Construction phase

The Øresund Fixed Link

In 2000, Denmark was connected with the rest of Scandinavia with a fixed link.

Oeresund Bridge Construction 440
Assembly of the Øresund Fixed Link. Photo: Øresundsbron

Aimed at improving transport connections between Scandinavia and continental Europe and thereby strengthening cultural and economic co-operation, the link was designed to stimulate the development of a joint labour and housing market on each side of Øresund. Today, more than 10 million people cross the Øresund Fixed Link each year.

From 1991 to 2000, the Danish-Swedish Øresundsbro Konsortiet constructed the 16 km fixed link between Copenhagen in Denmark and Malmö in Sweden. The link consists of a four lane motorway and a double track electrified railway. The link consists of three parts; going from Denmark towards Sweden first a four km tunnel, a four km long artificial island and an eight km double deck bridge.

On these pages, you can read about the different construction techniques used during construction: Dredging by some of the world’s largest dredgers, tunnel element fabrication, and assembly of the tunnel and of the bridge etc.

Bridges vary. No tunnel is like any other tunnel. However, the basic constructing principles for a submerged tunnel and a bridge remain the same.

Factsheet ”Great Belt and Øresund”

Further information on the fixed links across the Great Belt and the Øresund can be found in our factsheet.

Link to the Øresund Bridge

Further information about the Øresund Link at

http://uk.oresundsbron.com

Tunnel: (May 2001)

The construction of the 4 km tunnel under Drogden in 1996 – 2000 was an engineering milestone. Read about the background, preparation, design and construction and, of course, the final result in this book, which was published in 2001.

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Bridge: (July 2000)

The construction of the 8 km Øresund bridge with the characteristic cable-stayed bridge was a world record when the link was completed in 2000. Read about the background, preparation, design and construction and, of course, the final result in this book, which was published in 2000.

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Excavation and filling: (December 2001)

An artificial 4 km island links the tunnel and the bridge on the Øresund link between Copenhagen and Malmö. Read here about the background, preparation, design and construction and, of course, the final result in this book, which was published in 2001.

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