Designed by consultants GHD and built by John Holland, the 46om-long structure consists of 18 spans, each of 25.5m (Figures 1 and 2). Contract value is AU$18.7 million. The causeway, which is across an environmentally sensitive waterway, was opened to traffic in December 2002. It replaces a bridge from 1957, also built by John Holland, which was the largest prestressed structure built in Australia at that time. A feature of the old bridge is that the voids for the tendons were created using inflated rubber tubes that were withdrawn after the concrete had hardened. Because of serious deterioration of this bridge caused by chloride ingress, the owner awarded a design/build contract for its removal and replacement in 2001. The old bridge will be demolished now that the new one is carrying traffic. The causeway has been designed for two lanes of M1600 design loading to the Australian Bridge Design Code. This loading is thought by the author to be the heaviest 'everyday' design vehicle specified anywhere in the world, and does not correspond to an 'abnormal' or 'special' vehicle.
展开▼
