in barely 2 days. In a further phase, the 2 adjacent bridges, spans of 30 m each, will be built on the quays and connected to the central bridge deck. Only after construction of the side spans will the bridge come to rest on permanent piers. The final phase includes asphalting the bridge deck and installing railings and lighting.

Jan De Nul Group has been shaping water and land for six generations. Worldwide, it pushes the boundaries in maritime, civil and environmental projects. Through a creative and innovative approach, it achieves sustainable and successful results. In 2020, it realized a turnover of 1.9 billion euros with more than 6,000 employees.

Aelterman bv of Ghent is a dynamic and family-run SME with extensive know-how in the field of steel constructions. The company specializes in steel bridges, lock gates, weir doors, crane parts and related welded constructions for clients at home and abroad.