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Publications [#268175] of Henry Petroski

Papers Published

  1. Petroski, H, Long crossings, American Scientist, vol. 95 no. 1 (January, 2007), pp. 16-19, Sigma Xi, ISSN 0003-0996 [doi]
    (last updated on 2023/06/01)

    Abstract:
    Until recently, cars and trucks traveling between the countries of Sweden and Denmark and between the latter's two largest islands were forced to use ferries. The first bridge to be done at the Baltic Sea crossings was the narrow Little Belt. This was done at Middlefart Denmark where the strait is narrowest. In 1935, an 825-m-long truss bridge was opened there to rail and road traffic; it was upgraded in 1996 to carry heavier trains. In 1970, a 1700-m-long main span was completed in the same vicinity to carry motor traffic. In 1998, the Great Belt Link was opened. The motorway crossing at the Great Belt has three distinct components: the 6.6-km West Bridge; 3.1-km of road across the island of SprogØo; and the 6.8-km East Bridge. The most recently completed link in the chain of fixed crossings stretches for 16km across ØOresund. Design and construction of the ØOresund Fixed Link involved creating from west the east: an artificial peninsula near Copenhagen's airport; a 3.5-km-long artificial island onto which the tunnel exits; a 3-km-long multi-span western approach bridge; a 1.1-km-long high bridge; a 3.7-km-long eastern approach bridge; and a terminal area where tolls are collected and operations controlled.


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