Client
Milton Keynes Council
Consultants
Mouchel
Principle Contractor
Birse Civils
Works Commenced
June 2011
Works Completed
July 2011
Secklow Gate Bridge, located in Milton Keynes city centre, carries a dual carriageway over the town’s market in the central shopping area. Beneath the deck is an outdoor market, where a fire broke out in January 2010, causing significant damage to structural elements of the bridge.
The closure of the bridge for over 12 months caused local controversy, as traffic had to take detours around the grid-based city centre, which caused congestion on surrounding roads.
Freyssinet Limited was appointed by Birse Civils to carry out repair and strengthening works to the fire damaged bridge, in order to restore its structural integrity and allow it to reopen to traffic.
The scope of works involved the replacement of 3no fire damaged mechanical bridge bearings, concrete repairs and the installation of carbon fibre reinforcement to the soffit of the bridge deck.
The fire-damaged concrete was removed using hydro-demolition and reinstated with sprayed concrete. CFRP product was bonded to the soffit of the deck in four layers, in accordance with the Client’s design.
As Secklow Gate Bridge is located in the middle of a busy shopping precinct, stringent management of high risk activities were required to protect members of the public.
As the contract programme was tight, Freyssinet engaged in 24 hour working in order to achieve the Client’s specified date for completion. After being closed to traffic for 18 months, all repairs to the fire damaged bridge were completed and the road was reopened in July 2011.
1 The fire damaged structure
2 Soffit repaired with sprayed concrete
3 Fire damaged bearing / New bearing in place
4 Application of carbon fibre