Road Bridges in Greenland, a survey

AIC2018, Sisimiut

Egil Borchersen
MSc PhD
Associate Professor Emeritus
Artek, DTU Byg
Biggest bridges

Thule Air Base 60m

(2002)

Ilulissat 60m
(1984)

Sisimiut 150m
(1998)

Kangerlussuaq 3x30m
(195? + 2013)

Maniitsoq 52m
(1965)

2 DTU Byg, Danmarks Tekniske Universitet AIC 2018 Road Bridges in Greenland 2. maj 2018
Thule Air Base, NorthRiver Bridge

Structural Engineering International:

Journal of the International Association for
Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE).
— 2003, Volume 13, Issue 4, pp. 218-221

ISC Consulting Engineers A/S,

Copenhagen design the bridge.
61m span Warren type steel truss.
Abutments in-situ cast reinforced
concrete. Permafrost protection .

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Construction diary
Steel superstructure fabricated in Finland. Bolt holes drilled etc. Then
shipped to Ålborg in Denmark. The whole bridge structure inclusive timber,
bearings and bolts left Ålborg with RAL for Nuuk. Then reloaded to a new
ship for the last trip to Thule . The 3 km transfer of the bridge components
from the harbour to the site was carried out with lorries. The assembly of
the structure with around 10.000 bolts was completed in 2 weeks on the
Southern shore. The steel bridge superstructure was launched into the final
position over two provisional support placed on the frozen riverbed in only
one working day.

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Ilulissat harbour bridge
Airport

A new airport in 1984 north of the harbour bay necessitate a roadbridge

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Illulissat harbour bridge

Double steelgirders with two

supporting frames.
Finished in 1984. Span appr. 60m

Effect on infrastructure:
Hotel Arctic built 1984
New industrial area on
the north side

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Ulkebugt-bridge Sisimiut

Connecting the new airport road on north side of Ulkebugt to Sisimiut town

Atuagagdliutit Grønlandsposten nr 65 1996

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Ulkebugt-bridge finished 1998

Composite box girder

with reinforced
concrete deck slab.
Two 77,5m long
steelgirders welded
together over the
pillar in the middle.
Icelandic contractor
IAV
Design COWI
Planning Rambøll

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 Akia the new part of the town

<- 2003 ->

Effect on infrastructure

2015

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Greenland
Kangerlussuaq Watson River Bridge

photo before 2012-07-10

Warren type bowstring truss bridge

Span approx. 30 m. Width 9 m
Constructed by US Air Force in 1950s

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Meltwaterflooding 10.july 2012
www.nunagis.gl ortofoto

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Rebuild and elongated bridge

25-04-2016

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Maniitsoq and the bridge 1963

AG Atuagagdliutit 1963
The biggest bridge in
Greenland in 1963

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Maniitsoq harbour 2001

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Maniitsoq harbour bridge

Three-hinged arch-bridge in steel.

Span 52 m.
Connecting wharf with harbourarea

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 Student 1.assignment Build a bridge 2001

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 Student 1.assignment 2016

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 Qujanaq

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Nuuk RoadBridge

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