AUSSIE HIGHWAYS PUT ON A CONCRETE FACE

This article gives a brief account of the use of precast concrete blocks for facing embankments and bridge abutments on Australia motorways. The author describes their use on the lower yara freeway where there are numerous grade-separations between the motorway and local access roads, two railway lines and a creek crossing. The decision to use light coloured, textured pre-cast concrete blocks was made in the light of appearance, cost and the problems of widening the road in the future. 18,000 300mm by 300mm by 90mm split blocks were used in slate and white. The other example described is on brisbane's south east freeway, which cuts across an existing street pattern. The abutments of the bridges have been protected with a facing of concrete masonry blocks. A 150mm layer of no-fines concrete was cast on the earth embankment to provide a rigid base for the blockwork. Where reinforced concrete retaining walls were required, these were cast against the base and faced with the concrete masonry to align with adjacent wing walls. 400mm by 200mm by 100mm blocks were mostly used but at one crossing a ribbed texture was provided by alternating courses of 400 by 200 by 100mm and 400 by 200 by 65mm split blocks. /TRRL/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00107859
• Corporate Authors:

  IPC Building and Contract Journals Limited

  32 Southwark Bridge Road
  London SE1 9EX,   England 
• Publication Date: 1975-1-16

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 28
• Serial:
  • CONTRACT JOURNAL
  • Volume: 263
  • Issue Number: 4976
  • Publisher: Reed Business Information, Limited
  • ISSN: 0010-7859

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abutments; Aesthetics; Bridge abutments; Concrete blocks; Costs; Embankments; Facings; Freeways; Landscaping; Pavement widening; Precast concrete
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• Old TRIS Terms: Widening pavement
• ITRD Terms: 3424: Abutment; 8006: Australia; 224: Cost; 2801: Embankment; 2887: Landscaping; 2752: Motorway; 4792: Precast concrete
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Finance; Highways; Materials; Planning and Forecasting; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure; I24: Design of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00125577
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 29 1976 12:00AM