All language subtitles for Building Giants Series 1 Arctic Mega Bridge 720p

Narrator: IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE,

A TEAM OF ENGINEERS
IS ATTEMPTING TO CONSTRUCT

A REMARKABLE, NEW
SUPER STRUCTURE --

THE LONGEST SUSPENSION BRIDGE
EVER BUILT IN THE ARCTIC.

IT'S A VERY, VERY BIG OPERATION.

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, HAND ME
THAT ONE, HAND ME THAT ONE.

Narrator: TO BUILD IT,

THE TEAM MUST BATTLE
EXTREME HEIGHTS...

WHOOP, WHOOP, WHOOP.

...AND SURGING
80-MILE-PER-HOUR WINDS...

WHEW! WHEW, WHEW, WHEW!

Narrator: ...TO COMPLETE THIS
5,029-FOOT LONG BRIDGE

BEFORE THE WINTER
WEATHER STRIKES.

THE WEATHER CAN BE
EXTREMELY TOUGH.

IT'S A DRAMATIC SITUATION,
ACTUALLY, WE'RE QUITE SCARED.

♪♪

Narrator:
THIS GROUNDBREAKING BRIDGE

RANKS IN A LEAGUE OF AMBITIOUS
NEW ENGINEERING WONDERS

THAT ARE BIGGER, FASTER, TALLER

AND MORE ADVANCED THAN ANYTHING
EVER CONSTRUCTED BEFORE.

THIS IS THE INSIDE STORY
OF THE EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGE

OF BUILDING THESE GIANTS.

-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

♪♪

DEEP IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE,
IN NORTHERN NORWAY,

ICY MOUNTAINS SOAR
HIGH INTO THE CLOUDS

AND PLUNGE DEEP INTO
THE FREEZING WATERS

OF THE FAMOUS NORWEGIAN FJORDS.

♪♪

THE REMOTE INDUSTRIAL CITY
OF NARVIK IS A CRUCIAL HUB

FOR FISHING AND MINING IRON ORE.

IT SITS TO THE SOUTH
OF THE GIANT ROMBAKSFJORD

AND HAS A POPULATION
OF AROUND 14,000,

BUT THE STUNNING LANDSCAPE HERE

ALSO CREATES A PROBLEM
FOR RESIDENTS --

A LONG AND DIFFICULT COMMUTE.

TO ACCESS THE NORTH, THEY MUST
DRIVE A TREACHEROUS WINDING ROAD

11 MILES AROUND
THE EDGE OF THE FJORD.

♪♪

ROCK FALLS AND LANDSLIDES
OFTEN KILL AND INJURE

MOTORISTS ALONG THIS ROUTE.

THE ROAD AROUND THE FJORD
IS VERY DANGEROUS IN THE WINTER.

THIS ROAD IS NOT
SO EASY TO DRIVE.

THERE BEEN A LOT OF CRASH
ON THIS ROAD.

Narrator: SO TO SAVE LIVES
AND CUT COMMUTE TIMES,

ENGINEERS ARE PLANNING TO BUILD
AN AMBITIOUS NEW CROSSING

OVER THE WATER CALLED
THE HALOGALAND BRIDGE.

THIS GREEN LINE INDICATES WHERE
WE ARE BUILDING A NEW BRIDGE,

AND IT MEANS THAT WE WILL HAVE
A MUCH MORE SAFE ROAD,

A SHORTER WAY,

AND WE DON'T HAVE
TO USE THIS OLD ONE

THAT IS EXPOSED TO ROCK SLIDES.

Narrator: IT'S UP TO
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER JAMAL ASSAD

TO CONCEIVE
AND DESIGN THE BRIDGE.

IT MUST BE ABLE TO SPAN
THE 980-FOOT DEEP FJORD

AND STILL SURVIVE
THE BITTERLY COLD ENVIRONMENT.

THE BRIDGE WILL IMPROVE
THE WHOLE INFRASTRUCTURE

IN THIS REGION.

I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS BRIDGE
FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS

TO CREATE SOMETHING UNIQUE,
NOT JUST FOR THIS AREA

BUT ALSO FOR AROUND THE WORLD.

Narrator:
THIS IS THE GIANT THAT JAMAL AND
THE TEAM MUST SOMEHOW CONSTRUCT.

♪♪

TWIN A-SHAPE TOWERS BUILT FROM
OVER 42,000 TONS OF CONCRETE

WILL RISE FROM
THE BOTTOM OF THE FJORD.

TWO HUGE CABLES WILL HANG
BETWEEN THE TOWERS.

EACH CABLE WEIGHS 2,000 TONS

AND MEASURES MORE THAN
1 1/2 FEET THICK.

♪♪

THE CABLES NEED TO HOLD UP A
CUSTOM-MADE, DUAL-LANE ROAD DECK

MADE UP OF 30 STEEL SECTIONS.

EACH CABLE WILL BE ANCHORED
OVER 150 FEET DEEP

INTO THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAINS
ON EITHER SIDE OF THE FJORD

TO HOLD THE BRIDGE STEADY
THROUGH THE ROUGHEST WEATHER.

STRETCHING ALMOST 1 MILE
ACROSS THE WATER

AND COSTING AROUND $450 MILLION,
THE GIANT HALOGALAND BRIDGE

WILL BE THE LONGEST SUSPENSION
BRIDGE WITHIN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.

BUT THE NORTHERN LOCATION
MAKES BUILDING THIS BRIDGE

EXTRA TOUGH.

THE ARCTIC ENVIRONMENT
IS FAMOUSLY BRUTAL.

