Application of plastic-modified asphalt for the reconstruction of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy

Genova San Giorgio is the name of the motorway viaduct that crosses the Polcevera stream and the Genoese districts of Certosa, Sampierdarena and Cornigliano. Inaugurated on August 3, 2020, in the presence of the highest officials of the Italian state, the current bridge replaced the first Polcevera viaduct, also called “Morandi” bridge, which was inaugurated in 1967 and has become known due to the partial collapse on August 14, 2018, which led to its total demolition in 2019. The architecture of the new bridge was designed by the architect Renzo Piano (Studio Renzo Piano Building Workshop) and donated to the city of Genoa. The project was developed by Italferr (Group of the Italian State Railways) and built by the PerGenova consortium, a joint venture between the companies Webuild Spa and Fincantieri Infrastructure Spa. The Polcevera road viaduct, with its relative junctions, constitutes the initial stretch of the A10 “Genoa-Ventimiglia’’ motorway (E25), also known as the “Autostrada dei Fiori,” which is managed by Autostrade per l’Italia Spa. This crossing represents a strategic section for the road connection between northern and central Italy and southern France (Fig. 16.1), as well as being the main road axis between the centraleastern area of Genoa, the port of Voltri-Prà, the Cristoforo Colombo airport, and the industrial areas in the Genoa district. The termination of the motorway connection, of which the Polcevera viaduct was the main infrastructure, immediately highlighted the strategic importance of that motorway junction and its closure suddenly caused disruptions in the circulation at different levels, from the international vehicles traffic to the local road network. Due to its importance, the viaduct is constantly monitored by four robots designed by the Italian Institute of Technology which are equipped with wheels and have the role of inspecting the lower surface of the bridge.