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REHABILITATION OF THE MOSTAR |
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NEWSLETTER 5 NOVEMBER 30, 2002 |
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Works on
the bridge are at full power PAVEMENT DISMANTLING FROM THE BRIDGE REMNANTSPavement
dismantling on the right side of the Bridge began 31.10.2002. As you were
informed in the last Newsletter, each pavement stone has been previously
marked, documented and measured. This is a very delicate job, because the
emphasis was put on the fact that the largest possible number of these stones
is to be returned on its original place. The workers have carefully, with hand
tools, separated stone by stone, liberating it from mortar, silicon and
soil.
Pavement
dismantling from the Bridge Pavement
was then piled on wooden surface into truck, and then driven to Harem Semovac. It was sorted there, additionally cleaned and
put in previously prepared shapes. Wooden
shapes are made according to real dimensions and form of paving on the
Bridge. Nylon basis were then placed on their bottom and on top of them 10cm
thick layer of sand.
Pavement
piled on Harem Semovac ARCHEOLOGICAL
EXCAVATIONS Archeological
excavations began after pavement dismantling. They are conducted in a way
that surface layer of soil is removed, while the whole surface is brought to
certain level.
Quadrant
on the right bank On the
right bank quadrant is dug in the dam. Until now we have reached a depth of apx. 2.5 m below the surface of pavement. Remnants of
three walls were found, and they were examined, documented and has digging
continued. Dam that is dug out is removed by crane. Left side
is explored only to a depth of 0.8m, because here excavations are conducted
in more difficult conditions and on incomparable larger surface. Digging is
done in soil, between very weak walls, so great attention is given also to
the safety of workers. Remnants of 2 pavement layers were found here by
excavations, on upstream side, in northern profile of quadrant, directly by
the edge of previous pavement of the Bridge. First layer was found on a depth
of 0.3m, with dimensions 3.5m x 2.9m, and below that the second one, on 0.5m,
3.4m long and 2.3m wide.
Quadrant
on the left bank FINDINGS OF PREVIOUS
ARCHEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS After conducted
extended but still unfinished research works and with analysis of archive
documents, development of the location can be divided into several developing
stages: -around year 1444 towers on both
sides of Neretva exist. On the right bank
self-standing semicircular tower Helebija, on the
left semicircular tower Tara with six-cornered fortification. -before 1452 first wooden bridge
was built which connected the fortresses. The bridge was wooden with two
console distinctive parts and middle one which was “hanging”. Semicircular,
unsymmetrical annex of fortification was built for bridge reliance on the left
bank, and on the right bank trapezoid enlargement of plateau of Helebija tower with abutments of the bridge. REMNANTS OF WOODEN PLUMBING On the left bank, right next to
north-east part of the quadrant, wooden plumbing pipe was discovered with
outer diameter 24cm and inner one 12cm. The pipe was covered with 5cm thick
layer of red dirt in order to make it water-proof.
16th century plumbing pipe OUTLET OF RADOBOLJA TO NERETVA This year we are witnesses of
extreme high water levels of Neretva and Radobolja. High-capacity outlet of Radobolja
to Neretva was built to allow undisturbed flow of
works in those conditions Elements foreseen by the project
were prepared and concreted on harem Semovac, and
then 16th and 17th of November concreting of outlet
itself was executed. Beside outlet itself, communication
over it was arranged. The road was widened and turning point for pickup
trucks was made.
Concrete
outlet DISMANTLING OF REMNANTS OF PARAPET AND CORNICE FROM THE
LEFT SIDE OF THE BRIDGE 19th of November
dismantling of bridge remnants began on the left bank of Neretva.
This job is very risky because console of the bridge which remained after its
demolition, is in very ban condition. Fractures in construction are visible.
The fact that solid support for auxiliary construction still does not exist
under his part of the bridge, makes the job even harder. First, pavement and the layer of
red dirt under it were removed from the console. After that, parapet was liberated
which broke in two parts during demolition of the bridge. A tape was dragged
through beneath one part of the parapet and without any further damages crane
carried it to the platform with other blocks of the bridge.
PREPARATIONS FOR ERECTING THE CENTRING
One of the most important elements
which will influence the reconstruction of Old bridge certainly is the centring. In the last Newsletter we presented its
construction and the main principles. In this one we are already in a
position to inform you that preparatory works for its erection are at full
power.
