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| Record Breaking Bridge Beams at Raith Interchange for Motorway  Another milestone has been passed on the M8 M73 M74 motorway improvements project with nine, 90 tonne, 42 metre, pre-stressed bridge beams installed at the junction 5, Raith Interchange on the M74. Fabricated and delivered in March by ABM Precast Solutions, the W beams are believed to be the largest bridge beams of this type fabricated in the UK in recent years. ABM are supplying precast structures to six other bridges on the £500 million project being delivered for Scottish Roads Partnership on behalf of Transport Scotland. ABM's has recently extended and upgraded their factory in Tuxford and these are the largest pre stressed beams produced since completion of this investment. Each W beam was cast in purpose built heated moulds ensuring rapid uniform curing to achieve the 50 N/mm2 stress load transfer strength, with each beam having over 1,700 tonnes pre-stress load. Mike Sanderson, business development manager, explained, "This was a technically and logistically challenging project but one for which both we and our transport partners have invested heavily to create the capability. Manufacture, transportation and installation proceeded closely to plan allowing the remainder of the programme to proceed close to target." The Raith interchange is a noted pinch point in the Scottish motorway system, so installation took place over three overnight operations, timed from midnight to four AM. One of the largest mobile cranes in the UK, a 1500 tonne capacity unit, was used to lift and carefully position the massive beams. The loads were carried by Walker Haulage of Tuxford to the Scottish border without escort. Local police were then engaged to guide the unusual steering bogie trailers to site completing their 260 mile journey. write your comments about the article :: © 2016 Construction News :: home page |