Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge is a suspension bridge between Kavacık and Hisarüstü in Istanbul, connecting Asia and Europe for the second time after the Bosphorus Bridge. The construction started on January 4, 1986 and the length between the anchorage blocks is 1.510 m, the middle span is 1.090 m, the width is 39 m, and the height from the sea is 64 m.
The construction started on January 4, 1986 and this big project, which is still the 14th among the world's largest steel suspension bridges, was put into service on July 3, 1988 by Prime Minister Turgut Özal.
The project services of the bridge are provided by British Freeman, Fox and Partners companies and BOTEK Boğaziçi Teknik Müşavirlik A.Ş. have been fulfilled by the company, while the construction from Turkey, STFA, Japanese Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Nippon Kokan KK, a consortium of $ 125 million.
Technical and basic features
The main features of the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge project are that the foundations of the supporting tower sit on the slopes on both sides of the Bosphorus, the towers start from the deck support level and the deck is in the form of a closed box with an aerodynamic cross-section consisting of orthotropic, reinforced panels like the Bosphorus Bridge. Unlike the Bosphorus Bridge, the suspension cables of this bridge are arranged vertically. These cables are arranged in pairs and one of these cables can be easily replaced when necessary.
The tower foundations of Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge are 14 mx 18 m and average 6 m high. However, depending on the ground condition, it was gradually descended 20 m deeper than the project elevation. There are reinforced concrete bases up to 14 m high on the foundations and steel towers are anchored up to 5 m into these bases.
The height of these towers, which support the main blocks of the bridge, is 102,1 m, starting from the top level of the foundation concrete. The towers were assembled in 8 stages by bolting together high strength reinforced steel panels. Its dimensions are 5 mx 4 m at the base and 3 mx 4 m at the top. The vertical towers are connected to each other by two horizontal beams, and an elevator is placed inside each of them for maintenance services.
Carrier main cables pass over the cable saddle at the top of each tower. These were made with the go-to-go drawing method, and the pulley carrying 4 wires in one direction at each time was provided to operate at a very high speed of 4 m / sec. Each main cable consists of 32 twist groups extending from one anchorage block to the other, as well as 4 additional tension bends located between the top saddles and the anchor blocks. There are 504 steel wires on each strand, and 288 and 264 steel wires on additional strands. The wires made of galvanized high strength steel have a diameter of 5,38 mm.
The box-sectioned deck is 33,80 m wide and 3 m high, and has a pedestrian path of 2,80 m on each side that extends outwards as a console. The aerodynamic shape of the deck with a total of eight lanes, four departures and four arrivals, reduces the wind load. The deck consists of 62 units. These units of various lengths are welded together. Deck units, weighing between 115-230 tons, were placed in their places by pulling up from the sea with hoists.
The bridge was opened on 3 July 1988 by the then prime minister Turgut Özal. The first vehicle to cross the bridge was Özal's official car.
Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge is a part of Trans European Motorway (TEM) between Edirne and Ankara.
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