The Millau Viaduct (Mega structure) is part of the A75-A71 Autoroute (Motorway / Freeway) from Paris to Montpellier.

1. Guided By: Prof. Ravindra Srivastav
Submitted By: Jayanta Sen (AB18005)

2.  The Millau Viaduct, the tallest
bridge in the world, located at
near Millau city in France.
 It has 2.46km long with 7 piers
in which pier 2 is the tallest
with 343 meters high which is
20 meters taller than Eiffel
Tower.
 The cost of construction was
approximately € 394 million.
 It was built over three years,
formally inaugurated on 14
December 2004, and opened to
traffic two days later on 16
December.

3.  To ease the flow and reduce journey times for long distance traffic.
 To reduce traffic congestion due to summer holiday.
 To improve the quality of access to Millau for its local businesses and
residents.
 Traffic jams during summer time will reduce.
 House prices had been gone up & social development.
 Increase in economy from tourism.
 Toll station collection recover 478 million dollars
investment of Construction Company

4. Work started 16th October, 2001 16th October, 2001
Completion of all 7 Piers with
foundation
December, 2003 November, 2003
Completion of Steel Road
deck erection
May, 2004 28th May, 2004
Opening of Viaduct for Public 10th January, 2005 16th December, 2004

5. Client
Consultants
Contractors
Sub Contractors
The French Government
Architect:
Foster and Partners
Main Contractor:
Compagnie Eiffage du
Viaduc de Millau
Concrete Contractor:
Eiffage TP, Paech
Concrete
Supplier:
Lafage
Bitumen
Supplier:
Appia
Shuttering Material
Supplier:
PERI Gmbh
Electrical Contractor:
Forclum
Structural Steel Designer:
Greisch
Steelwork
Contractor:
Eiffel
Hydraulic
Support:
Enerpac
Prestressing
Contractor:
Freyssinet
Project Manager:
Setec, SNCF

6.  Public – Private – Partnership (PPP).
 MOA Contract (As Developer) - Compagnie Eiffage
du Viaduc de Millau.
 MOE Contract (As Prime Contractor).
 Creating firm RCC base foundation.
 Laser marking and plasma cutting
used at workshop for fabrication.
 For erection of pylon they used
ancient technique of Egypt.
 Hydraulic launching system used to
erecting steel road deck.
 Used GPS and Satellites to reach
specific point in the air.

7. Challenges Faced Action taken to overcome challenges
Fracture and Cavities at Limestone valley
bed
Creating firm RCC base foundation for pier.
Landslides due to heavy rainfall They built RCC retaining wall to stabilize the slope.
Huge concrete usage Lafarge built dedicated concrete plant in site itself.
Bridge piers vertical in plumb GPS Satellites signals used for proper positioning of structures.
Every pier had different geometric shape Changed in shuttering mould in every 4m height rises.
Transportation issue half fabricated parts
of steel road deck
 They had planned a safe corridor for smooth and less eventful transportation.
 Coordinate with local police and authority.
Erection of steel road deck  Construction of temporary steel frame piers in between original piers to
support movement of road deck.
 Using Hydraulic lunching system which pushes the steel road deck 600mm in
single push.
Hydraulic lunching system failure The Teflon sheet ware off for friction. The hydraulic system had in functioned by
replacement of Teflon sheet.
Wind pressure on road deck By wind tunnel testing it had assured.
Financial The lack of public funds available to construct Millau Viaduct (approximately € 400
million).
Undulation after full erection completed Placed pylon on proper position and stressed the cable weir.

8.  Construction team face major problem regarding the position of piers.
 If pier plumb deviates 10cm from its position at bottom then it deviates 6 m away
from its desire location at the top.
 Then team came up with the idea of using GPS equipment fixed on the piers then
this GPS spends the signal to Satellites to record the position of piers till it reach
the target in the sky.
 The pier had only 2cm deviation form its original position.
 It also used for final joining of the road deck and deviation lies in 1cm for through
out 2.5km long bridge road deck.

9. This method was used to push the steel road deck
over bridge piers.
The trick was to use 4 of this launching system to
jack up the deck and inch it forward each system
used two wedge shape log under each side of the
deck. The upper wedge was pulled by the hydraulic
round, its slide up the slope of the bottom wedge at
same time lifting up the deck by upper wedge at
advancing it at 600 mm then lower wedge retract
dropping the deck to its support by upper wedge
and process repeats.