TEMPERATURES HERE CAN DROP
TO AROUND 0 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

AND 80-MILE-PER-HOUR WINDS
CAN RACE BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS.

BUILDING THIS
ONE-OF-A-KIND BRIDGE

IN A SUCH A UNIQUELY
HOSTILE LOCATION

INVOLVES A SERIES
OF COMPLEX STAGES.

ON TOP OF FOUR HUGE PILLARS,
THE TEAM PLANS TO BUILD UP

THE MASSIVE A-SHAPED
CONCRETE TOWERS.

THEN, THEY'LL CAREFULLY WINCH
80 WIRE STRANDS 566 FEET UP

AND ACROSS THE FREEZING FJORD.

THESE WILL FORM THE
TWO COLOSSAL MAIN CABLES.

NEXT, THEY WILL JACK
THE 2,000-TON CABLES APART

BY 51 FEET
IN THE CENTER OF THE SPAN

AND ATTACH 110 STEEL CLAMPS
AND VERTICAL HANGER CABLES.

THESE WILL HOLD UP THE 30
AERODYNAMIC STEEL SECTIONS

THAT WILL FORM
THE 7,000-TON ROAD DECK.

FINALLY, WORKERS MUST RACE
THE WINTER WEATHER

TO LIFT EACH SECTION OF DECK
INTO PLACE

TO CREATE A NEARLY 1-MILE-LONG
ROAD BETWEEN THE TOWERS.

♪♪

AND WITH ONLY 5 YEARS
TO BUILD IT,

THE TEAM MUST FIGHT A REAL
BATTLE AGAINST THE ELEMENTS.

♪♪

PROJECT MANAGER DAGRUNN KAASEN
HEADS UP A TEAM OF 900 ENGINEERS

AND WORKERS FROM NORWAY
AND ACROSS THE WORLD.

NONE OF THEM HAS EVER ATTEMPTED
A BRIDGE ON THIS SCALE

IN SUCH A REMOTE PART
OF THE PLANET BEFORE.

Kaasen:
SO CHALLENGING, BUT ALTOGETHER
WE HAVE AN AMAZING TEAM.

WE WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Narrator:
DAGRUNN'S FIRST CHALLENGE
IS TO CONSTRUCT THE BRIDGE'S

GIANT REINFORCED
CONCRETE TOWERS.

♪♪

BUILDING WORK BEGINS IN 2013.

CONCRETE ENGINEER GUTTORM RAEDER

MUST ERECT THE TOWERS
AT HIGH SPEED.

TO DO THIS, HE USES AN INGENIOUS
TECHNIQUE CALLED SLIP FORMING.

WORKERS FILL A SPECIAL
MOBILE MOLD

THAT CLAMPS AROUND THE LEG
OF THE TOWER WITH CONCRETE.

ONCE EACH LAYER
OF CONCRETE HARDENS,

HYDRAULIC JACKS RAISE THE MOLD
UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL,

SO THE TOWERS CONTINUE
TO GROW 8 INCHES AT A TIME.

THE TEAM POURS
THE CONCRETE NONSTOP,

24 HOURS A DAY,
FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK.

AND OVER 32 MONTHS,
THEY RAISE THE TOWERS

TO THEIR FULL HEIGHT
OF 566 FEET.

THEN, THEY BUILD OUT
THE CONCRETE VIADUCTS

FROM THE SHORE TO THE TOWERS.

AND IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD,

EACH YEAR TEMPERATURES
WILL RISE AND FALL

BY 100 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

THIS DRAMATIC CHANGE
GIVES ENGINEERS A BIG PROBLEM

BECAUSE THE ENTIRE
61,000-TON STRUCTURE

WILL EXPAND AND CONTRACT

DURING THE CHANGING SEASONS.

CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE CAUSE
THE CONCRETE APPROACH ROAD

TO GROW AND MOVE.

EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION
OF THE CONCRETE

COULD CREATE DEVASTATING CRACKS

AND EVENTUALLY BRING DOWN
THE APPROACH ROAD.

♪♪

TO PREVENT THIS, THE TEAM
HAS BUILT THE ROAD AND TOWER

IN SEPARATE
DISCONNECTED SECTIONS,

AND GUTTORM HAS INSTALLED
TWO INGENIOUS SLIDE BEARINGS

BETWEEN THE ROAD
AND THE BASE OF THE TOWER.

♪♪

AS THE SEASONS CHANGE,

THIS INNOVATION SHOULD
ALLOW THE CONCRETE

TO SLIDE OVER THE TOWER

AS THE APPROACH ROAD
EXPANDS AND CONTRACTS.

♪♪

THIS WILL ENSURE THAT
THE CONCRETE STRUCTURES

DON'T TEAR THEMSELVES APART,

ALLOWING THE BRIDGE TO REMAIN
OPEN ALL YEAR ROUND.

WITH THE SLIDE BEARINGS
WORKING EFFECTIVELY,

THE TEAM TACKLES THEIR NEXT
COLOSSAL CHALLENGE --

INSTALLING THE BRIDGE'S MAMMOTH
5,774-FOOT-LONG MAIN CABLES.

THE CABLES IS THE ONE
THAT WILL CARRY

THE WEIGHT OF THE BRIDGE DECK

AND THE TRAFFIC LOAD,

SO THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT
PART OF THE BRIDGE.

Narrator: BUT MAKING CABLES
THAT ARE STRONG ENOUGH

TO SUSPEND OVER 12,000 TONS
OF WEIGHT IS NO SIMPLE TASK.

EACH MAIN CABLE IS MADE
UP OF 40 STRANDS.

