Alamillo Bridge

Th
e city of Seville, Spain, built six new bridges in preparation for Expo '92. Spanish
architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava designed the Alamillo Bridge (1992), shown
here. Lightweight and sculptural in appearance it calls to mind a harp or bird, according
to Calatrava. The bridge is 200 m (656 ft) long and the single pylon that supports the
roadway rises 140 m (459 ft) above road level.

Alamillo Bridge
Puente del Alamillo
Completed in:
1992 Status: in use
Location: Sevilla, Sevilla, Andalusia, Spain
Click on the image to enlarge it.
Crosses: Guadalquivir River
There is a total of 26 images.

Structural Type: Cable-stayed bridge

asymmetric, inclined pylon, no
backstays
Function / usage: Road
bridge
Part of: Expo 1992

Persons involved with this structure

Legend: Phase of works
Role Name Part of structure 

Designer Santiago Calatrava Valls

Firms, offices, etc. involved with this structure

Legend: Phase of works
Role Name Part of structure 

Architecture Santiago Calatrava SA

Technical information
Part of structure Description Value
Construction materials used
cables  steel
pylon  reinforced concrete
deck  reinforced concrete

Dimensions

  main span 200 m

  total length 250 m
  number of cables 26
pylon   height 142 m
  angle of inclination 58°
Puente del Alamillo
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Alamillo Bridge

The Alamillo Bridge at night

The Alamillo Bridge in Seville, Spain spans the Guadalquivir River and was completed
in 1992 by Santiago Calatrava.

It was built to allow access to La Cartuja, a large, deserted island on which Spain decided
to host Expo 92.

The bridge is of the cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge type and consists of a single
pylon, counterbalancing a 200 m span with thirteen lengths of cables. The original intent
was to build two symmetrical bridges on either side of the island, but in the end, the
Alamillo's singular design has proved most striking.

This bridge represents the soaring aspirations of the city of Sevilla in preparation for the
World's Expo of 1992.

Calatrava's Sundial Bridge at Turtle Bay located in Redding, California (2004), is similar
in design to the Alamillo Bridge.

El Alamillo Bridge
Seville
Spain

Santiago Calatrava 1992

When Spain chose to host Expo '92 on a large but deserted island in the Guadalquivir River in
Seville, building new bridges to the island became a big part of the Expo preparations. Four new
bridges were built, of which Calatrava designed two.

The Alamillo bridge is on by far the largest scale. It is a road bridge at the north end of La Cartuja
island on which the Expo was held, with a 142m high pylon that has become a landmark visible
from Seville's old town.

Calatrava's original design was for a symmetrical pair of bridges either side of La Cartuja island,
1.5 km apart along the same main road. In fact only one of the two was built; alone, the Alamillo
bridge's striking feature is its forcefully asymmetric design. Its single pylon inclines away from the
river, and supports the 200m span with thirteen pairs of cables. The weight of the concrete and
steel pylon provides a counterbalance for the bridge deck.
The single plane of cables support a beam down the middle of the road, maintaining the bridge's
image of a harp. The roadway itself is cantilevered out from the beam.

Simon Glynn 1992 and 1999

Originally proposed as twin bridges with a connecting viaduct, this design was to cross the Guadalquivir River in two
locations, approximately 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) apart from each other.  Because of the the curves of the river, the
bridges would have been situated in such a way that their tall inclined masts would have  reached toward each other,
forming an implied triangle that had it's apex far above the earth.

The design ultimately was built as a single bridge, along with the Cartuja Viaduct.  Though it no longer had the same
impact as a lone structure, the inclined mast was kept as inititally designed.  The extraordinary weight of the concrete-
filled steel mast, which angles away from the roadbed at 58º, is enough to support the deck without the need for
counter-stay cables or support piers.  This was a first in bridge design, and creates a stunning display.

The impetus for the project was the 1992 World Fair, "Expo '92."  The 1640 foot (500m) viaduct is an entrance
gateway to the northern entrance of the Expo.  This bridge has roadways for both pedestrian and motor traffic.

 The Tourist Seville

o -The Cathedral
o -The Cathedral, West Side
o -The Giralda: the Cathedral's Tower
o -The Giralda, legends and anecdotes
o -The Tower of Gold
 o -The Paseo Colon
o -The Triana Bridge
o -The Maria Luisa's Park
o -The Spain Square
o -The Santa Cruz Neighbourhood
o -Bridges from the Expo'92
o -Alamillo Bridge and Park
o -Fotos de Sevilla
 The Undiscovered Seville
o -Gothic-Mudejar Churches first group
o ·····Santa Marina Church
o ·····San Gil Church
o ·····Santa Lucia Church
o ·····San Isidoro Church
o -Gothic-Mudejar Churches second group
o ·····San Esteban Church
o ·····San Marcos Church
o -San Luis (Saint Louis) Church
o -Pavilions Exhibition in 1929
o -Palace-Houses
o -The Pilatos House
o -The Pinelo House
o -Fotografias de Sevilla
 Extras
o -The Cadiz Cathedral
o -Madrid 2012
o -Othres pictures of Madrid
o +Links about Seville
o +Guestbook

o -Fotos de Sevilla

Alamillo Bridge – Seville

(Spain)
(Santiago Calatrava Valls)
It is one of the bridges built for the Universal Exhibition in
1992. The architect was Santiago Calatrava. The original
plan included the urban surroundings organization, a viaduct,
and a second bridge which finally wasn’t made.

 
 

The mast can be seen from a long distance. It is 142 metres high.

 
 
Different views of the pedestrian street and the braces in the pictures below.

 
 

Aerial view of the Cartuja Isle in Seville, where the Universal Exhibition in 1992
(Expo’92) took place.

 
 
The Alamillo Bridge seen from the Alamillo Park and the artificial lake.

 
 
 The photographs of the Alamillo Park were
taken in the 2004 winter.

 
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CALATRAVA, SANTIAGO Alamillo Bridge, Seville, Spain, 1987-1992, Maximum
Span: 200m Tower Height: 142m Materials: Steel tower with concrete infill where
needed, steel bridge deck structure, concrete abuttments.
The mass of the bent tower plays the role of the back stays of traditional cable-stayed
bridges. The mass and the bend of the tower exerts a backward downward force while the
cable stays and roadbed mass exert a forward downward force. The mass of the t ower
had to be carefully calculated so that its backward and downward force wouldn't lift the
bridge off the ground. Therefore, where additional mass was needed to counter vertical
forces the steel box girder of the tower and the steel deck structure we re filled with
concrete.
The meeting of the tower, deck and abutment near the ground necesitated a continuous
moment connection so this joint was cast out of concrete. The connection of the various
individual pieces happened places with fewer concerns about moments.
The horizontal force component in the bent tower and the horizontal force of the roadway
counteract each other so that the abuttment only needs to resist vertical forces, unlike
traditional cable-stayed bridges with towers at 90 degrees to the roadbed wit hout any
horizontal force component of their own to counteract the horizontal force from the road
bed.
Bach de Roda Bridge, Barcelona Spain, 1985-7 Maximum Span: 46m Materials: steel
arches and cables, steel deck structure, and concrete foundation abutments
Dual steel arches with hung suspension cables have a distinct problem, a tendency to
buckle. Usually a truss is located between the arches to solve this lateral bracing problem.
In the Bach de Roda Bridge, secondary, angled arches lean on the outsides of the two
primary arches and are tied to the primary arch with fins. The angled arch provides the
lateral support and the primary arches no longer need to be tied together. The span of an
arch system is considerably less than that of a suspended system.