Client: National Highways
Designer: Kier
Principal Contractor: MJ Church
Works Commenced: January 2022
Works Completed: October 2022
Brookfield Road Overbridge was constructed in 1970 and carries an unclassified road over the M5 motorway between junctions 11 and 11a. The restoration of Brookfield Bridge formed part of the National Highways £200m road improvement scheme to refurbish the 50-year-old bridges supporting the M5 junction 11 Golden Valley gyratory near Churchdown.
Freyssinet was engaged under ECI on project in (2021), which included carrying out post-tensioning site investigation (PTSI) of duct exposures, end anchorage exposures and corrosion testing at a number of locations on the bridge.
Freyssinet was engaged under ECI on project in (2021), which included carrying out post-tensioning site investigation (PTSI) of duct exposures, end anchorage exposures and corrosion testing at a number of locations on the bridge.
Work started on site in January 2022. Freyssinet carried out:
- Concrete repairs to bridge soffits, abutments and deck ends
- Temporary works design and installation for jacking of the structure to enable replacement of the existing bearings
- Bridge bearing design, supply and installation
- Post-tensioning special investigation (PTSI) including exploration of the anchorages, cables and tendons within the deck in order to confirm the condition of the PT system and establish whether remedial works were required
- Top deck works consisting of hydro-demolition removal of the stringcourses along the parapets
- Reinstatement with new concrete and reinforcement with all associated temporary works formwork design.
Environment
The works took place in close proximity of two watercourses, Norman’s Brook and Ham Brook, and therefore water used during the hydrodemolition process was contained within the scaffold encapsulation system and disposed of off-site in order to mitigate against the risk of contamination/any environmental impact on the brooks.
Innovation
To enable PTSI of the PT ducts and tendons within the structure, ground penetrating radar and tomography was used to locate the existing PT system, followed by exposure of PT ducts, tendons and end anchors in targeted locations to verify the condition of the PT system.
Community
The site team engaged with the local residents and schoolchildren during a special site open day organised by National Highways and MJ Church. The visits allowed the local community to getting a better understanding of improvement scheme and the complexities of such works.
Collaboration
During the course of the works, various elements of the scheme required redesign by the Principal Designer as the structure was not as envisaged at design stage. Freyssinet worked closely with the team at Kier to ensure final design revisions were buildable. Lessons learnt have been carried forward to forthcoming schemes of a similar nature such as the M5 Bamfurlong Lane bridge refurbishment.
The seamless interfaces and close collaboration between the various specialist contractors ensured that the works were undertaken in the most efficient and timely manner, and as a result the bridge was reopened to traffic and pedestrians two months ahead of schedule.
Mark Fox, National Highways’ South West Head of Scheme Delivery said: ‘We need to be especially diligent in any work involving our structures, the work is particularly complex, and I’m pleased to say the scheme has been managed fantastically start to finish by both ourselves and our supply chain
who have ensured we have finished on schedule.’
Churchdown Councillor Pierre Weinzweig: ‘Please pass on the utter delight and gratitude from the people of Churchdown for the efficient and considerate work on the Brookfield Bridge work. I posted the last update on social media and was met with delight/euphoria and happiness. AND two months early. Thank you all for your wonderful efforts, professionalism and efforts.’