EACH STRAND CONTAINS 127
INDIVIDUAL STEEL WIRES

AND WEIGHS AROUND 50 TONS.

♪♪

WORKERS USE WINCHES AND PULLEYS
TO DRAG EACH STRAND,

ONE BY ONE, UP
AND OVER THE TALL TOWERS.

Kaasen: THIS IS ACTUALLY QUITE
THE MILESTONE FOR A BRIDGE

WHEN THEY START PULLING THESE
CABLES, SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED.

♪♪

Narrator:
BUT WITH LESS THAN HALF OF
THE MAIN STRANDS IN PLACE,

THE ARCTIC WEATHER
BEGINS TO WREAK HAVOC.

DEADLY WINDS BATTER THE WIRES.

Larssen: THE WIRES ARE MOVING
AND DANCING AROUND.

THE WEST CABLE HAS ACTUALLY
BLOWN OVER TO THE EAST CABLE

AND HITTING THE OTHER CABLE.

SO IT WAS A DRAMATIC SITUATION
WE'RE IN,

AND ACTUALLY,
WE'RE QUITE SCARED.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator:
DEEP WITHIN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE,

AS ENGINEERS AND WORKERS
INSTALL MAMMOTH CABLES

FOR AN AMBITIOUS MILE-LONG
SUSPENSION BRIDGE,

DEADLY WINDS GRIND
THEIR EFFORTS TO A HALT.

Larssen: IT WAS A DRAMATIC
SITUATION WE WERE IN,

AND ACTUALLY, WE'RE
QUITE SCARED FOR THE BRIDGE

AND FOR THE WIRES
THAT THEY WERE DAMAGED.

Narrator: SO THE TEAM EVACUATES
THE BRIDGE.

Larssen: WE HAVE THE FEELING
THAT THE TOWER WAS MOVING,

SO THEN WE THOUGHT
IT WAS BEST TO GET DOWN.

Narrator: BUT THE FOLLOWING DAY,
THE DEADLY WINDS DIE DOWN,

ALLOWING THE TEAM TO CONTINUE
TO SECURE AND COMPRESS TOGETHER

THE WIRE STRANDS TO FORM THE
BRIDGE'S MASSIVE MAIN CABLES.

♪♪

NEXT, AT EITHER END
OF THE BRIDGE,

THEY ANCHOR THE CABLES INTO THE
ULTRA-TOUGH NORWEGIAN MOUNTAINS

TO HOLD THEM STEADY.

Kaasen: MOTHER NATURE BUILDS OUR
ANCHOR BLOCKS, AND WE USE THEM.

♪♪

♪♪

YEAH, NO. IN THE ANCHORAGE HOLE,

THIS IS THE VERY END
OF THE BRIDGE

WHERE THE ANCHORAGE
OF THE MAIN CABLE ENDS

IN THAT MASSIVE CONCRETE WALL.

Narrator:
TO MAKE THE ANCHOR'S BASE STRONG
ENOUGH TO HOLD THE BRIDGE,

THE TEAM HAD TO EXCAVATE
A CAVERNOUS CHAMBER

OVER 150 FEET DOWN RIGHT INTO
THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAIN.

INSIDE, THEY'VE INSTALLED
A MASSIVE 8-FOOT-THICK

CONCRETE WALL.

TO CONNECT THE BRIDGE
INTO THE ANCHOR'S BASE,

FIRST, THEY SEPARATE
OUT THE STRANDS...

...THEN CONNECT THEM ALL
TO TENSION CABLES

THAT RUN DOWN THROUGH
DRILL HOLES...

...TO THE WALL,
WHERE THEY ARE GRIPPED TIGHT.

THE WALL FUNCTIONS
AS A GIANT BRACE.

IT USES THE MOUNTAIN ITSELF

TO HOLD FIRMLY
THE WEIGHT OF THE BRIDGE.

♪♪

Kaasen: THIS CONCRETE WALL
AND THE VOLUME OF THE ROCK

IS ACTUALLY WHAT IS
HOLDING THE BRIDGE.

♪♪

Narrator: WITH THE BRIDGE'S
TOWERS AND CABLES IN POSITION,

THE TEAM FACES THEIR
NEXT BIG CHALLENGE --

CONSTRUCTING AND
INSTALLING ITS ROAD DECK.

BUT SUSPENDING A ROAD
ACROSS THIS FREEZING,

980-FOOT-DEEP FJORD
IS FRAUGHT WITH RISK.

♪♪

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER JAMAL
MUST DESIGN A ROADWAY

THAT CAN WITHSTAND
THE FEROCIOUS ARCTIC STORMS.

♪♪

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
IN THIS AREA IS THE WIND.

YOU HAVE A LOT OF TURBULENCE,

AND THAT'S DUE TO
ALL THESE MOUNTAINS,

SO FOR THE BRIDGE DECK, YOU HAVE
TO DESIGN FOR THE WIND SPEED

WHERE THE BRIDGE GET UNSTABLE,

AND AS A CONSEQUENCE THE
BRIDGE DECK CAN GET DESTROYED.

Narrator:
STRONG WINDS CAN SHAKE EVEN
THE TOUGHEST SUSPENSION BRIDGE

TO BREAKING POINT.

THIS IS THE
TACOMA NARROWS BRIDGE,

A TWO-LANE SUSPENSION BRIDGE
BUILT IN THE LATE 1930s

ACROSS THE STRAIT OF PUGET SOUND
IN WASHINGTON STATE.

AFTER OPENING TO TRAFFIC,

THE BRIDGE BEGAN TO SHAKE
IN A DRAMATIC WAY.

