Steel engineering
Gabriël Theunis Bridge: combined steel expertise connects city and waterway
- Expertise:
- Transport & Mobility
- Client
- De Vlaamse Waterweg nv
- Location
- Albert Canal, between Merksem and Deurne
- Services
- Bridge design, structural engineering and analysis, steel engineering for construction
- Design partners
- Arcadis (bridge design and structural analysis with Sweco), ZJA (architectural design), OKRA Landschapsarchitecten (landscape integration)
- Construction partners
- Artes Group (civil engineering works), Stadsbader (roads and sewerage), Taveirne (tram infrastructure), Aelterman (steel fabrication for the road bridges), Techno Métal Industrie (steel fabrication for the tram bridge)
Steel meets a dual design challenge
The renewal of Theunis Bridge forms part of De Vlaamse Waterweg nv’s wider Albert Canal upgrade programme. The bridge is therefore a link in the canal’s upgrade for vessels carrying four tiers of containers. With a navigation clearance of 9.10 metres, the renewed bridge removes a local bottleneck. Three adjacent steel bridges combine this navigational requirement with an urban ambition: a city boulevard for trams, cars, cyclists and pedestrians. Steel engineering thus provides the technical link between more room for shipping and a better connection between the two banks.
Structural precision shapes a distinctive steel silhouette
Commissioned by De Vlaamse Waterweg bv, Sweco worked within the Arcadis-Sweco joint venture on the bridge design and structural analysis. ZJA provided the architectural design and OKRA Landschapsarchitecten the landscape integration. Together, the design team brought structural capacity, design quality and the surrounding environment into alignment. Two road bridges flank a separate tram bridge. Built-up steel box girders and cross girders support the concrete decks; box-section diagonals and characteristic V-shaped columns define the open superstructure. This structural solution does more than create a recognisable silhouette: the gaps between the bridges also allow daylight to reach the banks and keep the water visible while crossing.
Combined steel expertise, from design to construction
The steel structure also required specialist engineering for construction. While Sweco contributed to the bridge design and structural analysis within the Arcadis-Sweco joint venture, Stendess Part of Sweco provided the steel engineering for construction. The built-up box girders, cross girders, diagonals and columns required a precise translation of the structural design into a construction-ready solution. Aelterman and Techno Métal Industrie fabricated the steelwork. It is this connection between design, engineering and steel fabrication that makes Theunis Bridge an illustration of complementary expertise.
Today, Sweco and Stendess Part of Sweco combine this complementary expertise in an integrated offering for complex steel structures. Together, we connect broad design and engineering expertise with in-depth knowledge of steel engineering. This supports clients from the first design decisions through to engineering for construction, with a focus on precision, buildability and flexibility.
Steel engineering with construction phasing in mind
For construction, Artes Group, Stadsbader and Taveirne combined their expertise: Artes Group delivered the civil engineering works, Stadsbader the roads and sewerage, and Taveirne the tram infrastructure. Aelterman built the steel road bridges and Techno Métal Industrie the steel tram bridge. Alongside client De Vlaamse Waterweg, the project also involved the Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer for road infrastructure, De Lijn for tram transport, and water-link, working with Aquafin, for water and sewerage infrastructure. The City of Antwerp was involved as the urban project partner.
The technical challenge extended beyond the permanent load-bearing structure. Tram passengers, motorists, cyclists and pedestrians also needed to keep crossing the canal during construction. Choosing three separate steel bridges enabled phased construction. The project therefore connects structural engineering with buildability and traffic continuity. The result creates more room for shipping and a renewed urban connection. Seating, greenery and lighting along the banks and beneath the bridge strengthen the connection with the water: steel infrastructure that not only carries traffic but also creates places to spend time.
Recognition for architecture and steel engineering
Gabriël Theunis Bridge won the Architecture MasterPrize 2022 in the ‘Infrastructure’ category and was nominated for the BENELUX Steel Bridge Contest 2023 in the Road Bridges category. The architecture award and steel bridge nomination highlight the combination of design, urban integration and structural engineering. Both recognise the collective work of the client, designers, engineers, contractors and steel fabricators. For Sweco, the bridge is also a tangible reference for the steel expertise we now bring together: from structural design to engineering for construction, in close collaboration with construction partners.
Photos: © ZJA