Aggregate Industries lightens the load for the Acton Swing Bridge

Aggregates Industries recently lightened the load for the 73m-long bow string truss Acton Swing Bridge in England. When opened in 1933, it was the first floating swing bridge in the UK – floating on a pontoon. The 84-year-old bridge, which is cared for by the Canal & River Trust charity, carries the busy A49 road over the River Weaver Navigation, in the county of Cheshire. A recent €1.7 million complete refurbishment included strengthening works to the underside of the bridge as well as improvements to its
October 2, 2018 Read time: 3 mins
Work in full swing on the Acton Swing Bridge
Aggregates Industries recently lightened the load for the 73m-long bow string truss Acton Swing Bridge in England. When opened in 1933, it was the first floating swing bridge in the UK – floating on a pontoon.


The 84-year-old bridge, which is cared for by the Canal & River Trust charity, carries the busy A49 road over the River Weaver Navigation, in the county of Cheshire. A recent €1.7 million complete refurbishment included strengthening works to the underside of the bridge as well as improvements to its appearance.

Core to the project’s success was the ability to enhance the bridge’s structural integrity to allow for heavier traffic. The challenge was to do this without an increase of mass – given the required 2.5m allowance for boats passing underneath.

As such, 2297 Aggregate Industries’ Lytag secondary aggregate - up to 50% lighter than normal weight aggregate - was chosen by lead contractor Kier Construction. By using Lytag to replace the infill with the framework, the weight was effectively reduced from 2,400kg/m³ to 1,650kg/m³. This gave increased flexibility and durability for Kier, while ensuring an increased overall strength. The approach also negated the need for quarried aggregate, helping to reduce material requirements and ensure efficiencies.

With works now complete, the contract saw Aggregate Industries supply 100tonnes of 0/14mm Lytag - a tailored blend of aggregates specifically designed to offer a greater reduction in concrete density.

The design freedom afforded by Lytag offers the same level of structural performance as normal weight concrete, explained Steve Curley, general manager for Lytag at Aggregate Industries.


“However, it is significantly lighter, thus reducing the dead load of a construction. In projects such as Acton Swing Bridge, where strengthening works need to be achieved without resulting in an increase to size or mass, this product can really make the otherwise infeasible achievable.”

The lightweight concrete has a density of 1,850kg/m³ using natural fines (normal weight concrete of 2,400 kg/m³). If fines are used in conjunction with the 4/14mm aggregate, the density can be as low as 1,650kg/m³.

Using Lytag within the design can not only reduce the thickness of the slab, columns and foundations but reduce the amount of rebar required, resulting in a quicker more cost-effective greener structure.

Aggregate Industries is a member of the Swiss global building materials provider LafargeHolcim Group.

Road Structures

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • D&A Heavy Industries launch quartet of breakers at INTERMAT 2015
    April 23, 2015
    Korean company D&A Heavy Industries has unveiled four new hydraulic breakers at INTERMAT 2015. The models – D&A 650V, D&A 700V, D&A 750V, and D&A 1200V - range from 10-22tonnes in operating weight and are for excavator sizes 45-80tonnes, 58-100tonnes, 60-100tonnes, and 85-140tonnes respectively.
    Read More
  • KINSHOFER's effective cutting system
    June 11, 2019
    KINSHOFER is introducing the WS Drum Cutter Series. The drum cutters feature an exclusive pick angle and optimal chisel arrangement for high performance and minimal wear, suiting tunnelling, road construction and demolition. Drum cutters are an alternative to hydraulic breakers and the WS-Series are one of the quietest in the industry, suiting them for use in areas with noise restrictions. They also produce less vibration than breakers, so contractors can use them where there is a risk of disturbing a nea
    Read More
  • Road recycling with Ammann in China
    February 27, 2019
    A Chinese road builder is planning to add recycling capabilities to its existing asphalt-mixing plants to meet new environmental guidelines. Another benefit of this approach is that the firm will also be able to substantially reduce its costs CSCEC Road & Bridge is a highly successful business in China and utilises Ammann Uniglobe Asphalt-Mixing Plants for its operations. The firm says that the results have been impressive and during one key road expansion project, one of its Uniglobe plants produced 700
    Read More
  • Welsh contractor enlists a ‘road warrior’ for stabilisation work in England
    September 28, 2015
    Groundworks contractor DCM Roadways, based in the southeast Wales town of Monmouth, has brought in an FAE MTM to ensure the best result possible for an access road project. DCM, which specialises in soil stabilisation and road recycling, is working on a solar project in the Forest of Dean area of Gloucestershire county, just across the border in England. The job is for the construction of around 1.2km of stabilised highway access roads.
    Read More

Highlighted Content