By Tag Clar Editorial
In an exciting demolition operation, the Talbrücke Ottfingen bridge on the A45 highway in Germany had to undergo a second explosion due to incomplete destruction in the first stage. Yesterday, this 235-meter bridge was targeted with 160 kilograms of explosives and 900 meters of detonating cord, but in the initial attempt, only four of its twelve pillars and one section of the deck remained.
Retry and Final Success
After the initial explosion, demolition engineer Stefan Garsile had to re-drill and add explosives to new holes. Six hours later, the second explosion took place, and this time the bridge was completely destroyed. Garsile stated, "Now all parts of the bridge are exactly where they should be." As spectators watched from a distance, the fall of bridge pieces to a depth of about 30 meters turned into a public spectacle.
Traffic on the A45 highway between the Olpe-Süd and Freudenberg exits was closed due to these explosions, and this situation will continue due to the need for thorough inspections by construction engineers. The Talbrücke Ottfingen bridge, which dates back to 1971, is part of a larger project to renovate 60 bridges along the important north-south route from the Ruhr area to the Rhine-Main region.
Given the increased traffic load and the weight of trucks, many bridges on this route need repairs and renovations. This demolition operation creates space for the construction of a new bridge, and traffic will soon be restored on this important axis.
