Juscelino Kubitschek bridge

The Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge ( _pt. Ponte Juscelino Kubitschek), also known as the President JK Bridge or just the JK Bridge, crosses Lake Paranoá in Brasília, D.F. It is named for Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, former president of Brazil, who in the late 1950s decided to build Brasília as the new capital of the country. It was designed by architect Alexandre Chan and structural engineer Mário Vila Verde. [ [http://www.metalica.com.br/sistema/bin/pg_dinamica.php?id_pag=656 A Tercira Ponte no Lago Sul pt icon] ]

The main span structure has four supporting pillars submerged under Lake Paranoá, and the deck weight is supported by three 200-foot tall asymmetrical steel arches that crisscross diagonally. The decks are suspended by steel cables alternating at each side of the deck, interlacing in some kind of twisted plane (parabolic like). The entire structure has a total length of 1,200 m, and it was completed at a cost of US$56.8 million (R$160 million - Brazilian "Reais", current 2003). [cite web|url=http://www2.correioweb.com.br/cw/EDICAO_20030107/vid_mat_070103_28.htm|author= Correio Braziliense|date=2003-01-07|title= O novo point| accessdate=2008-03-08 pt icon] The bridge has a pedestrian walkway and is accessible to bicyclists and skaters.

Awards

Despite the structural design complexity and the higher cost of the chosen solution, these characteristics give the bridge a great architectonical beauty and grandiosity, up to the level of Brasilia’s majestic scale. Inaugurated on December, 15, 2002, this bridge immediately became one more of Brasilia’s favorite landmarks, especially at night. [cite web|author=Ministério dos Transportes|url=http://www.transportes.gov.br/bit/pontes/DF/ponte%20jk/GpJK.HTM|title=Ficha Ponte Juscelino Kubitschek - Histórico|accessdate=2008-03-08 pt icon] Chan won the Gustav Lindenthal Medal for this project at the 2003 International Bridge Conference in Pittsburgh. This medal is awarded "for a single, recent outstanding achievement showing harmony with the environment, aesthetic merit and successful community participation". [ [http://www.eswp.com/bridge/awards.htm#lindenthal Gustav Lindenthal Medal Winners] (International Bridge Conference Award Winners)]

This bridge was also awarded the "Premio Abcem 2003" (ABCEM Award) – Best Steel Work of the Year, Bridges and Highway Overpasses Category, granted by the Brazilian Metal Construction Association ("Associação Brasileira da Construção Metálica", ABCEM). [ [http://www.abcem.org.br/revista_materia.php?Codigo=19 ABCEM 2003 Awards: Ponte Juscelino Kubistchek] pt icon]

The bridge architectural design seems similar to a pedestrian walkway in the Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium [ [http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/4274/pontedf.htm PONTE JK - BRASÍLIA (DF)] , photographs and map pt icon] located at 35 05 25 N 136 52 47 E. However architectural design also included structure shapes and solutions that step away from that footbridge.

Dimensions

The main characteristics of the structure are: [ [http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?ID=s0000838= Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge in Structurae] ]
* Total length: 1,200 m
* Main span supported by the archs: 720 m
* Deck Width: 24 m (three lanes in each direction)
* Lateral sideways for pedestrians and bicycles: 1.5 m (on each side)
* Rise: 60 m
* Clearance: 18 m
* Arch span: 3 x 240 m

References

External links

*pt icon [http://www.guiabsb.com.br/brasilia/panoramica.asp?url=ponte-jk-brasilia&idCategoriaServico=29&idServico=38175&descricao=Ponte+JK Photo 360º of JK Bridge - GUIABSB]
* [http://www.eswp.com/bridge/awards.htm International Bridge Conference Award Winners]
* [http://www.abcem.org.br/revista_materia.php?Codigo=19 Associação Brasileira da Construção Metálica]
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-15.824143,-47.829967&spn=0.009677,0.017488&t=k&hl=en Satellite picture on Google Maps]
* [http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/photo60046.htm Night photo showing pedestrian / bike path]
* [http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/3416/ponte_jk_i.htm Daytime photo]
*structurae|id=s0000838|title=Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge