BREAKING RECORDS AT KINGSTON BRIDGE

This article analyses the decade of repairs that have been conducted on the Kingston Bridge, carrying the M8 motorway over the River Clyde at Glasgow. The defects found and repaired include a sagging central span, inadequate prestresses in the weakened concrete deck, understrength piers, and 'inappropriate' bridge bearings. The long awaited repair operation now in progress has equally complex changes, as engineers strive to lift the deck to allow weak piers and bearings to be replaced. The world's heaviest lift of a single structure occurred in October 1999, when the 50,000t deck was lifted just 15mm off its supports. The contract for the repairs is due to end in December 2000, with an estimated cost over twice the original estimate of #14M. As demolition of the vast concrete piers under the UK's busiest and most notorious motorway bridge nears completion, motorists drive over the bridge unaware of the work below. Lifting the deck and holding it for nine months has demanded leading-edge technology, but has caused no distress to the deck. This drastic repair solution was proposed after the extent of the necessary repairs became evident. Cracks in the 268m long, three-span bridge began to appear in its superstructure ten years ago, and were followed by span sagging and tilting.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/14605856
• Corporate Authors:

  Palladian Publications Limited

  15 South Street
  Farnham Surrey GU97QU,   United Kingdom 
• Publication Date: 2000

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 20-3
• Serial:
  • CONCRETE ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL
  • Volume: 4
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: THE CONCRETE SOCIETY
  • ISSN: 1460-5856

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge bearings; Bridge decks; Bridge piers; Bridges; Concrete; Contracts; Costs; Cracking; Defects; Deformation; Demolition; Freeways; Lifting equipment; Repairing; Urban areas
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• ITRD Terms: 3415: Bearing (bridge); 3455: Bridge; 3482: Bridge deck; 3434: Bridge pier; 4755: Concrete; 146: Contract; 224: Cost; 5211: Cracking; 5238: Defect (tech); 5595: Deformation; 3636: Demolition; 5158: Lifting; 2752: Motorway; 3635: Repair; 8119: United Kingdom; 313: Urban area
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Bridges and other structures; Finance; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00790453
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Apr 11 2000 12:00AM