WIND PASSING OVER THE DECK
CAUSED IT OSCILLATE VIOLENTLY

UP AND DOWN.

THE SLENDER BRIDGE
WAS NOT ROBUST ENOUGH

TO TAKE SUCH A BATTERING,

AND JUST 4 MONTHS
AFTER OPENING,

IT COLLAPSED.

Assad: WITH THE NARROW DECK,
YOU'RE WORKING ON THE EDGE

OF AERODYNAMIC STABILITY.

Narrator: LIKE THE TACOMA
NARROWS CROSSING,

JAMAL'S BRIDGE IS SLENDER,

BUILT TO CARRY JUST
TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC.

BUT THIS SUPER-SKINNY DESIGN
MAKES THE BRIDGE

EXTRA SUSCEPTIBLE
TO STRONG WINDS.

Assad: THE WIND WILL
CREATE SOME CURLS,

AND YOU CAN HAVE THE BRIDGE
OSCILLATING UP AND DOWN.

Narrator: AS THE WIND GUSTS OVER
A BRIDGE FROM ONE SIDE,

IT TRAVELS ABOVE
AND BELOW THE ROAD DECK.

A CHANGE IN AIR PRESSURE FORCES
THE WIND TO CURL BACKWARDS

IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION

AS IT CLEARS THE OPPOSITE
EDGE OF THE DECK.

THIS PROCESS IS CALLED
VORTEX SHEDDING.

THESE WIND CURLS, OR VORTICES,

BEGIN TO MOVE THE DECK
UP AND DOWN.

THEY CAN CAUSE THE BRIDGE TO
OSCILLATE AND TWIST VIOLENTLY.

TO PREVENT THIS,

JAMAL IS DESIGNING THE EDGE
OF THE DECK ON HIS BRIDGE

TO HAVE A SPECIAL
AERODYNAMIC SHAPE.

IT SMOOTHES THE FLOW OF WIND
AND REDUCES THE VORTICES.

HIS DESIGN SHOULD HELP
THIS BRIDGE REMAIN STEADY

WHEN HIT BY THE STRONGEST GUSTS.

SO ONE WAY TO MITIGATE THAT
IS TO LIMIT THIS ANGLE

TO BELOW 16 DEGREES.

THEN YOU CAN AVOID
ANY VORTEX SHEDDING.

Narrator:
THE 30 DECK SECTIONS ARE
TRANSPORTED 12,000 MILES BY SHIP

FROM EASTERN CHINA
TO NARVIK PORT IN NORWAY.

AND STEEL ENGINEER
KURT GRUNDSTAD'S TEAM

MUST REMOVE THE STEEL COLUMNS

THAT SECURE THE DECK SECTIONS
TO THE SHIP,

BUT IT'S A HIGH-RISK PROCEDURE.

THE REMOVING OF THE SEA
FASTENING IS A VERY,

VERY BIG OPERATION.

♪♪

IT'S A HIGH COLUMN,
AND IF IT STARTS WAVING,

IT CAN HIT THE SECTIONS,

SO WE HAVE TO DO IT
VERY, VERY CAREFULLY,

BECAUSE IF THEY GET DAMAGED

THEN IT TAKES 3 YEARS
TO MAKE NEW SEGMENTS.

♪♪

Narrator: DENTING OR SMASHING
ANY SECTION OF DECK

COULD PUT THE ENTIRE
PROJECT BACK BY MONTHS.

EVERY ONE OF THE WORKERS
ARE VERY CONCENTRATED,

AND THEY DO IT SLOWLY, SLOWLY.

[ INDISTINCT CHATTERING ]

Narrator: THE GIANT SUPPORTS
SLOWLY CLEAR THE DANGER ZONE.

♪♪

THE ARRIVAL OF THE DECK MARKS
A MAJOR MILESTONE

FOR THIS PROJECT,

BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM.

WINTER IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING,

WHEN PLUMMETING TEMPERATURES
AND FEROCIOUS WINDS

WILL STRIKE THIS REGION.

TO STAY ON SCHEDULE,

THE TEAM MUST INSTALL THE ENTIRE
ROAD DECK BEFORE WINTER ARRIVES.

IF WE DON'T GET THE BRIDGE DECK
UP BY THE MIDDLE OF OCTOBER,

WE HAVE A LARGER RISK FOR HIGH
WIND SPEED AND BAD WEATHER,

SO WE HAVE TO WORK
FOR THIS TO HAPPEN

BEFORE THE WINTER SETS IN.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: IN NORWAY,
ENGINEERS ARE BUILDING

THE LONGEST SUSPENSION BRIDGE

EVER ATTEMPTED
IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE,

BUT THEY MUST INSTALL THE ENTIRE
ROAD DECK BEFORE WINTER SETS IN.

THEIR FIRST TASK TO INSTALL
THE CRUCIAL 110 HANGER CABLES

THAT WILL EVENTUALLY HOLD UP
THE SEGMENTS OF ROAD DECK.

GIANT CLAMPS ARE DESIGNED
TO SECURE THESE CABLES IN PLACE.

♪♪

WORKERS TEST THAT EACH CLAMP IS
ABLE TO HOLD AROUND 7,000 TONS.

[ INDISTINCT CHATTERING ]

-FORTY-SEVEN. YEAH.
-AH, OKAY.

GOOD.
OKAY.

Narrator: WITH THE CLAMPS
CHECKED, THE TEAM THEN SHIPS

EACH HANGER CABLE
FROM THE SHORE

TO THE BRIDGE BY BARGE.

