MERIT – Manor Farm Bridge, Somerset

Spanning a busy highway, and delivered on time and on budget, an iconic steel bridge provides a safe connection between two parts of a private estate. 

FACT FILE
Architect and structural engineer: Dyse Structural Engineers
Steelwork contractor and main contractor: Beaver Bridges Ltd
Client: Emily Estates

The 33m-long Manor Farm Bridge, links two parts of the Emily Estate (home of the award-winning Newt boutique hotel) in Somerset, providing access across the A359 for farm traffic, residents and visitors alike.

The structure was designed and fabricated with complex curved steel girders, which were fitted with architectural steel fin cladding, a pedestrian handrail and a concrete anti-cracking road surface.

Adhering to the client’s exacting requirements, all of the materials were chosen to match the Estate’s existing facilities and to enhance the local environment. 

Using curved girders and individual steel fins meant the load distributions and engineering calculations were complex. 

According to Beaver Bridges, the use of architectural fins created many challenges as each one was unique in design, manufacture and installation. Each fin required an individual and assembled calculation.

Weighing 60t in total, the fins form part of the bridge’s structural integrity, which ensured the structure did not buckle when it was lifted. It was crucial to the final design that all of the fins were exactly perpendicular once they were installed. 

To allow the structure to be transported from Beaver Bridges’ Wigan fabrication yard, it was manufactured in 12 dismountable sections. Each section was welded by a team of skilled technicians, with careful planning to ensure weld accessibility. 

Once on site, the bridge was fully assembled (using a 75t-capacity crane) and then lifted into place using a much larger 600t-capacity crane.

The bridge, which includes a steep camber to provide adequate clearance of the road, should require minimal maintenance during its lifespan, as it has been painted offsite with multi-layer anti corrosion protection. 

Ticking the sustainability box, the lightweight structure was fabricated from steel containing a recycled percentage. If it was to be decommissioned in the future, the steelwork can be recycled again, as part of the circular economy. 

The judges say, this private commission has resulted in a beautiful bridge to an exemplary standard of steel design and workmanship that goes way beyond the simple requirements of bridging the highway for farm traffic and providing a new safe route for the Monarch’s Way bridle path.