The Millau Viaduct, Southern France' - Record Breaking Engineering.
The Millau Viaduct is the tallest bridge in the world. Connecting the motorway networks of France and Spain,it opens up a direct route from Paris to Barcelona. The bridge crosses the River Tarn, which runs through a spectacular gorge between two high plateaux. Constructed in three short years, the bridge is an engineering and architectural marvel. At its highest point, the bridge soars 343 meters (1,125 ft) above ground, that’s 19 meters (62 ft) taller than the Eiffel Tower.
A cable-stayed, masted structure, the bridge is delicate, transparent, has the optimum span between columns.To accommodate the expansion and contraction of the concrete deck, each column splits into two thinner, more flexible columns below the roadway, forming an A-frame above deck level. The tapered form of the columns both expresses their structural loads and minimises their profile in elevation.