♪♪

Wei:
WE HAVE 110 HANGERS TO INSTALL,

AND WE MUST WORK FAST.

Narrator: THIS HANGER CABLE
WEIGHS AROUND 4 TONS.

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

AND IT'S ALSO
ONE OF THE LONGEST,

MEASURING MORE THAN 400 FEET.

RAISING THIS HUMONGOUS
HANGER NEARLY 550 FEET

ABOVE THE FREEZING WATER

WILL BE NO SIMPLE TASK.

YU WEI'S TEAM UP ON THE BRIDGE
LOWERS A WINCH LINE

DOWN TO YU GUI UN'S
TEAM ON THE BARGE.

♪♪

IT'S A GOOD WEATHER
FOR INSTALL THE HANGER.

NO WAVES. NO WIND.

PERFECT.

Narrator:
WITH CONDITIONS LOOKING GOOD,
THEY START THE BIG LIFT.

OKAY, WE ARE READY.

HERE WE GO.

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: BARGE CAPTAIN
ODDBJORN MARTIN LUTHER

KEEPS A CLOSE EYE
ON THE WEATHER.

Martin Luther: YESTERDAY
THERE WAS A LOT OF WIND.

TODAY, THE TIDE COMING IN,
SO I HAVE TO HOLD THEM.

Narrator:
ODDBJORN NEEDS TO ENSURE THE
BARGE REMAINS PERFECTLY STEADY

ON THESE CONTINUALLY
ROCKING WATERS.

IT'S THE MOST DIFFICULT IS
TO KEEP HER IN PERFECT POSITION

SO THEY DON'T GET
PROBLEMS ON DECK.

GOT OUR SPOT ON THE PILLAR HERE.

OKAY.
KEEP IT IN PERFECT POSITION.

Narrator:
THE BARGE TEAM MUST MAKE SURE
THAT THE CABLE DOESN'T SNAG

OR KNOT AS IT UNCOILS.

♪♪

WE MUST BE CAREFUL
DURING THE WHOLE PROCESS.

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

♪♪

Narrator: TO PIN THE CABLE
SECURELY INTO ITS CLAMP,

THEY BREAK OUT A HAMMER WORTHY
OF THE NORSE GOD THOR.

[ CONVERSING IN
NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

♪♪

♪♪

WITH ONE FINAL WHACK...

-OKAY.
-OKAY.

...THIS HUGE HANGER
GOES INTO POSITION.

OKAY, STOP.

BUT IT'S A CONSTANT BATTLE
TO BEAT THE TIDES...

Man: WHOA!

Narrator: ...AND WINDS

TO INSTALL
THE REMAINING HANGERS

BEFORE THE ARCTIC STORMS BITE.

♪♪

♪♪

IT TAKES 2 WEEKS OF INTENSE WORK

TO GET ALL 110
HANGERS INTO PLACE.

IT'S GOING THROUGH.
IT'S GOOD, VERY, VERY GOOD.

WE HAVE FINISHED.
GOOD JOB.

GOOD JOB.

♪♪

Kaasen: EVERY HANGER IS PLACED.

IT LOOKS GOOD, AND THIS
IS A MILESTONE

BECAUSE WE ARE
ONE STEP CLOSER

TO GETTING THE BRIDGE
DECK INSTALLED NOW.

♪♪

Narrator:
THE TEAM ONLY HAS 7 WEEKS

TO INSTALL THE BRIDGE'S
30 DECK SECTIONS

BEFORE THE TEMPESTUOUS
ARCTIC WEATHER

THREATENS TO SHUT DOWN
CONSTRUCTION WORK.

Larssen: THE DECK INSTALLATION
IS VERY CRITICAL

BECAUSE THE UNCERTAINTY
OF THE WEATHER

IS INCREASING AS WE APPROACH
THE WINTER TIME.

♪♪

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

Narrator: BUT BEFORE
THEY CAN INSTALL THE DECK,

THEY MUST PUSH THE BRIDGE'S
TWO MASSIVE MAIN CABLES APART.

WE ARE UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE

TO SHIFT THE TWO MAIN CABLES.

Narrator: THIS IS THE PROBLEM --

THE WIDTH OF ROAD DECK
MEASURES 61 FEET ACROSS,

BUT BECAUSE OF THE TOWER'S
SLENDER A-SHAPE DESIGN,

THE MAIN CABLES ONLY SIT
10 FEET APART AT THE TOP.

AS THE CABLES SLOPE DOWNWARDS,

THEY WOULD START
TO OBSTRUCT THE ROAD.

TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM,
THE ENGINEERS PLAN TO SHIFT

THE GIANT CABLES FURTHER
TO BE 51 FEET APART

AT THE CENTER OF THE BRIDGE.

THEIR IDEA IS TO USE A SERIES
OF GIANT STEEL BEAMS,

FITTED WITH HYDRAULIC JACKS.

THESE SHIFTING BEAMS SHOULD
SLOWLY FORCE THE CABLES APART

BY 3.9 INCHES PER PUSH.

THEY MUST REPEAT THIS PROCESS

UNTIL THE CABLES
ARE CORRECTLY SPACED OUT

ALONG THE ENTIRE LENGTH
OF THE SPAN.

♪♪

BUT ACTUALLY SPACING
THE CABLES OUT

AND INSTALLING THE ROAD
DECKS BEFORE WINTER SETS IN

IS MUCH EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: AT THE LONGEST
SUSPENSION BRIDGE EVER ATTEMPTED

IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE,

SITE ENGINEER YU WEI
AND HIS TEAM

MUST PUSH THE TWO MAIN CABLES
51 FEET APART.

