Ithra Dubai – fully owned by Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) – has started the first sliding phase of the world’s largest cantilever, named The Link, on its One Za’abeel project near Dubai World Trade Centre.
Suspended 100m above ground level and measuring 210m in length, The Link is a panoramic sky concourse that connects the two towers of One Za’abeel, and will feature Michelin starred restaurants, observation decks, and an infinity pool.
The bridge is constructed of seven steel modules – named Assembly A-G – that are slid into place before they are lifted to their final position on the building.
After connecting the first assembly to a temporary launching nose, The Link will slide from Tower A towards Tower B.
Ithra Dubai appointed a sliding and lifting specialist that used heavy-duty strand jacks capable of generating a pulling force of up to 220 tons per jack to slide both Segment A and the launching nose 30m along the temporary platform to the edge of the podium, creating space to assemble the next segment.
Weighing 1,742 tonnes and 51m in length, Assembly A is the heaviest individual node to be erected.
The primary nodes for each of the bridge’s assemblies – the heaviest of which weighed more than 45 tons – were constructed off site and delivered fully fabricated to reduce on-site welding.
The construction milestone followed the assembly of a temporary launching nose on top of the retail podium Level 4 in Tower A of One Za’abeel.
Ithra Dubai and its construction partners are building The Link in sections and have carried out a sliding operation to move it into place, spanning the Happiness Bridge and linking the two towers, before it is lifted into its final position 100m in the air.
The sliding phase was launched on 12 September 2019 in the presence of Issam Galadari, chief executive officer and board member of Ithra Dubai, and members from the development and construction teams.
Commenting on The Link’s progress, Galadari said: “We are excited to have reached this critical stage on One Za’abeel’s construction.
“The Link is an incredible feat of engineering that showcases Dubai’s ingenuity and commitment to creating groundbreaking developments.
“The sliding phase of The Link is an incredible achievement that demonstrates Ithra Dubai’s talent and ability to overcome engineering challenges,” Galadari added in a statement.
