This is a milestone in Panamanian construction since it is the first time that a construction company has applied this construction method.
Thanks to its use by Grupo Puentes, the La Pesa viaduct in La Chorrera is progressing according to plan.
The second phase of the construction of the La Chorrera viaduct continues with the concreting of a new wing section, the second to be executed with a specialized trolley. The milestones foreseen in the execution of the future Corredor de las Playas, which will link the towns of La Espiga and El Espino, have thus been reached. Through 32.65 km of first class infrastructure.
The project consists of the rehabilitation and widening of 5 km of the Pan-American Highway, of which this 1,750 m long viaduct is part. This structure will bridge the most heavily trafficked section, with 6 lanes for long-distance travel and 4 lanes running under the viaduct for local vehicle flow. Two road interchanges will also be built at different levels.
The execution of the deck consists of 2 clearly differentiated phases: in the first phase, the core of the section (type “U” with central upper slab) is executed, using portal formwork, while, in the second phase, both the cantilevers of the cross section, consisting of prefabricated props, and the cantilever slab over them are executed.
Since September, 11 spans have already been concreted with portal formwork. The execution of the wings marks the start of the second phase. Work is progressing according to plan, with the first pouring of the wing carriage having been completed on May 26, 2005, and the second on May 9, 2005.
The winged trolley is an auxiliary means of construction that had not been used in Panama until now, which is a significant development in the region. Among other advantages, it acts as a collective protection measure to prevent workers from falling to different levels and minimizes the impact on traffic during the construction phase by not having to interrupt the passage of vehicles underneath it. This method allows progress to be made with a yield of 3 sections of 12m in length each week once the trolley reaches optimum performance.
The La Chorrera Viaduct is divided into 41 spans with an average length of 43 m each, a total deck width of 26.50 m and a constant 3.50 m edge. At the head of the piers there are pendular bearings, which absorb seismic loads with better results than conventional neoprene bearings.