Wei: TODAY IS A BIG DAY.

WE HAVE SEVEN SHIFTING BEAMS,

AND THEN WE HAVE
40 PEOPLE ON THE SIDE.

NOW, WE ARE READY TO SHIFT
THE TWO MAIN CABLES.

Narrator:
WITH BEAMS AND TEAMS IN PLACE,

THEY START THE BIG PUSH.

HELLO.

IT TAKES AROUND 30 TONS OF
HYDRAULIC FORCE FOR THE JACKS

TO SLOWLY PUSH THE TWO 2,000-TON
CABLES APART INCH BY INCH.

♪♪

♪♪

HOLD.

[ CONVERSING IN
NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

Narrator: ONCE EACH JACK
IS FULLY EXTENDED,

THE TEAM MUST RETRACT
AND RESET THEM,

READY TO PUSH AGAIN.

♪♪

IT TAKES 6 HOURS TO PUSH
THE CABLES 13 FEET APART.

♪♪

BUT JUST AS THE TEAM HITS
ITS STRIDE...

WHEW! WHEW, WHEW, WHEW!

Narrator: ...THE WIND PICKS UP.

Kaasen:
THE WIND SPEED IS RISING,
SO WE WILL STOP THE SHIFTING

AND WAIT UNTIL THE WIND SETTLES.

Narrator: THE INCREASING WIND
FORCES THE TEAM

TO ABANDON TODAY'S OPERATION.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT
IT'S FINISHED TOMORROW,

OR WE WILL RUN OUT OF TIME.

Narrator: WITH THE TEAM WAITING
TO INSTALL THE DECK,

THIS DELAY COULDN'T
HAVE HIT AT A WORSE TIME.

♪♪

[ SPEAKING
NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

BUT THE NEXT DAY,

THERE'S A BREAK
IN THE STRONG WINDS.

THE TEAM MUST FINISH
JACKING THE BRIDGE'S

MAIN CABLES APART TO 51 FEET.

♪♪

[ MEN TALKING
IN NATIVE LANGUAGE]

♪♪

YU WEI AND HIS TEAM WORK
TIRELESSLY THROUGH THE DAY

TO HAUL THE CABLES APART.

♪♪

OKAY.

NOW WE HAVE FINISHED.

Narrator: SUCCESS.

AGAINST THE ODDS,
THE WEATHER HOLDS OUT,

BUT NOW THE MOST DAUNTING WORK
CAN BEGIN --

TO INSTALL
THE BRIDGE'S ROAD DECK.

♪♪

♪♪

WE HAVE BEEN WAITING
FOR THIS FOR 4 YEARS,

AND TOMORROW
IT'S GOING TO BE LIFTED.

IT'S AMAZING.

Narrator: LIFTING THE SECTIONS
OF ROAD DECK INTO PLACE

WILL BE THE TEAM'S TOUGHEST
CHALLENGE TO DATE.

ONCE THEY START,
THEY MUST NOT STOP

UNTIL AT LEAST THREE SECTIONS
ARE FIXED INTO POSITION.

IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR US

TO HAVE THE THREE
DECK SEGMENTS IN PLACE,

BECAUSE WHEN THE THREE SEGMENTS
ARE IN PLACE IT'S STABLE,

AND THE FORECAST SAYS
IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY WEATHER

FOR THE THREE NEXT DAYS.

SO, WE HAVE THIS LITTLE TIME
WINDOW WITH GOOD WEATHER

AND WE CANNOT HAVE ANYTHING
HAPPEN THAT DELAYS THIS PROCESS.

♪♪

Narrator: TO LIFT EACH OF THE
250-TON SECTIONS INTO PLACE,

THEY NEED TO USE THIS MAMMOTH
FLOATING CRANE CALLED THE UGLEN.

[ CONVERSING IN
NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

Narrator:
THE UGLEN IS THE BIGGEST
FLOATING CRANE IN THE COUNTRY.

ITS GIANT LIFTING ARM SOARS
NEARLY 400 FEET HIGH

AND HAS A LIFTING CAPACITY
OF NEARLY 800 TONS.

BUT MAKING SURE THEY LIFT
EACH PIECE OF ROAD DECK

INTO THE RIGHT SPOT
WILL TAKE CAREFUL COORDINATION

AS THE VESSELS SHIFT
AROUND ON THE WATER.

WE HAVE THE SHIP
WITH THE BRIDGE DECK.

WE HAVE THE FLOATING CRANE.

SO IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT BOTH
THESE BOATS ARE ANCHORED

CORRECTLY AND SAFE.

Narrator: THIS IS THE PLAN.

THE SHIP CARRYING THE DECK
WILL CONNECT

TO FOUR ANCHOR
POINTS IN THE WATER

AND TO TWO WINCHES
MOUNTED BELOW THE TOWERS.

THESE WINCHES WILL PULL
THE BOAT BACK AND FORTH

INTO THE CORRECT
POSITION FOR EACH LIFT.

THE TEAM ALSO PLANS TO CONNECT
THE FLOATING CRANE

TO BOTH THE ANCHOR POINTS
AND THE SHIP CARRYING THE DECK.

THIS WILL ENSURE THAT
THE TWO VESSELS MOVE IN UNISON

IN THE WATER.

THE CRANE WILL THEN LIFT UP EACH
SECTION TO THE VERTICAL CABLES.

THEN, THE TEAM MUST CONNECT THEM
TO THEIR MOUNTINGS.

