After tackling 46 pillars last year, the team at Gebr. Van Kessel Speciale Technieken en Producten is now continuing to repair, clean and renovate the concrete structure of the Zeeland Bridge in the southwest of the Netherlands. This time the province of Zeeland has given us two assignments: one relating to the 18 beams on the west side and the four pillars at both of the bascule bridges, the other to the sprucing up of the abutments on the north and south sides.
“We are pleased to be back in Zeeland, helping to renovate this iconic bridge!” says Jan de Morée, COO of Gebr. Van Kessel Speciale Technieken en Producten.
Beams
The 18 beams are being renovated using articulating booms that can run along the bicycle lane on the bridge. This lane is the only point that provides our team with the necessary access. As each beam is 100 meters long, we are using special (orange-coloured) Gebr. Van Kessel scooters and quads to transport the team.
Pillars
The four remaining pillars at both bascule bridges are being renovated from two vessels equipped with two elevated work platforms. The mechanism of both bascule bridges makes the task more challenging than last year, not to mention having to contend with the effect of swells caused by shipping traffic.
Renovation
The beams and pillars will be thoroughly inspected during the operation and any damage to the concrete will be repaired. A water jet will then be used to clean the components. Our colleagues at Van Kessel Bronbemaling have provided special water stations along the bridge that are supplied by an enormous storage tank. After being cleaned the beams and pillars will be given two new layers of coating.
The Zeeland Bridge is a 5,022-meter-long road bridge over the eastern estuary of the River Scheldt (Oosterschelde) connecting Noord-Beveland and Schouwen-Duiveland.