Drilling
of holes for anchors 1.
CONCRETING THE FOUNDATIONS First in a row of preparatory works
is concreting the foundations for heavy scaffolding. The works have begun on the right
bank of Neretva, by nailing down iron anchors 2m of
length into rocks under the bridge. Anchors are nailed down into rocks 90cm
and covered with Altex.
Concreting
of scaffold foundations Wooden bedding was erected on the rock
around the anchor and concreting the layer of liable concrete was executed. After that, additional bedding for
the foundation foot was erected on the existing one, and reinforcement was
placed inside and concreting was done again. |
This kind
of basis does not guarantee that pavement will be conserved in the best
possible way. During
pavement dismantling on the left bank we found cavity directly under the
upper layer of pavement. Cavity was formed during recent archeological
excavations, because the layer of already washed and no quality soil - simply
licked out through the cavities in the walls. System of supporting columns
and beams was made even then, so the stability of pavement was ensured at
least for some time. It was
necessary to approach this problem very carefully because all structures of
old walls and pavement had been disturbed. Also, all dismantling work needed
to be planed and done step by step, because all of these elements were
interacted and only joined together gave relative stability of the whole
structure. Removal
of pavement on the left side of the Bridge It is
interesting that under pavement on left side of the Bridge we found remnants
of installation – probably Austria Hungarian. That was plumbing gander pipe
20cm diameter. REMOVAL OF CONCRETE BLOCKSRemoval
of concrete blocks on both sides of the Bridge was done from 1-16. November. Removal
of concrete blocks Total
five blocks were broken. Three on right and two on left side of the Bridge.
Great attention was given to minimal damage of the surrounding pavement and
also that surrounding structure is not disturbed. -between 1452 and 1566 on the right
bank tower Helebija was reinforced by sub-wall with
round corridor and the crown. Tower was elevated with wooden crown. In the
same period -1566 construction of builder Harjudins` bridge was finished. Distinctive flanking
abutment walls were built which reduced the span of the bridge and one-arched
stone bridge was built. Over the new entrance-gate into fortress wooden
watchman tower – “cardak” was built. Such a Tower
also existed also over the gate of fortification on the left bank. - between
1566 and 1690, the fortification side walls were strengthened by erecting an
inner, parallel and distanced wall and filling the space between the two
walls with soil. The Archeological
excavations 2000. – dowels of chane bridge - between 1690 and 1878,
lesser rebuildings were made on facades, with no
significant new building. Between 1714 and 1716, lower floors of the - buildings of the
end of the 19th ct. and the 20th ct. The fish-market building at the right
bank. At the left bank, next to the bridge, a smaller storehouse. The Mesdjid was built again on the old foundations. Between
the Mesdjid and the Archeological
excavations 2000. –feet of pillars Crane is
lifting a piece of parapet The same thing was repeated with
the rest of the parapets, cornice beneath it and stone blocks. REPAIR OF ABUTMENT WALLS To begin with the grouting of
abutment walls – first important thing is to replace those stone blocks which
are destroyed or damaged. Only solid and unique wall can receive grouting
mass without any problems. Testing
of conglomerate with ultrasound Conglomerate blocks from Bisce polje quarry are being subjected
to the list of tests, which are necessary for determining their quality and
compactness. LIME 22nd of November 10 tons
of lime arrived on auxiliary site on harem Semovac.
Lime was burned and extinguished in natural manner and it is at least 12
months old. Storing
of lime on harem Semovac 2.
PLACING THE PONTOON
Anchor
block on the right bank In order to allow undisturbed
communication of people and material during erecting of centring,
it is decided that Neretva is to be temporarily
spanned with pontoon. Excavation, drilling and covering
the anchors were done beneath feet of temporary walking bridge. After that,
planking and steel elements were erected and anchor blocks concreted.
Placing
the first pontoon element Three iron ropes with diameter
15.2mm were erected and dragged through beneath the two anchor blocks on the
right and left bank. Separate ropes of pontoon elements were hooked on the
main rope with slip-knots, which allow adjusting the position of pontoon to
various water levels. Four pontoon elements are connected
with steel latticed porters over which the deck for communication is placed.
Setting
pontoon connection |
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This NEWSLETTER was made in accordance with prevailing
articles of the Contract No 002/2002 about the Rehabilitation of the