Dresden is tackling it: Carolabrücke will soon be demolished using fall bed technology!

Dresden is tackling it: Carolabrücke will soon be demolished using fall bed technology!

The Carola Bridge in Dresden is facing extensive and urgent demolition. The decision to demolish the structure using so-called falling bed technology was announced on Monday. Eleven different demolition options had previously been discussed, including spectacular methods such as demolition. How T-Online reported, the choice ultimately fell on the method that takes both time and cost estimates into account and is estimated at around 17 million euros.

The Hentschke Bau company now has the task of heaping up 13,000 tons of material, including hydraulic stones, empty pipes and sand, for the fall bed. To ensure the safety of shipping on the Elbe during the demolition work, special pipes must be installed to direct water through the structure. In addition, the Elbe will be completely closed to shipping during the work, which has been in force since Wednesday.

Fast progress and security checks

The demolition work is scheduled to last between eight and a maximum of ten weeks, with the navigation channel being restored within two weeks of the end of the demolition. Before the actual demolition, however, an important detail had to be clarified: the city administration commissioned a specialized company to examine the site for possible explosive devices. This is a standard procedure carried out before a bridge is demolished. Loud MDR The Elbe fairway is of crucial importance as it must be cleared so as not to cause additional disruption to shipping traffic.

The decision to forego a regular tender and carry out the demolition immediately was not an easy one. The bridge's condition has deteriorated dramatically in recent years, increasing the risk of collapse. The test engineers from Hamburg also found that the Elbe bottom was damaged and that the originally planned pontoon method was endangered, also due to safety concerns. Five of the eleven demolition methods examined failed due to the low water level of the Elbe or had technical problems.

A look into the future

However, construction mayor Stephan Kühn made clear promises: the demolition should be completed by the end of the year. After the middle section of the bridge has been demolished, work will begin on the terrace bank and on the Neustadt side, partly parallel to the main work. In order not to disrupt the popular film nights on the banks of the Elbe, construction work was scheduled for six days a week.

These steps will pave the way for another, modern bridge construction that will not only increase safety, but also strengthen the connection between the Dresden and Radebeul districts. The future of the Carola Bridge does not end with its demolition, it really begins now.