Pelješac Bridge: optimised quality assurance

How one of Europe’s largest bridges was completed on time using PlanRadar

Construction of the Pelješac Bridge, one of Europe’s largest, was a formidable challenge: building 2.4 km of bridge within a tight three-year deadline. After a construction hiatus, the Chinese company CBRC took over in 2018, relying on advanced technologies, including PlanRadar, to meet the ambitious goal.

PlanRadar facilitated real-time defect management, allowing for detailed electronic records, precise location marking on plans, and photographic documentation of faults.

All project stakeholders, including investors, construction supervisors, and general contractors, utilised PlanRadar, streamlining communication and simplifying problem-solving. The result? The Pelješac Bridge was completed on schedule.

The challenge: building a 2.4km cable-stayed bridge in 3 years

Construction of the 2.4 km long bridge started in 2007, but in 2010 the contracts with the original contractors were cancelled and the project was paused for several years. In summer 2018, the Chinese construction company CBRC was awarded a new contract for the construction of the Pelješac Bridge, with the condition that it be completed within 36 months. In order to complete such a complex project, including surrounding infrastructure, within such a short time, the team relied on the use of the latest technologies, including PlanRadar.

The solution: defect management and information exchange in real-time with PlanRadar

One of the most important uses of PlanRadar during construction of the Pelješac Bridge was the monitoring and correction of construction defects. Without a digital solution for recording assembly errors, structural damage or cracks in tunnel construction, defects would have to be manually recorded in writing and sketches on paper. With PlanRadar’s software, all faults and defects can be recorded and stored electronically. The problems can be described in detail, located precisely on plans and documented with photographs. In the case of the Pelješac Bridge, the team also tracked the progress of a defect’s correction in real-time via forms, which prevented delays and helped to save time.

The result: optimised processes and concrete time savings

PlanRadar empowered project members working on the Pelješac Bridge project to optimise their processes and minimise the time spent on administrative activities and reporting. “Our work has not only become faster but also easier with PlanRadar,” adds Bošković. The result: the Pelješac Bridge was completed on time.

The bridge is scheduled to be opened to traffic in spring 2022 and will enable travellers in southern Dalmatia to cover the route faster and more directly.

PlanRadar was used by all stakeholders involved in the project – including investors, the construction supervision and general contractors – and significantly improved their communication processes. “I would like to emphasise that one of the biggest benefits of using PlanRadar has been the rapid exchange of information,” says Fran Bošković from IGH, the company that provided construction supervision. “Data is shared immediately after photos or comments are captured, for example. Moreover, the problem-solving process has been simplified by the database in the app.”