In 2003 a major landslide destroyed a highway in southern Greece causing a mass displacement of about 6.000.000m³. A 390m long arch-tied bridge was selected as the best option to overcome the landslide.

During the construction period, it was required to use the landslide body as a foundation ground to support the steel towers required for the erection of the arches.

The most challenging of the required temporary infrastructure was the design of the foundation of the 14 steel piers used for the heavy lifting and final assembly of the 36m parts of the arch pair. The demanding stability within a moving mass, combined with the very tight accuracy required for the arch welding activities and the significant loads transferred to the ground, comprised the technical framework for the design of these works.

As it was impossible to stabilise the landslide, the main goal of the design was to ensure the safety of the temporary traffic of the highway and to provide stability for the safe erection of the arch and the welding activities at a height  of 60m, within an estimated erection duration of 2 years.

Deep foundation with pile groups were used for the foundation of the temporary towers. Piles founded in the rock for depth of sliding mass smaller than 5m, while floating piles were designed for the sliding mass with depth varying between 8m and 22m.