Where others go skiing, we lay foundations

Many are drawn to the ski slopes and mountain peaks during the school holidays – but here at pde, we take our mountain thinking a step further. Whilst others are enjoying the view, we’re planning extraordinary projects at lofty heights: for example, the structural engineering and foundations for the new summit cross on the Giggler Spitze in Tobadill, Tyrol, at an altitude of 2,614 metres. Up there, forces are at work that often remain hidden.

The winter two years ago demonstrated this impressively. Exceptionally heavy snow accumulation on the guy ropes meant that the existing summit cross could no longer withstand the loads and eventually buckled. For this reason, our Structural Engineering department in Graz took on the structural design and calculations for a new summit cross. The task: to realistically model the effects of wind and snow and to develop a supporting structure that can truly withstand alpine conditions in the long term.

Based on our structural calculations and design, a new steel summit cross was created, specifically engineered to withstand extreme wind and snow loads. The geometry, profile configurations and wall thicknesses were developed by our structural engineering department in Graz to ensure a balance between load-bearing capacity, robustness and design.

The vertical and horizontal elements consist of several interconnected shaped tube sections, with the central main section deliberately dimensioned to be stronger. At the intersection, surrounding circular plates made of Corten steel not only create a striking visual effect but also ensure defined force transfer within the structure. A key component of the structural design was also the safe transfer of wind and snow loads. This is achieved via four guy wires anchored in the rock and a point foundation, which is additionally connected to the surrounding rock with anchors.

The installation conditions at this height were also taken into account in the calculations. The cross was pre-assembled at the factory, transported in several sections by helicopter to the Giggler Spitze and bolted together on site – precisely in line with the structural specifications drawn up by pde. A project that demonstrates how precise structural engineering and meticulous engineering detail lay the foundation for durable structures in the Alpine region.