Austroads Bridge Awards 2022

Winner: InQuik Australia, Toorale Bridge Project

Submitted by InQuik, Alluvium Consulting Australia, and Pensar Infrastructure Group.

The InQuik bridge system was recognised for its unique construction approach. It is a semi-modular system, where the integrated steel formwork and reinforcing components are prefabricated off-site. The reinforcing steel and formwork carry the wet load of the concrete during the construction phase without temporary supports. This requires ingenious design and quality welding between the reinforcing members to give the required rigidity.

The rebar cages are made from ARC rebar, and enclosed by BlueScope REDCOR® weathering steel formwork for long-life.

Multiple InQuik panels can be stacked and transported together, reducing transportation fuel consumption. No heavy loads means less fuel consumption and less damage to roads. The entire three-span Toorale Bridge was transported to site on five trucks. No heavy weight cranes were required.

After the foundations were completed, the Toorale Bridge was installed in four working days over a two-week period by a five-man crew.

The final design of the bridge, weir and fishway reflects cultural and historic heritage values, with input from the Toorale Aboriginal Joint Management Committee, National Parks and Wildlife Service, NSW Fisheries and NSW Public Works Advisory.

Finalists:

• Mandurah Bridge – By BG&E, Georgiou Group, Main Roads Western Australia, and City of Mandurah
• Rapid Bridge Assessment Tool – By Transport for NSW

Winner: Auckland Harbour Bridge Emergency Repairs

Submitted by Beca, WSP, SRG Global, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, and ASM Fulton Hogan-HEB Joint Venture

The Auckland Harbour Bridge (AHB) is a critical link in the regional state highway network. Traffic on State Highway 1 has grown to 200,000 vehicles per day requiring a moveable lane barrier to accommodate five lanes during peak periods.

The critical asset for Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency has been managed by SRG, Beca and WSP for over 20 years delivering long-term asset management to sustain and improve the level of service on the AHB.

As well as full structural assessment, upgrades and asset management, the team covers operational management, incident response and traffic management. When a truck strike caused serious damage to the AHB, the team mobilised people with intimate knowledge and experience of the structure to deliver emergency repairs in record time.

Inspectors found a deformed diagonal member severed by the impact at the connection to the bottom chord. This is a critical diagonal tension member at the middle of the 244m span truss bridge, so after making the bridge safe the team met every day for 18 days to fast-track the response and keep the public informed.

Using the detailed knowledge of the bridge that had been built up over the last 20+ years the structural designers applied advanced assessment tools to confirm the load-carrying capacity at each stage. Site measurements were used to verify the findings from the structural model.

Key to managing risks was mobilising the right people with knowledge of the AHB to quickly apply the existing structural models and design tools to facilitate an appropriate, cost-effective solution. This included use of a historic paper that confirmed the original dead load tension forces in the member.

This project demonstrated an approach to structural management that optimised the overall performance of the AHB. The estimated $30m cost to customers when the bridge was operating at reduced capacity was reduced by $19m through the team’s rapid response.

Finalists:

• BHP Low-Level Bridge Replacement Project – By BG&E, BHP, and Laing O’Rourke
• Princes Highway upgrade between Berry and Bomaderry – By Transport for NSW, Arcadis, and Downer Seymour Whyte Joint Venture
• SH39 Mangaotama Bridge Superstructure Replacement – By Beca, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, and Oxcon CLL

Winner: Hay Street Bridge Vertical Clearance Improvement Project

Submitted by BG&E, Bocol Constructions, and Main Roads Western Australia

Constructed in 1968, the Hay Street Bridge complied with bridge height clearance standards at that time. However, data indicated that the bridge was hit 20 times by over-sized vehicles, nine of those the five years prior to the bridge improvement works.

The innovative design provided additional clearance to reduce the likelihood of collision.

BG&E designed the removal of the section of the middle span of the continuous bridge to work with the grade of the Freeway below to achieve an increased vertical clearance with minimal impact to the Freeway below and road above.

The methodology to cut out a significant part of a bridge width within the middle span of a continuous bridge is the first known application of its kind.

Upon completion of this project, the bridge now meets the current clearance standards and improves safety for road-users.

The innovative design and construction of this project resulted in:

• modifications that prolonged the bridge life beyond its 52-years
• a cost-effective approach, in the order of 10% of that for a replacement bridge.

Finalists:

• King Street Pedestrian Bridge – By ACCIONA, and WSP Australia
• Northern Connector Project Bridge 01 – By ACCIONA

Winner: Mandurah Bridge

Submitted by BG&E, Georgiou Group, Main Roads Western Australia, and City of Mandurah

The Old Mandurah Traffic Bridge, crossing Mandurah Estuary, was deteriorating rapidly and needed replacing.

From a competitive design and construct tender process, managed by Main Roads Western Australia, the state government awarded the project to Georgiou Group with bridge designers BG&E.

Following community consultation, the most important elements for the redevelopment design were confirmed as a need for visual connection to the water, improved pedestrian and cyclist access, safety and reduced traffic congestion, inclusion of fishing platforms, incorporation of social and historical heritage, including an association with the old bridge.

A particular feature of the design is the 5m wide shared path at a level lower than the road, that also serves as a viewing platform for events in the Estuary. This lower elevation also minimises the length of ramps required for universal access.

Innovative curved box cross section has impressed judges in a number of other awards where the project has either been a winner or a finalist.

Finalists:

• Bolivia Hill Upgrade – By Transport for NSW, Arcadis, Georgiou Group Pty Ltd & SRG Civil Pty Ltd Joint Venture
• Ngā Hau Māngere – By McConnell Dowell, Aurecon, and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

Finalists:

• Hay Street Bridge Vertical Clearance Improvement Project – By BG&E, Bocol Constructions, and Main Roads Western Australia
• Mordialloc Freeway – Waterway Bridges – By Major Road Projects Victoria, Jacobs, and McConnell Dowell / Decmil
• SH2 Wairoa River Bridge Cycleway Extension – By Beca, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, DC Structures Studio, and Brian Perry Civil
• Widening of Waimakariri River Bridge – By Aurecon, and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

We recognise these finalists as highly commendable projects. However, the judges decided that a winner will not be awarded for this category, as they believe there are significant opportunities to respond to the many facets of sustainable development. Austroads is keen to hear your ideas about how we can support progress towards a step change.