THEY MUST REPEAT THIS PROCESS,
JOINING AT LEAST THREE SECTIONS

TOGETHER WITHIN THE RAZOR-THIN
WINDOW OF CALM WEATHER

OR THE DECK WON'T BE STABLE
ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND

THE BATTERING
FROM THE INCOMING STORM,

BUT ACTUALLY DOING
THIS WON'T BE EASY.

THE PLATFORMS.
GET READY TO LOWER DOWN.

EASY.
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

[ CONVERSING IN
NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

♪♪

Narrator: THE FIRST MASSIVE
DECK SECTION LIFTS OFF.

♪♪

♪♪

OH, IT'S COMING
CLOSER AND CLOSER.

Narrator:
THE CRANE SLOWLY RAISES
THE FIRST 250-TON SECTION

TO ITS MOUNTS.

THE TEAM KEEPS A CLOSE EYE
ON THE WEATHER.

A SUDDEN GUST NOW COULD
BLOW THE GIANT CRANE

INTO THE MAIN CABLES AND CAUSE
CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: WITH THE ARCTIC WINTER
ON THE HORIZON,

ENGINEERS AND WORKERS
ARE RACING TO INSTALL

THREE 250-TON DECK SECTIONS

ON THE HALOGALAND
BRIDGE IN NORWAY

BEFORE BAD WEATHER
PUTS AN END TO THEIR EFFORTS.

SO FAR IT'S LOOKED GOOD.

♪♪

[ INDISTINCT CHATTERING ]

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

Narrator: THEY LINE UP THE DECK,

AND INSERT THE LOCKING PINS.

HO, HO, HO, HO.

NOW IT'S HAMMER TIME AGAIN.

[ INDISTINCT CHATTERING ]

MORE, MORE, MORE.
HAMMER IT THAT WAY.

♪♪

IT TAKES OVER 3 HOURS

TO LOCK THE FIRST
SECTION INTO PLACE.

PERFECT.

[ SPEAKING
NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

NOW ALL PIN
ARE INSTALLED,

SO NOW THEY WILL DISCONNECT
CRANE AND THE LIFTING GEAR.

I FEEL VERY, VERY GOOD.

Narrator: THE FIRST SECTION OF
DECK SUSPENDED FROM THE BRIDGE

MARKS A MAJOR MILESTONE
FOR THE TEAM.

BUT THEY'RE RAPIDLY
LOSING LIGHT.

ONE SEGMENT NOW,
AND 29 TO GO NOW.

Narrator: IT'S TAKEN
MOST OF THE DAY TO POSITION

THE FIRST SECTION
OF BRIDGE DECK.

THEY CAN'T AFFORD ANY DELAYS
IF THEY'RE GOING TO FINISH

BEFORE THE HIGH WINDS COME.

♪♪

[ INDISTINCT CHATTERING ]

Narrator: BUT AFTER 3 DAYS
OF EXHAUSTING WORK,

THEY INSTALL ALL THREE DECKS.

IT LOOKS VERY GOOD.
WE'RE GOING TO BE SAFE.

Narrator: WITH A HEFTY 750 TONS
OF STEEL DECK INSTALLED,

THE BRIDGE IS NOW ROBUST ENOUGH
TO SURVIVE A STORM.

♪♪

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

OVER THE NEXT 3 WEEKS,
THE TEAM PICKS UP THE PACE.

THEY LIFT...

HAUL...

...AND SECURE
THE NEXT 22 SEGMENTS

INTO PLACE ONE BY ONE.

♪♪

EVERYTHING GOES SMOOTHLY.
I THINK IT'S OKAY.

♪♪

Narrator: BUT WITH JUST 18 DAYS
UNTIL THE WINTER WEATHER

IS DUE TO ROLL IN,
PROGRESS GRINDS TO A HALT.

STRONG WINDS AND FAST TIDES
MAKE IT TOO DANGEROUS

TO LIFT THE LAST DECK
SECTIONS INTO PLACE.

IT'S A HUGE SETBACK.

IT IS REALLY FRUSTRATING,
BUT HEY,

WE ARE BUILDING THE LONGEST
SUSPENSION BRIDGE

EVER ATTEMPTED IN THE ARCTIC,

SO WE WOULDN'T WANT TO BE
CAUGHT ON THE HOOK,

AND THEN THE WIND WOULD RISE.

YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD
BE A DISASTER.

Narrator: THE DELAYS DON'T JUST
COST PRECIOUS TIME,

THEY ALSO THREATEN TO PUSH
THIS $450 MILLION PROJECT

OVER BUDGET.

OPERATING
COSTS $120,000 EACH DAY.

SO WE'RE ANXIOUS TO GET STARTED
AND FINISH THE INSTALLATION

AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

Narrator:
WITH THE STRONG NORDIC WINDS
RAGING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS,

THE TEAM HAS NO OPTION
BUT TO STOP WORKING

AND WAIT FOR CALMER WEATHER.

♪♪

♪♪

BUT AFTER A FEW DAYS,
THE WINDS FINALLY DIE DOWN.

♪♪

DAGRUNN'S TEAM GEARS UP
TO COMPLETE

THE LAST CRITICAL MILESTONE.

[ CONVERSING IN
NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

Kaasen: RIGHT NOW, WE ARE
WAITING FOR THE FLOATING CRANE

TO COME IN TO POSITION
TO PUT UP THE LAST ELEMENT.

THIS IS REALLY EXCITING.

[ HORN BLOWS ]

Narrator: THIS IS THE MOMENT
THEY'VE ALL BEEN WORKING TOWARDS

FOR THE PAST 4 YEARS.

THE FLOATING CRANE CARRIES
THE FINAL DECK SECTION

TO THE BRIDGE.

