ArcelorMittal Galati, steel supplier for one of the longest bridges in the world

Largest local steel plant, ArcelorMittal Galati, part of the ArcelorMittal Group, has supplied 34,000 tonnes of steel for one of the longest bridges in the world – Osman Gazi Bridge in Turkey just opened to traffic last week, cutting travel time between Istanbul and Izmir from nine to 3.5 hours.

According to a press release, ArcelorMittal Galati supplied client Çimtaş with flat steel for the bridge’s horizontal deck. The almost 35,000 tonnes supplied were shipped in four main lots, in a wide range and variety of thicknesses and widths.

“This project has a special importance for us, given its size”, said Bruno Ribo, chief executive officer of ArcelorMittal Flat Europe, southeast business division, coninuing: “Our Galati heavy plates mill facilities are capable of producing and supplying the requested plates for various applications. For the Osman Gazi Bridge, we designed a series of bespoke technical and commercial solutions”.

The bridge, that connects both sides of the Bay of Izmit in northwest Turkey, is part of a 420 km highway project that shortens the distance between Istanbul and Izmir by about 140km. The bridge project was awarded to a Turkish-Italian consortium, NOMAYG (comprised of Turkish companies Nurol, Özaltın, Makyol, Yüksel, Göçay and Italian company Astaldi) who will also operate the bridge for 23 years. The consortium awarded the bridge construction on an EPC basis to Japan’s IHI Corporation. Çimtaş was selected as the sole fabricator of both the suspension bridge’s orthotropic steel deck panels and steel tower blocks. The bridge was designed by Danish engineering design firm Cowi.

With a total length of 2,682 m and a main span of 1,550 m between its steel towers, Osman Gazi Bridge is the longest suspension bridge in Turkey, the second longest in Europe and the fourth longest in the world.

The bridge is suspended 64 meters above the Sea of Marmara to the south of Istanbul – a region which is considered particularly prone to earthquakes. The structure therefore had to be fitted with special technology that continuously measures vibrations, movements and loads to give alarms to the bridge operators for all abnormal events.

arcelormittal galatiArcelorMittal GroupBay of IzmitBruno Ribochief executive officer of ArcelorMittal Flat EuropeÇimta?IstanbulIzmirone of the longest bridges in the worldOsman Gazi Bridge in Turkeysteel suppliertonnes of steel
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