Bridge Construction

Bridge construction involves many of the same elements as marine construction, especially in situations where the bridge crosses waterways or environmentally sensitive areas requiring equipment to be elevated above the ground.

In these situations our specialised equipment, such as heavy duty temporary bridging and construction barges, enables us to deliver cost-effective solutions.

We have recently been awarded a contract for the construction of two bridges on the Port of Brisbane motorway duplication with a combined length of 374 metres.  These bridges are across Oxbow and Bulimba creeks, both environmentally sensitive areas where it was not possible to use a temporary earth bund to support construction equipment. 

Information and image courtesy of the Department of Transport and Main Roads

The solution is to construct a heavy duty temporary bridge alongside the new bridge alignment on which construction cranes and equipment will sit to access the new bridge construction.  The bridge is completely removed on completion of the new structure, thereby producing minimal harm to the sensitive marine environment.

Through Smithbridge Australia we were also involved in the construction of bridges over water.  The twin Captain Bishop bridges linking Fisherman Islands to the mainland at the Port of Brisbane were constructed in 2010/2011.

Large diameter steel tubular piles were installed for the abutments and piers on the northbound bridge.

The contract also included demolition of the original bridge once traffic had been switched to the new northbound bridge.

Our temporary bridge system was also utilised for the demolition of the Tourle Street bridge in Newcastle.  Crawler cranes supported on the temporary bridge removed the old bridge steel trusses with a tandem lift and then serviced the removal of the concrete elements.