Pre-engineered Precast Concrete Rail Bridge Keeps Mersey Gateway Programme On-Track
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A 99 metre length ABM precast concrete Portal System Bridge has been installed on The Mersey Gateway, a major civil engineering project, due to open in autumn 2017 following a 1200 day construction programme. The skew-bridge is sited where the main north and southbound carriageways cross a rail freight line and was manufactured off-site to permit high speed installation with minimum call on site resources. Despite having to work around continued rail operations and the vagaries of the British weather, the 3,700 tonnes of pre-cast concrete were installed in just 15 working days.
The new portal bridge has a 5.86 metre clear height with each 14.5 metre span supported on precast wall sections with 56 of the three-part portal units used to make up the total length. The portal vault units were stitched together with in-situ concrete to allow them to deal with the uneven loading imposed by the skewed crossing. The bearing-free design will minimise maintenance during the structure’s 120 year design life.
“The ABM Portal System is ideal for where off site manufacture, under factory conditions, can deliver a higher quality product that can be quickly and efficiently installed on site with minimal disruption. The portal design uses the spring stiffness of an engineered soil block to create an extremely strong structure that uses materials efficiently with little environmental impact,” explained Mike Sanderson, ABM’s business development manager.
In addition to freight line bridge works, ABM have also supplied to the project 6.8 km of bridge deck facia panels, H4A and N2 vehicle containment parapets and ship impact protection for the piers where these adjoin the Manchester Ship Canal, that passes under the main South Approach Viaduct.
When complete the Mersey Gateway will provide a second crossing of the Mersey connecting Runcorn with Widnes and the surrounding hinterlands removing a major point of congestion.
More Information
Mike Sanderson, Business Development Manager, Tel. +44 (0)1777 872233
E-mail: mike.sanderson@abmeurope.com Web: www.abmprecast.co.uk
ABM Precast Solutions Ltd, Ollerton Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG22 0PQ
Release issued: September 26, 2017
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Pre-engineered Precast Concrete Rail Bridge Keeps Mersey Gateway Programme On-Track
