Working with BAM, Network Rail and Lincolnshire County Council, Arcadis supported the design and installation of a 600-tonne rail bridge over the new Lincoln Eastern Bypass. The new bridge was slid into place over a single weekend, meaning the railway line only needed to be closed for a minimum amount of time over 72-hours. The superstructure, comprising two 107-tonne steel beams and a 40.5m long bridge deck, was moved from the build location and into position during a strict 12-hour window.
The innovative rail bridge was designed by Arcadis and installed by Mammoet using a sliding method, where the existing rail tracks are disassembled and reassembled to allow a hydraulic skidding system to slide the bridge into its final position over the Lincoln Eastern Bypass.
Works included 10 months of preparation, constructing cofferdams, piles, pile caps and installing temporary works. This substructure arrangement allowed for top-down construction of the abutments following the bridge installation, using low headroom piling techniques.
Design changes were also needed to eliminate the need for track lifts, due to concerns over the stability of the existing embankment. This, along with very difficult ground conditions and the requirement to have eight 900mm diameter, 30m long temporary cased piles at each corner of the structure, created significant challenges. Despite the very complex and demanding project, all work was delivered on time.
Following the bridge installation, the retaining walls and wingwalls will be completed by BAM on behalf of Network Rail ahead of the construction of the new bypass, expected to be complete by October 2019.
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