Geodetic inspection of the Rügen Bridge

Height measurements to the millimeter on Germany’s largest cable-stayed bridge – we contributed again.

After 2007 and 2017, we once again carried out the inspection on Germany’s largest cable-stayed bridge – the Rügen Bridge. An impressive structure with a length of 2,831 meters and pylon tips that rise up to 128 meters.

The requirements were high: height measurements accurate to the millimeter had to be carried out at numerous control points on the substructures and superstructures in several stages. Together with other structural inspectors, we carried out the geodetic part of the bridge inspection, which sometimes required the bridge to be closed completely.

We again used a converted boat from our company’s own fleet for the many water-side piers.

However, the work was hampered by unusual weather conditions: a warm September with temperatures of over 30 °C was followed by a storm that brought strong winds of up to 7 Beaufort for several weeks. These conditions initially forced our measuring teams into standby mode before we were finally able to span the long water-side passages with a double leveling system using two staggered measuring teams of three people each.

Another piece of the large leveling puzzle was thus completed – a puzzle that consists of many individual measurements that are still to follow.

It was a special honor for our team to pay another surveying visit to the bridge, which we had already supervised on a daily basis during its construction from 2004 to 2007.