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HS2 installs modular steel bridge in just 45 minutes

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The second of four bridges on the site of HS2’s new Solihull Interchange Station has been installed in record time.

The 45m-long multi-girder steel composite bridge was assembled offsite, using 220t of steel from Cleveland Bridge.
After building the bridge from modular sections, the final part of this process was the 128-wheel hydraulic platform taking just 45 minutes to move the bridge deck 150 metres, where it was lowered onto the abutments to complete the overall bridge structure.

According to the team, traditional construction methods would have required several weeks of lane closures on both carriageways, followed by additional weekend and overnight closures.

The bridge move was led by specialist engineering contractor Expanded and HS2 enabling works contractor, LMJV (Laing O’Rourke and J. Murphy & Sons Joint Venture).

Also, supporting the hi-tech process, a design joint venture involving WSP and Ramboll provided engineering and environmental services. By applying advanced digital capabilities to design all elements of the structure in a virtual world, they determined that the A446 road bridge would be built using a Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) strategy.

HS2’s Delivery Director David Bennett said: “As work ramps up at one of HS2’s largest construction sites, it was fantastic to see this next milestone achieved so quickly. It was finished 24 hours ahead of schedule and follows hot on the heels of the installation of the bridge over the M42 in August, which was also completed early. We’re pleased to see innovations like this on the project dramatically reducing environmental impacts and disruption for road users.

“With construction of the railway now well underway, 22,000 jobs being created and an estimated 400,000 supply chain contracts available, HS2 is playing a pivotal role in helping Britain’s economic recovery.”

Watch the bridge installation video here:

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