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

  • New system helps recycle road grit
    May 13, 2015
    UK firm Siltbuster is now offering a larger and more powerful wet waste separation system. The new Gritbuster WT-250 is a larger version of the company’s proven technology for material washing, separation and aggregate recovery. The Gritbuster WT-250 is aimed at the road sweeping & trommel fines waste recycling markets and is capable of handling in excess of 25tonnes/hour. Using well established wet separation processes, the plant separates feedstocks into washed gravel and sand products. Raw material
    Read More
  • Maybe Hire takes on Whorlton Bridge
    March 14, 2025
    For refurbishment of the old English bridge, a temporary cable crane structure - designed by CaSE Civil & Structural Engineering - used a range of Mabey Hire’s propping equipment, including the Mass 50, System 160 and Mat 125 products.
    Read More
  • Effective precast barrier units from Netherlands firm
    April 29, 2015
    Haitsma Beton in the Netherlands has developed a lightweight precast concrete barrier system for temporary use. This T3 system is said to make investing in vehicle guidance more cost-effective. Each HaiSafe T barrier weighs 1.5tonnes and is over 10% lighter than comparable precast concrete barriers. The system is said to be easy and quick to locate, as well as to to assemble and disassemble. A novel feature is that no anchoring is needed at the ends, because the system has been tested and approved without a
    Read More
  • Barge-mounted Manitowoc MLC300 lists Illinois bridge into place
    June 28, 2018
    The reduced footprint and floating counterweight meant that it is much more efficient for contractors to barge-mount a crawler crane. The crane can be on smaller water-based barges because the machine automatically adjusts its centre of gravity for each lift. Kraemer North America recently used an MLC300 to help replace an 84-year-old truss bridge, the 756m Savanna-Sabula Bridge near Savanna, in the US state of Illinois. The Savanna–Sabula Bridge was a truss bridge and causeway crossing the Mississippi Ri
    Read More

Highlighted Content