Hovenring is the world’s first suspended bicycle path roundabout. Located in the Netherlands, Hovenring can be found between the localities of Eindhoven, Veldhoven and Meerhoven.
Hovenring comprises of a 70-metre (230 ft) tall central pylon, 24 steel cables and a circular bridge deck made out of circa approximately 1,000 tons of steel. The cables are attached to the inner side of the bridge deck, right where the bridge deck connects to the circular, concrete counter weight. This helps prevent torsion within the 72-metre (236 ft) diameter bridge deck. To further ensure stability, concrete was added to sections of the bridge deck along with M-shaped supports near the approach spans.
Construction started on 11 February 2011 and the new crossing first opened on 30 December 2011 but had to closed shortly thereafter due to unexpected vibrations in the cables caused by wind. After extensive research by structural experts, two types of dampers (high frequency and low frequency) were attached to the cables to resolve the vibration issues. The Hovenring officially reopened to the public on 29 June 2012.
There are a lot of people who ride bicycles in the rainy countryside there. No place to park cars in Medieval cities.
ReplyDeleteVibration-dampers have been used on electrical transmission lines for decades. I find it surprising that they were used here as an afterthought. Other than that, this is a beautiful and graceful design. I wish I understood the "...counterweight...helping to prevent torsion...". The math of this has to be high KW brainwork.
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