New Gas and Water Mains at the Bridge 'Südbrücke' Koblenz- Installation of a new gas and water pipeline attached under the cantilever of the Federal Road bridge 'Südbrücke' at Koblenz

In spring 2012 the KOCKS ENGINEERS were awarded with the technical design for the new suspended alignment of the pipeline at the downstream cantilever arm of the bridge 'Südbrücke' by the energy and water suppliers. The design was based on the variant study carried out before for a new traverse over the river 'Rhine'.

Both new alignments with a diameter of 300 are running primarily in parallel on a common traverse and they can be displaced in longitudinal direction. The pipelines are consisting of welded steel tubings whereas the water pipeline is fitted with a thermal insulation of 10 cm thickness in addition.

The nominative strains of the pipelines are up to 200 mm which requires a fixing system with 3 flexible joints placed in L-shape with 3 angular bellow extension joints for each abutment.

Both benchmarks of the pipelines are planned at the river piers on the eastern side of the river. For this purpose diagonal braces are fixed to the existing web blade.

The new alignment of the pipelines in both abutments requires new breaches in the ceiling. Above the existing foundations the pipelines are conducted through the wall up to the joint to the existing soil-covered pipeline.

The design is subject to agreement with the railway services DB Netz regarding the crossing railway line, with the water supply agency Bingen concerning the temporary installation of stationary scaffoldings in the floodwater area and the works impacting the navigation channel, with the traffic safety agency regarding a temporary close-down of one lane on the superstructure and with the Federal Roads Authority Cochem regarding additional loads occuring on the superstructure.

The construction plan provides a previous assembly and suspensions fixed from the underside viewing device of the bridge. Afterwards the tubes are pushed in section by section starting from a stationary scaffolding which will be installed on the foreland area in the city district Oberwerth. The area above the railway track will be spanned over by a dense-graded stationary scaffolding which will avoid upcoming disturbances for the road traffic.

The construction works are scheduled to start in 2013.

Basic design
Detailed engineering design
Tendering
Structural design

Client: Energy Suppliers 'EVM', Koblenz and United Water Suppliers 'Vereinigte Wasserwerke Mittelrhein', Koblenz.