The Choice of Materials for the E39 Fjord Crossing Project

In the studies for crossing the long and deep Norwegian fjords along the E39 road, on the west coast of Norway, some challenging structures have been evaluated. Some of them are known structures, like floating bridges, and some others are structures never built before, like suspension bridges on tension leg platforms and submerged floating tube bridges. In the development of the feasibility studies for these crossings, the choice of materials has played an important role. The materials influence not only the design and the cost, but also the behaviour of the structure towards the environmental loads and some particular loads as the ship collision. The article illustrates the different solutions proposed for the fjord crossings and discusses the influence in the choice of the material, with special regards to the type of concrete. The pros and cons of the application of the light weight concrete are discussed.