Built to connect the new Hinkley Nuclear Power Station to the national grid with a new 400kV power line, we needed a service road parallel with the proposed power to access the 95 tonne cable drums and concrete wagons.
The road was crossing a series of drainage channels and a couple of rivers, the largest being the River Axe. A total of seven bridges were built on this project and this one was the longest at 45 metre long.
An environmentally friendly temporary build, done right the first time
By using Tekla on this project we were able to complete it ‘right first time’. Months of planning went into the installation and manufacturing of the bridge. Using Tekla we were able to send detailed drawings and NC data to our fabricator to ensure steelwork was delivered correctly.
We also developed the older drawings used in the 1980s and 1990s to give site gangs a better understanding of how the bridges went together. The design of this bridge was first developed before World War II and we used the same principles to design this bridge whilst also using our in-house carbon calculator tools to ensure we had the most environmentally friendly build possible. We were also able to send IFC models to the crane contractor so that they could run test runs to make sure no problems would occur when the bridge was lifted into place, which helped towards our vision of zero harm to the environment.
Important points or benefits:
- Steel: 90 tonnes
- Length: 45 metres
- Timber sleepers on the main deck: 173
