REHABILITATION OF THE OLD BRIDGE

 MOSTAR

 NEWSLETTER  11                            30, May  2003                      MOSTAR, BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA  

 

Billboard on the road Široki Brijeg - Mostar

 

BILLBOARDS

 

Three billboards were placed on the main roads leading to Mostar on 01.05.2003. Two of them on the road M-17; one on the north entrance in Mostar, near the market place in Vrapčići, and the second one behind the Airport, just before the south «Aviator's» bridge or before the south entrance in the town.   

 

Billboard on the road M-17 direction from Sarajevo

 

Third billboard has been placed on the road leading from Široki Brijeg to Mostar, and the forth one will be placed on the road Čitluk-Mostar on 01.06.2003.

 

Billboard on the road M-17 direction from Metković

 

MORTAR

 

For building the bridge in this moment we are using two mortar-formulas. Primary accent is on the mortar, as well as on all other materials used for the reconstruction of the bridge – in order to keep the authenticity and complete congruity with those used by Hajrudin in building of the Old Bridge. All components are natural and completely matching with those used for the ancient Old Bridge.

 

Preparing of mortar

 

One of the components of mortar-formulas used for building of the arch is gravel that satisfied requested quality, color and granulation. One of the mortar-formulas has gravel granulation from 0 to 4 and it is used for the joints between the arch stone blocks, the other mortar-formula consists of gravel granulation from 0 to 16 and will be used for the fill of crashed stone. 

 

Naturally burned lime is also one of the mortar-formula components and it is placed in plastic tubs for need of reconstruction. It is necessary to be properly stored to keep its quality.

 

   

Mixing of lime

 

Besides that, as a mortar component we use also a milled brick of defined color and consistency, to satisfy the visual effect of mortar. Bricks are crushed in to powder and added in equal percent as a gravel and lime.

 

Mortar has to be prepared just before it’s used, because it is not possible to stay usable longer than two hours and to keep all requested qualities. Engineers from laboratory always supervise preparing of mortar and necessary amount for the test is taken each time. 

 

 

Billboards content the basic information about the reconstruction of the Old Bridge: previous and present Contractors, Projectors, and Donators. This will be helpful for the touristic offer in Mostar, in the way that many tourists coming in Mostar will be informed about the reconstruction of the Old Bridge, so that can be one of the attractive places to visit in Mostar.

 

Billboards will stay on mentioned positions until 31.12.2003., or until the planed finish of works on reconstruction of the Old Bridge.

 

CUTTING OF STONES FOR THE FILLING

 

Cutting of crashed stones   

 

Crushed stones are used now for filling of the back of the arch, and later they will be used for the middle rib. Workers have to cut those stones to requested dimensions, clean it afterwards and than it will be assembled behind the arch rows. Cutting of stones is mostly done on the site.

 

COVERED PARTS OF THE CENTERING

 

Covered parts of the centering

 

Centering is partly covered in purpose to prevent any deformations. In these warm days some changes on the metal parts of scaffolding are possible. In the same time, these coverings are helpful during the stone assembling as well, because they are making shadow that prevents fasten drying of stones while they are assembled in the arch of the bridge. Wooden parts of centering are protected by insecticide to prevent their rutting and deformation.

 

 

Stone wetting pools

 

”STONE WETTING POOLS”

 

Before assembling in the arch stone blocks have to content certain percentage of water. This is necessary for better contact between stone and mortar during assembling process. Therefore we made so called ”Pool” with dimensions 5,0 x 2,5 x 0,9 m, where previously prepared stone rows have to stay 24 hours, and after that will be assembled in the bridge arch.

 

Arch assembling

 

STONE ASSEMBLING

 

Until now, on the left side of the bridge 7 rows have been assembled, and on the right side we came to the 106th row. Every day, according to the plan, we will assemble one row on each side of the bridge. In the same time, after certain height is achieved, we will do masonry of spandrel walls.  

 

Arch assembling

 

This NEWSLETTER was made in accordance with prevailing articles of the Contract No 002/2002 about the Rehabilitation of the

Old Bridge, by ER-BU CONSTRUCTION / TURKEY