Die Retheklappbrücke in Hamburg - Besonderheiten aus Maschinenbau und Elektrik

The Rethe Bascule Bridge in Hamburg - Particular features about mechanics and electrics.

The new double bascule bridge in Hamburg will substitute the Rethe vertical lift bridge from 1936 by 2016. In total it consists of four bridge leaves, of which each two are connected longitudinally by a middle locking system. Each bascule bridge shows a span of 104.2 m in-between the pivot bearings and therefore belongs to world's largest of its kind. In raised condition a watercourse of 64 m width and unlimited height is opened. One bascule bridge serves for rail traffic, the other one for road traffic. The bascule bridges are located side by side and may be actuated independently of each other. The total width of the road bascule bridge is 14.00 m, of the railway bascule bridge 10.30 m. The bridge leaves dispose of a hydraulic drive by means of hydraulic cylinders and hydraulically actuated rear locks. One particularity inherited is the realization of the middle locking system as finger locking without movable parts. This middle locking device is able to transmit shear forces as well as bending moments. In July 2014 the bridge leaves were lifted in by a floating crane, positioned on the pivot bearing substructure and lifted into open position by the hydraulic drive.