KESSOCK BRIDGE: JOINT ENGINEERS' ROLE

The feasability study for the Beauly Firth Crossing at Inverness led to the design of a high-level dual carriageway bridge with a 220M cable-stayed navigation span. The foundation design incorporated steel piles taken to dense sands at 60M depth. Excessively high tenders in 1974-75 led the Scottish Development Department to initiate the first design-and-construct competition in the UK for a major bridge and to appoint Crouch & Hogg linking with Ove Arup & Partners to be joint engineers for the project. The responsibilities of the joint engineers are briefly described together with the make-up of the competition documentation which is further discussed in a companion paper. Following assessment of the tenders the joint engineers recommended to the sdd that the design-and-constuct contract for a steel-decked bridge with a cable-stayed span of 240M should be placed with the consortium of Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Co Ltd and RDL Contracting Limited. Following a complete design check on the foundations and superstructure the joint engineers endorsed the contractors design and adopted it as their own for the construction phase and thereafter. Site staffing and inspection are briefly described. Some of the unusual features of the bridge are discussed including the disturbing influence of the wind on the navigation span, the protective system adopted for steelwork and the use of combined welding and bolting for site joints. (Author/TRRL)

• Corporate Authors:

  Thomas Telford Limited

  London,   United Kingdom 
• Authors:
  • Wallace, C
  • NISSEN, J
• Conference:
  • Institution of Civil Engineers, Proceedings, Pt 1
• Publication Date: 1984-2

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 67-80
• Serial:
  • Volume: 76

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bids; Bolted joints; Bolts; Bridge decks; Bridge design; Bridges; Cable stayed bridges; Competition; Construction; Contractors; Design; Feasibility analysis; Joints; Personnel; Sand; Steel; Structural design; Support piles; Surveillance; Tenders; Welding; Wind
• Uncontrolled Terms: Steel piling
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Old TRIS Terms: Construction problems; Joint
• ITRD Terms: 137: Bid; 3888: Bolt; 3455: Bridge; 3482: Bridge deck; 235: Competition; 9011: Design (overall design); 2998: Joint (structural); 102: Personnel; 3399: Pile; 4105: Sand; 3417: Stayed girder bridge; 4542: Steel; 9101: Surveillance; 137: Tender; 8119: United Kingdom; 3852: Welding; 2554: Wind
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Bridges and other structures; Construction; Design; Highways; Society; I10: Economics and Administration; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls; I53: Construction of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00386005
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 30 1984 12:00AM