Skip to main content

Cofferdams completed for Sunderland city’s New Wear River Crossing

In the UK, foundation work for Sunderland city’s new bridge is about to start as the huge cofferdam in the middle of the River Wear nears completion. Water has been drained out of the cofferdam, a large steel watertight structure within the river, to allow the building of pylons for the bridge deck. It is the first bridge to be built over the Wear in Sunderland for more than 40 years and is part of the wider strategic transport plan to link the Port of Sunderland and city centre with the A19 road.
May 25, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Cofferdam construction to allow work on main pylon foundations
In the UK, foundation work for Sunderland city’s new bridge is about to start as the huge cofferdam in the middle of the River Wear nears completion.

Water has been drained out of the cofferdam, a large steel watertight structure within the river, to allow the building of pylons for the bridge deck.

It is the first bridge to be built over the Wear in Sunderland for more than 40 years and is part of the wider strategic transport plan to link the Port of Sunderland and city centre with the A19 road.

Before the end of the year, a 105m A-frame pylon will be floated from Belgium on a giant barge before being slowly hoisted into position on the river. It will take several hours to raise the pylon and secure it.

Stephen McCaffrey, project director for FVB joint venture, created by 1622 Farrans Construction and Victor Buyck Steel Construction, said the positioning of the pylon will be “a very complex project” and “not straightforward”.

Farrans Construction is a building and civil engineering contractor across the UK and Ireland. Victor Buyck is based in Belgium and specialises in major structural steelwork, especially steel bridges. The FVB joint venture is supported by their design team led by Buro Happold Engineering and Roughan & O'Donovan.

Sunderland City Council is holding a two-phase consultation to find a name for the new bridge.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Piers completed for Morandi Bridge replacement project
    February 20, 2020
    The last of the 18 elliptical 40m-tall piers have been finished.
  • New bridge is spanning China’s Yangtze River
    June 28, 2013
    There is massive development in design and construction of bridges in China and the Yingwuzhou Bridge over the Yangtze River is one key project – Mike Woof reports, with assistance from Route One’s Chinese publishing partner *CMTM Called the Mother River, the Yangtze is a focal point for China politically, economically and culturally. The river has been at the heart of China’s development for millennia, its history stretching back as far as the dawn of human civilisation. The name Yangtze, or Yangzi, is its
  • Bridge formwork solutions complete big bridge picture
    July 2, 2014
    Advanced bridge formwork solutions are allowing contractors to complete vital major highway infrastructure projects covering Norway, Sweden, Estonia and Poland. Guy Woodford reports Building the Labbdalen bridges in Norway is a key feature of the E6 highway improvement programme. Main project contractor HÆHRE tasked RMD Kwikform and Teknikk with supplying a complete formwork and shoring solution that could tackle the challenging Norwegian terrain, whilst preserving the environment. Situated two hours
  • Alberta’s peaceful partnership
    May 4, 2020
    A bridge project in northern Canada threw up some unexpected challenges, reports David Arminas, from the banks of the Peace River in Alberta