Road Structures

Rising to the challenge

July 18, 2012

Visualise today's concept of a major commercial traffic corridor in the western United States. A roadway responsible for delivering goods to Arizona, Nevada and Utah, that also connects Mexico to the United States to Canada through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). What springs to mind? A multi-lane highway carrying thousands of vehicles a day past cities at speeds up to 113km/hour, while egress ramps make sure vehicles get safely to city streets and their final destination. This is not the c

Fast-track Biloxi Bay bridge

July 18, 2012

Construction of a bridge destroyed in a hurricane was completed early, and with some added aesthetic benefits Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest and costliest natural disasters in US history, made landfall on 29 August, 2005, devastating the Gulf Coast. The US 90 Bridge over Biloxi Bay (connecting the communities of Biloxi and Ocean Springs, Mississippi) was one of many major highway and railroad bridges knocked out of service due to extensive storm damage. The eye of the storm passed 96km west of Bilo

Australian bridge slides into position

July 18, 2012

A heavy rail crossing as part of Australia's EastLink motorway demanded great ingenuity and careful planning Most of the 88 bridges on the EastLink tolled motorway in, Melbourne, Australia were kept as simple and straightforward as possible. Contractor Thiess John Holland (TJH) developed its own precast yard 150km from the city, which provided many of the prefabricated materials required for the structures. This offered speed and economy while logistics and sequencing were vital for their erection. But the

Mini-bridge aids Forth repairs

July 17, 2012

An engineering "first" means that rehabilitation work on a vital Scottish bridge built over 40 years ago can be carried out smoothly A new report to the Forth Estuary Transport Authority (FETA) in Scotland recommends appointing Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering of Edinburgh as 'preferred bidder' to carry out the scheduled replacement of the bridge's main expansion joints in 2009. However, the report to the bridge authority says the tender price of £13.7 million (US$21.3 million) is some £5 million ($7.8 mill

Eliminating leaks on Prague bridge

July 17, 2012

Stirling Lloyd's Eliminator waterproofing system, found on the decks of many of the world best known highway bridges, is being used in a €8.7 million refurbishment project on the famous 650-year-old Charles Bridge in the Czech capital Prague. Work on the tourist attraction includes repairs to the upper bridge section, replacement of the old concrete deck, installation of the new waterproofing system, replacing stones in sills where required, new drainage and repair to the structures pillars. It will repair

Repairs to piers on Italian viaduct

July 17, 2012

Hydrodemolition played a vital role in the repairs and strengthening of the multi-span Rio Verde Viaduct, one of the tallest in Europe, that carries the busy dual two-lane A15/E33 Autostrada della Cisa over a steep-sided valley in the municipality of Pontremoli, north-west Italy. Conjet hydrodemolition equipment was used to remove damaged concrete from the faces of the viaduct's rectangular concrete piers, which rise up to 136m from the valley bottom to the steel deck. A new and thicker concrete skin was th

Repairs to piers on Italian viaduct

July 17, 2012

Hydrodemolition played a vital role in the repairs and strengthening of the multi-span Rio Verde Viaduct, one of the tallest in Europe, that carries the busy dual two-lane A15/E33 Autostrada della Cisa over a steep-sided valley in the municipality of Pontremoli, north-west Italy. Conjet hydrodemolition equipment was used to remove damaged concrete from the faces of the viaduct's rectangular concrete piers, which rise up to 136m from the valley bottom to the steel deck. A new and thicker concrete skin was th

Eliminating leaks on Prague bridge

July 17, 2012

Stirling Lloyd's Eliminator waterproofing system, found on the decks of many of the world best known highway bridges, is being used in a €8.7 million refurbishment project on the famous 650-year-old Charles Bridge in the Czech capital Prague. Work on the tourist attraction includes repairs to the upper bridge section, replacement of the old concrete deck, installation of the new waterproofing system, replacing stones in sills where required, new drainage and repair to the structures pillars. It will repair

Lochkov bridge construction time 'cut'

July 17, 2012

As part of the R1 southern orbital motorway around the Czech capital, Prague, a joint venture is building a five-span, 461m long and approximately 65m high viaduct near the village of Lochkov, as a girder bridge construction. For the two steeply inclined twin piers, Doka has supplied an automatic climbing formwork solution that obviates the need for shoring and that will "cut more than 100 days from the construction period." Cast-in-place concrete construction of bridge piers with such a steep inclination

Excavation offering

July 16, 2012

There are various ways of building a tunnel, and for excavation jobs many contractors prefer to use versions of standard machines that have instead been converted to suit the confines of tunnelling applications. Some contractors opt to adapt their own units and with ventilation being an issue in underground work, engine emissions are a key focus when adapting machines. Exhaust filters and other after treatment solutions are usually required and there are an array of off-the-shelf packages available as well