Bridges
- Publication no: ABC2025-038-25
- Published: 27 June 2025
- PDF (free) Download
Leighton Asia and EIC Activities (EIC) are currently working to deliver the Candaba 3rd Viaduct project in the Philippines. The project involves several key partners: NLEX Corporation (NLEX) as Client and Project Manager, and subconsultants Philkoei and Leighton Asia’s OneDCS under EIC Activities.
The scope of work includes the design and construction of a new independent, 3-lane, 5.3 km bridge between the existing northbound and southbound lanes of the viaduct and associated approach works.
The viaduct, has 26 No. 20 m spans, divided into 10 span modules made fully integral, resulting in minimal maintenance and the use of only 40 elastomeric bearings on the project. The bridge is in the highest seismic zone of the Philippines, with a base Peak Ground Acceleration of 0.6g. The project includes a new 200 m pedestrian walkway bridge across the Pampanga River.
The substructures are twin 1.5 m piles with 1.2 m columns. The superstructure comprises 4 No. double web, 1.5 m deep reinforced concrete T-girders weighing 64T each.
As the viaducts are operational tollways, NLEX required a minimum disruption construction methodology and impact to the tollway. This, combined with a 24-month design and construct program, led EIC and Leighton Asia to devise a solution utilising crawler cranes on the constructed bridge deck as the superstructure erection methodology. The girders with 220mm thick slabs are connected using 900mm stitches mitigating onsite formwork.
The girder selection of reinforced concrete (not prestressed) enables simplified production as locally no pretension stress beds were large enough. The girder design is governed by the 120T crane load. NLEX required a relocatable precast barrier designed for a 500 kN impact load for the future staged viaduct rebuild.
EIC designed the 180 m temporary crane and access jetty across the Pampanga River.
This collaboration demonstrates the capabilities of Leighton Asia, EIC Activities and NLEX to deliver innovative design and methodology solutions, taking project and client requirements into consideration.