ADRIATIC ARCH BRIDGES: AN IMPORTANT HERITAGE OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Bridges are an integral part of cultural heritage. It is important to recognize that major developments in bridge engineering and technology are of equal heritage significance as historical bridges, regardless of the fact that the bridges might be much more recently constructed. Consequently, Adriatic arch bridges unmistakably fall into heritage bridges category. Adriatic arch bridges – Sibenik, Pag, Krk, Maslenica and Skradin Bridges, are world-renowned not only because of their large spans, but also due to introduction and subsequent improvements of suspended cantilever technique for reinforced concrete arch construction. In fact, the Sibenik Bridge is the first concrete arch in the world which was erected entirely by cantilever method. The culmination of the development of cantilever erection procedure for reinforced concrete arches was the construction of Krk Bridges from 1976 to 1980. An innovative cantilever erection scheme in which concrete spandrel columns, temporary steel tension tie top chords and diagonals were combined to form a truss was used to construct what is still the world’ s largest reinforced concrete arch span. Outstanding bridges, such as Adriatic arch bridges, deserve appreciation and recognition of their heritage significance, and should consequently be protected and managed as such. Management of heritage bridges should broaden the general task of providing safe and efficient traffic crossing at a minimum cost. Management strategy should be bridge-specific as opposed to general recommendations for bridge maintenance, repair and management. It should acknowledge that the management activities play a crucial role in preventing we lose any more works of engineering masters.