Landmark new UK bridge project

COWI is working on a landmark UK bridge project.
By MJ Woof December 2, 2020 Read time: 2 mins
The Carrington Bridge is the first in the UK to feature a new steel grade - image © courtesy of Alun Griffiths Contractors Ltd
The new Carrington Bridge project in Worcester is the first UK bridge to use a new higher-strength grade of weathering steel. This S460W material offers structural and environmental benefits.

Using this stronger grade of steel enabled the COWI design team to reduce the total material quantity by 15%, resulting in a more sustainable structure. The reduced quantity of steel reduces associated carbon emissions from manufacturing and transport. The use of corrosion-resistant weathering steel means the steelwork does not require painting, a further environmental benefit.

The use of weathering steel also made it easier to transport and lift the girders. These were delivered to site in segments of up to 48m, then spliced into whole-span lengths of 80m before being lifted onto their supports by a 1,200tonne capacity mobile crane, one of the UK’s largest. The final two crane lifts over the River Severn were achieved at a radius of 80m with the crane boom extended to its maximum length of 180m.

COWI won the work on the project with Alun Griffiths Contractors, as part of an ECI scheme, to design the three-span composite road bridge, as well as the geotechnical design of the road embankment, retaining walls and slope stabilisation measures. The bridge has a total length of 205m and forms part of the Worcester Southern Link Road project, which will convert the A4440 from single to dual carriageway, relieving traffic congestion in the area. The steelwork for Carrington Bridge was fabricated and installed by Cleveland Bridge.

The 2.5km long highway scheme includes another significant viaduct as well as a landmark footbridge, also designed by COWI. In addition to designing the structures, COWI was also responsible for all of the geotechnical design of the project, including earthworks. Completion of the bridge is planned for spring 2021.
Materials

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Cebu Bridge sides joined in Philippines
    October 8, 2021
    The two sides of the Cebu Bridge in the Philippines have been joined.
    Read More
  • Bolivia’s new highway
    October 10, 2017
    Bolivia’s new highway will provide better access into mountain areas – Mauro Nogarin writes At the beginning of 2015, work began on the construction and paving for the Tupiza - Atocha - Uyuni highway project. The route is located in Bolivia’s Potosí department: it is 189m in length and forms part of the Southwest Basic Road Network (RVF) of Bolivia. The completion of this important route is requiring funding worth US$150 million, of which 72% is being delivered through loans from the European Investment
    Read More
  • Collaborative approach is delivering the Queensferry Crossing
    March 28, 2017
    The Queensferry Crossing forms the centrepiece of a major upgrade to the cross-Forth transport corridor in the east of Scotland. It will be the longest three-tower, cable-stayed bridge in the world and represents a Scottish Government capital investment of more than €1.5 billion. The 2.7km Queensferry Crossing is alongside the Forth Road Bridge and will carry the M90 motorway across the Firth of Forth between Lothian, at South Queensferry, and Fife, at North Queensferry. Each of the three towers are 207m
    Read More
  • Act FAST when it comes to bridge maintenance, argues Cliff Weston
    February 27, 2017
    Deck waterproofing remains critical to a bridge’s structural integrity for its design life, explains Cliff Weston, director of Stirling Lloyd To properly maintain deck waterproofing there must be a willingness to look at solutions based on whole-life costing rather than just short-term initial costs. There are lessons to be learned from examples of prematurely failed infrastructure due to a focus on initial short-term costs.
    Read More

Highlighted Content