New screening design for the Great Belt Bridge
- Date published
- February 17, 2023
The Great Belt Bridge got new specially designed wind shields to alleviate the effect of wind on traffic passing by the bridge’s cable anchors and pylons. The new screeing means improved traffic safety and a well-thought-out aesthetic that fits the special bridge design.
The screening design, done by Dissing+Weitling that worked on the original design of the Great Belt Bridge, comprises vertical aluminium vertical slats set at different heights and attached to the guardrail.
The screening scheme consists of 12 sections of aluminium slats located at both sides of the two pylons and on one side of each the four anchor blocks.
The slats, which have a triangular cross-section with rounded corners, are laid vertically and vary in length, gradually increasing in height towards the pylon/anchor block to gradually reduce the effect of the crosswind. Each slat is clamped at two points to the guardrail and spaced at 200mm intervals.
Three types of slats in plastic and aluminium were tested, with all three proving stable when exposed to wind. The chosen solution in aluminium was selected on the basis of maintenance and durability.