Story | 09/18/2023 13:06:25 | 3 min Read time

WISA birch plywood was used for formworks at the world’s longest & highest suspension bridge project in Türkiye

PERI formworks with birch plywood from UPM played a key role in the world’s longest and highest suspension bridge project, 1915Çanakkale Bridge in Türkiye.

The column, wall and slab formwork for the record-breaking 1915Çanakkale Bridge motorway project in Türkiye was produced by PERI using WISA plywood from UPM.

The 1915Çanakkale Bridge, named after the year of an important Turkish naval victory during World War One, is situated in northwest Türkiye, uniting Europe and Asia over the Dardanelles strait. The £1bn project, constructed by a joint venture between DL E&C, Limak, SK ecoplant and Yapı Merkezi, was completed in 2022.

Record-breaking and symbolic bridge

The bridge has unique, record-breaking features with symbolic meanings.

Its main span of 2,023 m makes it the longest suspension bridge in the world, and it is a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic, which is celebrated in 2023. The distinctive 318-metre-tall red towers, from which the bridge's steel deck is suspended, are also the tallest of its kind in the world and refer to an important naval victory celebrated every year on March 18th. The red colour of the towers is, by no surprise, referring to the Turkish flag.

The total length of the bridge is 4,608 m with a road width of 45 m with three lanes in both directions. The project involved over 5,100 workers and 740 different pieces of construction equipment. Landscaping around the bridge involved planting 516,863 saplings.

 

The architecture of the engineering structures underneath the viaduct decks refers to the Çanakkale War Memorial. The excellent strength/weight ratio of UPM’s birch plywood, good striking properties with phenolic coating, and globally recognised certificates fitted for the project’s high standards resulted in many reuses and a nice concrete finish.

Problems avoided with quality plywood

The bridge is a key part of a 324 km motorway project, 88 km of which included viaducts that were constructed by using PERI formworks and scaffoldings. PERI is a leading manufacturer and supplier of formwork and scaffolding systems, operating in over 70 countries.

“WISA plywood with 18 and 21 mm thicknesses were used in column, wall and slab formwork applications. We did not encounter any problems at the site thanks to the quality of the plywood used, and this has been a good advantage for PERI and our customer,” stated PERI’s South Marmara Regional Manager Mr. Hasan Bakırel, who was in charge of the project.

Mr. Onur Önal is Managing Director of AZUR Consulting Trade Ltd. Co., which represents UPM Plywood in Türkiye and the Middle East. He is proud that a formwork expert like PERI has chosen to rely on UPM as a plywood supplier for such a landmark project.

“Thanks to our cooperation with PERI Türkiye dating back to the 1990s, UPM’s formwork plywood has been used in many prestigious projects in Türkiye like the 1915Çanakkale bridge & motorway project,” he commented. 

 

PERI Türkiye South Marmara Regional Manager Mr. Hasan Bakırel

Photos: PERI

 
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