WITH THE WIND AT BAY,
THEY SEIZE THEIR CHANCE

TO START THE FINAL LIFT.

THE ENTIRE PROJECT
HINGES ON THIS MOMENT.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: DEEP IN THE ARCTIC
CIRCLE, IN NORWAY,

ALL EYES ARE FOCUSED
ON THIS KEY MOMENT.

FOR THE PAST 4 YEARS,
ENGINEERS AND WORKERS HAVE BEEN

LABORING THROUGH PROBLEM
AFTER PROBLEM,

AND AT LAST, THEY START
TO LIFT THE FINAL SECTION

TO COMPLETE THE ROAD DECK
OF THE HALOGALAND BRIDGE.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO FIT.

Narrator: BUT IT WILL
BE A TIGHT SQUEEZE

MANEUVERING THIS 131-FOOT-LONG
PIECE INTO THE NARROW GAP.

[ MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

ONE WRONG MOVE COULD PUT
THE DECK SECTION

ONTO A COLLISION COURSE
WITH THE REST OF THE BRIDGE.

[ INDISTINCT TALKING ]

THE CRANE SLOWLY RAISES
THE DECK ABOVE THE ROADWAY.

THIS GIVES THE TEAM SOME SLACK
TO CONNECT THE HANGER CABLES.

♪♪

WHEN THEY RELEASE THE CRANE,
THEN IT WILL COME DOWN.

SO, I DON'T THINK WE REALLY HAVE
THIS DIFFERENCE IN THE HEIGHT.

Narrator:
WITH THE HANGERS CONNECTED,

THE CRANE SLOWLY LOWERS
THE FINAL SEGMENT DOWN

TO ALLOW THE HANGERS
TO TAKE THE FULL WEIGHT.

♪♪

♪♪

IT'S NOW THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.

WILL THE TWO SIDES
OF THE BRIDGE LINE UP?

♪♪

♪♪

WITH STRONG TUGS ON THE CHAINS,
THE BRIDGE JOINS TOGETHER.

[ HORN BLOWS ]

FOR DAGRUNN, KURT AND THE TEAM,
IT'S A HUGE RELIEF

AND THE END OF AN EPIC JOURNEY.

WE ARE FINISHED.

WHOO!

TODAY, WE CAN START WALKING FROM
THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BRIDGE

AND GO OVER TO THE SOUTH SIDE.

WE HAVE LOOKING FORWARD TO
THIS MOMENT FOR A LONG TIME NOW.

Narrator: TO MARK THIS MOMENTOUS
ACHIEVEMENT,

DAGRUNN AND HER TEAM
MAKE THE VERY FIRST

CROSSING OVER THE NEW BRIDGE

TO CELEBRATE WITH
THE REST OF THE CREW.

Kaasen: FIRST TRIP ON
THE HALOGALAND BRIDGE.

♪♪

I REALLY WANT TO THANK
EVERY ONE OF YOU

WHO HAS PARTICIPATED
WITH ALL YOUR SKILLS.

TODAY, WE CELEBRATE
THE NORWEGIAN WAY

WITH COFFEE AND CAKE.

SO, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF US
FOR THIS MILESTONE.

THANK YOU.
-THANK YOU.

[ APPLAUSE ]

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

♪♪

[ CHEERING ]

[ INDISTINCT CHATTERING ]

♪♪

Narrator:
THE COMPLETION OF THE DECK
MARKS THE KEY MILESTONE

IN THIS AMBITIOUS
$450 MILLION PROJECT.

ALL THE MAJOR CONSTRUCTION
WORK IS NOW COMPLETE.

THE TEAM HAS POURED 1.1 MILLION
CUBIC FEET OF CONCRETE,

SECURED OVER 11,000 MILES
OF WIRE INTO THE MOUNTAINS

AND INSTALLED 7,000 TONS
OF STEEL ROAD DECK.

WELL, THIS WILL BE A LANDMARK,
SO I CAN TELL ALL MY FRIENDS

THAT I HAVE BEEN
BUILDING THIS BRIDGE.

THIS WILL BE A MEMORY
FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

[ CHEERING ]

Kaasen: IT'S QUITE THE CHALLENGE
TO BUILD BRIDGES.

IT'S QUITE SPECIAL.

SO WHEN I GO BACK
TO SITTING IN THE OFFICE,

I WILL MISS THESE DAYS.

Narrator:
OVER THE COMING MONTHS,
THE TEAM WILL WRAP THE CABLES

TO PROTECT THEM
FROM THE ELEMENTS,

AND TOP THE STEEL DECK OFF WITH
THE ALL-IMPORTANT TARMAC ROADWAY

TO COMPLETE THE BRIDGE.

WHEN WE HAVE THIS NEW ROAD,
IT WILL BE SAVING LIVES.

♪♪

Narrator: FOR THE RESIDENTS OF
NARVIK, THIS SIGNALS A HUGE STEP

TOWARDS A MORE PROSPEROUS
FUTURE FOR THE AREA.

THIS BRIDGE MEANS THAT
WE CAN DEVELOP OUR CITY.

THIS CONNECTION
GOES DIRECTLY TO EUROPE,

AND I'M VERY EXCITED
TO SEE THIS BRIDGE OPENED.

[ LAUGHS ]

Narrator: THE BRAND-NEW
HALOGALAND BRIDGE

WILL DRAMATICALLY CUT JOURNEY
TIMES TO NEIGHBORING CITIES

AND PROVIDES
A SAFER PASSAGE NORTH

FOR THE RESIDENTS,

ENSURING NARVIK THRIVES
FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

♪♪