Replacement of the Suspension System of the Tancarville Bridge

Abstract

The Tancarville bridge across the Seine was the subject of numerous design efforts during the first part of the 20th century. In 1953 the final design of a suspension structure was selected by the French authorities. Construction began in 1954 and was completed in 1959. This marked the opening of the longest suspended span in Europe for that time. Indications of rapid corrosion in the suspension cables were observed as early as 1965, and by 1970 design work was under way for possible cable replacement. This development influenced the decision to build the Normandie Bridge as a second river crossing. The matter became urgent in 1995 when a strand of one Tancarville cable broke because of advanced corrosion. Beginning with a historical review, this paper explains why the cables of the Tancarville bridge had to suffer from corrosion under tension. It shows how the owner organized the concurrent pursuit of many goals, guaranteeing structural safety, maintaining traffic, and calling for bids while developing a design to replace the entire suspension system at the earliest possible time.