Marraffa launch a 450-tonnes overpass on the A22 highway in Bressanone

Marraffa has successfully launched an overpass on the A22 Brenner Highway, near the Bressanone-Val Pusteria exit, in Trentino-Alto Adige. An exceptional handling of an arched infrastructure weighing 450 tonnes and extending 60 meters, which was assembled in the construction site spaces adjacent to the roadway, and then moved with a very high-precision launching operation.

Technique and phases of the launching of the overpass in Bressanone

The installation of the overpass required an innovative engineering solution, combining the use of SPMT (self-propelled modular transporters) and hydraulic gantry cranes, a combined system never used before in Italy.

The handling of the overpass also required the temporary closure of the southern carriageway of the Brenner Highway, with the subsequent dismantling of the central safety barriers and the installation of a base of beams with tracks, to allow the controlled sliding of the gantry.

Thanks to continuous level adjustments, the overpass was advanced to the opposite abutment, where the fusion of the deck arch into the fork was completed. Once placed in its final position, the deck was placed on temporary piers to allow it to be fixed and ensure the stability of the infrastructure.

Challenges related to the launching of a bridge or overpass

The launching of a bridge weighing over 450 tonnes along one of the busiest motorway arteries in Europe represented a challenge of extremely high precision, requiring millimetric alignment with the element placed on the western abutment. Furthermore, the slope of the motorway section made the assembly of the trestle system even more complex, requiring continuous adjustments to maintain the stability of the load during the launching of the overpass.

Another key aspect was the need to complete the entire operation in the shortest possible time, minimising the impact on traffic of the works on the Brenner Motorway. Thanks to perfect logistical coordination, the Marraffa team ensured the reopening of the A22 in record time, minimising interruptions.

Marraffa: experience and innovation in large-scale movements

This intervention confirms Marraffa's expertise in the exceptional transport sector in Trentino-Alto Adige, Northern Italy and throughout the country, to contribute to the strategic development of the large infrastructures in the area. The ability to manage the lifting and positioning of bridges with cutting-edge engineering solutions makes us a reliable partner of reference also for the launching of overpasses and exceptional handling on a national scale.