Freyssinet UK – Specialist provider of Civil Engineering Projects

Leading Specialist in Bridge Bearing Replacement

Where the condition of your existing bearings are concerned, no one is more capable, or experienced to advise you than Freyssinet, the UK’s leading bridge bearing manufacturer and specialist in bridge bearing replacement. Freyssinet’s highly trained and experienced engineers, are available to come and complete site inspections throughout the whole of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The services offered include identification of the bridge bearings, condition assessments, and advising on the practicalities of refurbishment, and/or bearing replacement. As part of the service, a comprehensive report is available, which would be photographically illustrated, and available in an electronic format as necessary. This allows the client to integrate our report into their own tender documentation and reports as required.

Freyssinet are the leading bearing manufacturer and experts in the fields of bridge bearing replacement, you can be assured that your new bridge bearings and bridge bearing replacement works will be of the highest quality. Freyssinet offer the full range of bearing manufacture and bearing replacements, both elastomeric and mechanical, from their UK factory. The designs are to BS 5400, and the quality control of bearing manufacture and bearing replacement exceeds the requirements of BS EN ISO 9001.

The team of leading designers at Freyssinet are able include suitable modifications into original designs of bearing manufacture, so that later bearing replacement operations can be made easier.

The replacement of bridge bearings and other operations, such as bridge expansion joint replacement, require extremely specialised jacking and propping solutions to facilitate the work. Freyssinet can offer a wide range of appropriate techniques, no matter how demanding or challenging the situation is. Freyssinet are able to supply vertical jacks to prop up structures, and also horizontal jacks, to facilitate movement of structures.

1000 tonne capacity, hydraulic jacks are available from Freyssinet with locking collars and swivel heads. To complement these, Freyssinet can use their manufacturing expertise to add to the jack heads, elastomer and PTFE sliding surfaces. These surfaces give the jack heads the ability to accommodate a limited amount of horizontal, and vertical, structural movement.

For both permanent and temporary situations, Freyssinet also supply flat jacks up to a 1000 tonne capacity, which are able to be used in gaps of 50mm or even less. For temporary solutions, where removal of the jack will be required, the inflation would be with hydraulic oil. If the bearing is to be used in a permanent situation, such as structural lifting or bearing pre-loading, a cementitious grout may be used. Alternatively, at a later date, the grout can be transfused under load if the situation requires.

Control over the entire jacking operation, can be monitored either manually or electronically, offering extremely high levels of control. The jacks can be grouped together into complex circuits, where they can be operated either in groups, or individually as required.

If the client has specified a more conventional propping system for a temporary situation, Freyssinet’s in-house designers are well placed to accommodate this, offering big advantages in terms of cost, speed and access. Propping also eliminates the need for excavation and temporary foundations.

Whether you require experts for bearing testing, or a bearing manufacturer for a bridge bearing replacement project, Freyssinet’s are the ones you should turn to.

Bridge Rehabilitation Techniques – Bearing Inspection, Testing Service and Bearing Replacement

The infrastructure of modern bridges is composed of reinforced or pre-stressed concrete and steel structures. Over time, the constituent materials are affected by fatigue and general wear and tear from vehicular traffic. Wear and tear may also be aggravated by increased wheel loads and exposure to external factors such as extreme climatic conditions. Expansion/contraction and load transfer components like bridge expansion joints and bridge bearings will eventually need rehabilitation or replacement.

Expert bearing testing service
As the UK’s leading bridge bearing designer and manufacturer, Freyssinet is perfectly positioned to offer an expert bearing inspection and testing service to assess the condition of existing bearings and advise on rehabilitation. Highly qualified and experienced engineers provide on-site bearing inspections throughout the UK and Ireland and their expert bearing testing service includes the following components:
• Inspection and comment on bearing condition
• Bearing identification (including competitor’s products)
• Bearing design information and drawings from archives (where they exist)
• Advice on the practical aspects of refurbishment
• Selection of equivalent replacement bearings where necessary
• Development/budget-pricing for replacement and refurbishment proposals
• A complete photo-illustrated report
• Documents available in electronic formats for inclusion in client’s own reports/tenders

Foremost UK bearing manufacturer
As the foremost UK bearing manufacturer, Freyssinet offers a comprehensive selection of mechanical and elastomeric replacement bearings – all designed and manufactured in their UK factory to BS 5400 and exceeding the requirements of BS EN ISO 9001. Furthermore, their highly-skilled bearing design team also produce custom bearing designs to make future replacement operations easier.

Bearing testing
Freyssinet’s testing facility offers two main test presses, namely 2000 tonne and 300 tonne. Both presses are regularly calibrated to National standards by the National Physical Laboratory.
Two calibrated horizontal strand test beds are also available, namely 1300 tonne and 500 tonne. Together with other testing equipment, the following tests can be undertaken:
• Mechanical and elastomeric bridge bearings up to 2000 tonne
• Multi strand anchorages up to 1300 tonne (BS 4447)
• Anchorage efficiency testing to BS 4447
• Force transfer testing to BS 1881
• Concrete cube crushing (100 tonne)
• Jack calibrations including stressing jacks and pot rams
One-stop bearing replacement package
A bearing replacement operation requires careful consideration of the bearing pressures, effective load transfer mechanisms, balanced gradual lifting, super-structure stability and the speed of replacement. This can require the participation of a number of different engineering specialists.

However, Freyssinet offers a complete, cost-effective one-stop package for bearing replacement – as a principal contractor or as a subcontractor. Their high quality service encompasses:
• Proven expertise in bearing design and as a bridge bearing manufacturer
• Supply and operation of jacking systems
• Expertise in specialty construction chemicals e.g. grouts and epoxies
• Hydro-demolition by an in-house team
• Innovative alternatives to conventional propping for significant time and cost benefits

Quality
Freyssinet are ISO 9001 accredited, with a long track record of quality management. When bearing replacement is undertaken, Freyssinet guarantee that the dismantling, repair, re-painting, bearing installation and re-assembly are all carried out to the same rigorously high standards insisted upon in all aspects of their business. The Highways Agency and many Local Authorities are amongst regular clients – who all trust in the proven expertise of Freyssinet for a cost-effective, durable bearing manufacture, testing and installation.