Bridge Getwing, Zermatt

Initial Situation

The Gornergrat Bahn, the second highest mountain railway in Europe after the Jungfraubahn, ascends from Zermatt to the Gornergrat. Renowned for its panoramic views of the Monte Rosa and Matterhorn, the Gornergrat is a popular destination for both summer and winter tourism.

To construct the Getwing bridge in Zermatt, the abutment walls needed to be concreted rapidly overnight to minimize disruption to railway operations.

Solution and Assessment

Concretum® Q-CON, a high-performance, rapid-hardening dry concrete with a maximum aggregate size of 16 mm, was selected for the abutment walls. This material was mixed on-site in a large forced mixer and placed into the formwork using a crane. Despite challenging conditions, including sub-freezing temperatures and a fresh concrete temperature of 11.5°C, the concreting process was successfully completed. Within just 100 minutes, the concrete had achieved a compressive strength exceeding 20 N/mm², allowing for the swift installation of the bridge.

(Image sources: Gornergrat Bahn, Clausenkran AG)