A show of fires and lights concluded an operation as important as it was delicate along the A15 between Parma and La Spezia: three metal arches supporting a roadway of the Gravagna viaduct were demolished thanks to the detonation of 400 kilograms of C4 explosive and to the work of 60 workers. The intervention, carried out by the Itinera company, took place between the Pontremoli and Berceto toll booths starting from 19 June. The explosive charges were detonated on the nights of 19 and 20 June. The objective – achieved without putting the safety of workers at risk – was the modernization of the motorway section, designed decades ago for traffic loads much lower than current ones.
Hi-tech demolition
To demolish three arches weighing 160 tons each, work began as early as autumn 2023. Safety on the construction site was also guaranteed by the installation of a monitoring system made up of 90 inclinometers and 90 accelerometers, capable of recording any excessive shock waves towards the undemolished parts. The intervention was part of a demolition and reconstruction program of the entire viaduct, one of 177 on the A15, as part of the plan to modernize the section managed by Salt, a company of the Astm group.
