Mechanical Engineering, bridge bearings, structural engineering Specialists In Structural Movement Control
Mechanical Engineers Specialising In Structural Movement Control
Supplied: Mechanical Pot Bearings
A1 Peterborough To Blythe, Grade Separated Junctions
Due to the high accident rate over this section of the A1 grade, it was decided that separated junctions were required in order to minimise the risk to the public, as well as easing the flow of traffic by removing the existing roundabouts. The Highways Agency let the 84 million pound A1 Peterborough to Blythe grade separated junctions contract to Interserve Project Services. Interserve were tasked with building new sections of duel carriageway alongside the existing A1. They also had to convert the existing roundabouts into a new 2-level motorway style junction which will improve safety and ease congestion by separating the A1 from the local traffic.
There were a total of 6 roundabouts to be replaced with this method; Markham Moor, Colsterworth North and South, Blythe; Gonerby Moor, Apleyhead and Carpenters Lodge. Most of the structures were built next to the A1 in fields and then lifted into position once all of the civils works had been carried out on the roundabouts during possessions.
Job Brief
Background Information
Project Team
Client: Highways Agency
Consulting Engineers: Atkins / Mouchel Parkman
Main Contractor: Interserve Project Services Ltd
Start Date: 2007
Completion Date: 2008
Bearings
Ekspan supplied a mixture of mechanical pot type bearings to cope with the vertical loads and guided bearings to cope with the high horizontal load. For the Apleyhead bridge we had to design a special guided bearing as the horizontal load was so high that it exceeded our standard catalogue load cases. The bearing was over a metre long and 660mm wide and could cope with horizontal loads of 2200kN at ULS and 3500kN at SLS.
The bearings manufactured had the following additional quality features; fully welded mirror polished stainless steel sliding surfaces, dimpled and greased virgin PTFE (Pot bearings), 2 brass ring sets and recessed elastomers (Pot bearings). All of these features enhance the life-span and quality of the bearings and are included as standard for all of our pot bearings.
Ekspan's Solution