French specialists engaged in repairs of cable-stayed bridge to Russky Island damaged by ice storm
VLADIVOSTOK. Dec 11 (Interfax) - Stays of the cable-stayed bridge to the Russky Island in Vladivostok damaged by the recent ice storm require repairs, the Primorye territorial government press service said in a statement.
"Representatives of the Freyssinet company [the French company that installed the bridge's stays] have arrived in Vladivostok to assess the condition of structures of the bridge to the Russky Island after the icing incident and to elaborate further decisions," the statement said.
Dmitry Babak, the director of a branch of FKU DSD Far East, an affiliate of the Federal Road Transport Agency (Rosavtodor) servicing the bridge, said that the French and Russian specialists had assessed the bridge's stays and anchors and devised a joint action plan.
"The main problems were identified as a result of assessment. This is the damage (crumpling) of stay shells. Such spots need to be sealed in order to prevent further damage. It is also necessary to prevent the shells from falling out of upper expansion pipes - we are planning to do so with the help of rope access technicians," the press service quoted Babak as saying.
The stays will be repaired under control of Freyssinet specialists. A technology of priority works vital for safe operation of the bridge will be developed by December 16.
The damaged shells are due to be replaced by the end of next year's summer. By then, the company will also prepare a new program of safe operation of the bridge based on its 80-year service life.
Freyssinet cable-stayed bridge project manager Bertrand Garin said the company specialists were ready to cooperate with Russian experts and to find the best solutions for the Russky Bridge.
"Indeed, we have never encountered such situations either at our sites or in our life in general," he said.
There are no plans to close the bridge for the period of repairs.
"Traffic suspension has not been discussed," the territorial government press service told Interfax.
The Russky Bridge connects the same-name island to mainland Vladivostok. The bridge got covered with ice during the November 19 ice storm and was closed on November 21. Rope access technicians were hired to clear the stays and pillars from ice. The bridge reopened to traffic 16 days later.
Far East and Arctic Development Minister Alexei Chekunkov told the press earlier there had never been any cable-stayed bridge icing incidents caused by an ice storm in the world history, and the case of the bridge to the Russky Island was unique.
The Russky Island has a population of several thousands. This is home of the Far Eastern Federal University, a medical center, and the Primorye Oceanarium.
