Difference between revisions of "San Marcos Bridge"

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Mexico has become fond of the beam bridge style known as the “fin back”.  First used on the towering Papagayo bridge in 1993 on the México City-Acapulco highway, it was used again in 2005 on the similar sized Texcapa bridge on the still unfinished México City-Tuxpan highway. The San Marcos river bridge is also located on the same highway and won’t be finished until at least 2012Upon its completion, this extremely high bridge will not only be the biggest fin back bridge ever built but its central pier of more than 715 feet (218 mtrs) will be the second highest in the world after the Millau Viaduct in France.  Unlike the two previous Mexican fin backs which only have one span, San Marcos will have two main spans, each 561 feet (171 mtrs) in length.
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Due for completion in 2012, the soaring San Marcos bridge will be the largest and tallest bridge on the final Nuevo Necaxa-Tihuatlán section of the México-Tuxpan highway now under construction.  Extending from Mexico City to the Gulf of Mexico, the first and last thirds of the 182 mile (293 km) highway were finished in 2005. The difficulty in completing the highway lies in the central Nuevo Necaxa–Ávila Camacho section that runs for 23 miles (37 kms) along the mountainous San Marcos River gorge.  To push the modern carretera through the steep terrain, the engineers will be constructing 9 tunnels and several high bridgesThree will exceed 100 meters including El Zoquita, Sin Nombre I and San Marcos.  That total reaches 4 if you include the Texcapa Bridge near Huachinango which is 150 meters high and was completed during the first phase of the highway's construction in 2005.
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Curving 722 feet (220 meters) above the San Marcos River, the prestressed concrete beam bridge will have the second highest bridge pier in the world after the Millau Viaduct in France.  Rising 732 feet (223 meters) from the top of the foundation to the underside of the beam, pier number 4 will be 148 feet (45 meters) higher than either Longtanhe or Kochertal's highest piers.  The pier is even taller than the road deck height of the bridge due to the top of the foundation being 46 feet (14 meters) below the water level of the river. 
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Interestingly, the original design for the San Marcos River bridge was for a fin back bridge.  A prestressed beam bridge with a highly variable depth of prestressing, the fin back is unique for having the internal cables at their highest as they pass over the piers, enclosed in a wall or “fin” of concrete. The hump-like profile may look similar to a cable stayed or extradosed bridge but the engineering has more in common with a beam bridge.  Many consider the lower profile to be more attractive than a conventional prestressed beam bridge.  Mexico has two other large fin back bridges including the Texcapa bridge which is also located on the México-Tuxpan highway and the Papagayo bridge located on the México City-Acapulco highway. 
 
 
A prestressed beam bridge with a highly variable depth of prestressing, the fin back design is unique for having the internal cables at their highest as they pass over the piers, enclosed in a wall or “fin” of concrete.  The triple hump profile may look similar to a cable stayed or extradosed bridge but the engineering has more in common with a beam bridge.  Many consider the lower profile to be more attractive than a conventional prestressed beam bridge.
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The first fin back bridge was built in Nuremberg, Germany for a commuter railway in 1969.  In the U.S., the only one is the 1987-built Barton Creek bridge near Austin, Texas with a main span of 340 feet (103.5 mtrs).         
 
The first fin back bridge was built in Nuremberg, Germany for a commuter railway in 1969.  In the U.S., the only one is the 1987 built Barton Creek bridge near Austin, Texas with a main span of 340 feet (103.5 mtrs).         
 
  
 
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Revision as of 00:08, 24 November 2009

San Marcos Bridge
Puente San Marcos
Xicotepec de Juárez, Puebla, Mexico
722 feet high / 220 meters high
591 foot span / 180 meter span
2012

SanMarcosView.jpg


Due for completion in 2012, the soaring San Marcos bridge will be the largest and tallest bridge on the final Nuevo Necaxa-Tihuatlán section of the México-Tuxpan highway now under construction. Extending from Mexico City to the Gulf of Mexico, the first and last thirds of the 182 mile (293 km) highway were finished in 2005. The difficulty in completing the highway lies in the central Nuevo Necaxa–Ávila Camacho section that runs for 23 miles (37 kms) along the mountainous San Marcos River gorge. To push the modern carretera through the steep terrain, the engineers will be constructing 9 tunnels and several high bridges. Three will exceed 100 meters including El Zoquita, Sin Nombre I and San Marcos. That total reaches 4 if you include the Texcapa Bridge near Huachinango which is 150 meters high and was completed during the first phase of the highway's construction in 2005.

Curving 722 feet (220 meters) above the San Marcos River, the prestressed concrete beam bridge will have the second highest bridge pier in the world after the Millau Viaduct in France. Rising 732 feet (223 meters) from the top of the foundation to the underside of the beam, pier number 4 will be 148 feet (45 meters) higher than either Longtanhe or Kochertal's highest piers. The pier is even taller than the road deck height of the bridge due to the top of the foundation being 46 feet (14 meters) below the water level of the river.

Interestingly, the original design for the San Marcos River bridge was for a fin back bridge. A prestressed beam bridge with a highly variable depth of prestressing, the fin back is unique for having the internal cables at their highest as they pass over the piers, enclosed in a wall or “fin” of concrete. The hump-like profile may look similar to a cable stayed or extradosed bridge but the engineering has more in common with a beam bridge. Many consider the lower profile to be more attractive than a conventional prestressed beam bridge. Mexico has two other large fin back bridges including the Texcapa bridge which is also located on the México-Tuxpan highway and the Papagayo bridge located on the México City-Acapulco highway.

The first fin back bridge was built in Nuremberg, Germany for a commuter railway in 1969. In the U.S., the only one is the 1987-built Barton Creek bridge near Austin, Texas with a main span of 340 feet (103.5 mtrs).


San Marcos Bridge Elevation


SanMarcosAerial.jpg