Distribution
launched during a
weekend closure of
the M1
NSC 23
Steel bridge creates Gateway access The bridge was
January 19
One of the major infrastructure works that has
been undertaken around the East Midlands
Gateway project is a new bridge across the
M1, which will join the A6 Kegworth Bypass to the
A453 to serve the distribution park.
Working on behalf of main contractor
Buckingham Group, and to a design by structural
engineer Cass Hayward, Cleveland Bridge fabricated,
delivered, assembled and installed the bridge over
one of the UK’s busiest motorways.
The bridge was delivered to site in four sets of
braced girders, fabricated from weathering steel.
The bridge span is approximately 50m, and the
completed steel structure weighed approximately
330t. However, with the concrete deck added, the
total bridge weighed close to 1,250t.
The girders were assembled adjacent to the
M1 motorway. The concrete deck was then cast
by Buckingham Group onto the steel girders and,
once sufficiently cured, the central supports were
de-propped to allow the bridge to settle, prior to
launching.
The proximity of the airport meant that large
cranes were effectively prohibited for the installation
process. Consequently, Cleveland Bridge used
Self Propelled Mobile Transporters (SPMTs) to
offload the 50m-long braced girder pairs from the
delivery vehicles. These girder pairs were lifted and
transported onto temporary supports, designed by
Cleveland Bridge, in a secure area adjacent to the M1.
The girder pairs were then bolted together and
handed over to Buckingham Group to cast the
full-width concrete deck. Casting the concrete prior
to launching the bridge minimised the need for
extensive works once the bridge was in place.
When the concrete had cured, Cleveland Bridge
returned to site to install the entire bridge during a
weekend closure of the M1 – limiting disruption to
road users.
A fleet of SPMTs was the preferred option to
launch the structure into the final position. They
lifted and manoeuvred the structure into place and
then lowered it on to the abutments.
“We were extremely happy with the quality of the
product supplied by Cleveland Bridge. They worked
to a challenging programme and collaborated well
throughout the project,” says Buckingham Group
Project Manager David Lane.
The launch attracted
a large crowd of
onlookers
/Bridges
/Design_for_steel_bridge_construction#Fabricating_the_steelwork
/Design_for_steel_bridge_construction#Transportation
/Weathering_steel
/Multi-girder_composite_bridges#Longitudinal_girders
/Design_for_steel_bridge_construction#Specialist_transport
/Multi-girder_composite_bridges#Bracing
/Design_for_steel_bridge_construction#Bolting
/Multi-girder_composite_bridges#Configuration_of_a_multi-girder_bridge