Paris, Normandy, Montpellier, Millau... and Lausanne!

Hello everyone,
after three months, my secondment in Paris is done. Thus, it's time for a summary of this interesting period.

During my stay at EIFFAGE I was working on use of BSI® (market name for UHPFRC they have developed) in the bridge structures. It was a great chance to refresh my design skills, learn how this big company works... and try to challenge them a bit ;).
It was also period of verification of my linguistic skills. At EPFL we use mainly English, especially between PhDs. Thus, I have used my stay in France to check whether my French is good enough to live and work there... and it is! It gave me also fresh motivation to continue my language courses.

But, life is not only work, and life of engineer is not only design. While in France, I have had chance to travel a bit and visit couple of interesting bridge structures.

The first one is Pont de Normandie, longest cable-stayed span for some years. It's monumental, and the dumping system for cables reminds that we need to always think three steps ahead ;)

Sorry for the quality of photo, but to get this monster at one picture I had to step back quite far ;)

Another structure, interesting from architectural point of view, is bridge in Montpellier. These slender and organic-like piers were possible thanks to BSI®

One more impressive use of BSI® is the roof of the toll collecting point of Millau viaduct.

And finally, a cherry on top, the magnificent Millau viaduct. After reading so much about it, finally I have had chance not only to see it... but to visit it! Guys from EIFFAGE were so nice to show us (Mariia, Antoine and myself) everything, describe how the maintenance and its planning takes place... We could enter and touch whatever we wanted, from the safety surveillance center, through the deck up to the top of the pylon! And, importantly, that's not 'any' bridge, but the tallest one in the world! Take a look at its beautifully curved line on the photo below. No, it was not taken from the drone ;)

Now, charged with good energy I am back in Lausanne. I really liked Paris and work at EIFFAGE, but guess it's true what they say:

We can’t really appreciate home until we leave it

Bye, until next time!