Forth Road Bridge Truss End Link Replacement

Spencer Bridge Engineering were appointed as Principal Contractor by Transport Scotland to repair the truss ends on the Forth Road Bridge, following a high-profile fracture in the North East main span link that connects the tower to the road deck, forcing the bridge to close for three weeks. The works involved replacement of seven truss ends which connect the bridge deck to the tower, restoring structural integrity and enabling the safe reopening of this key transport asset.

Client

Transport Scotland

Duration

15 months

Location

South Queensferry

KEY STATISTICS

50M

scaffolding 50M above the firth and forth

truss end links replaced

SSSI

site of special scientific interest

PROJECT SCOPE

Spencer Bridge Engineering were tasked with cutting out the defective sections and replacing them with a unique sliding bearing system. This required removing the temporary solutions on the main deck and installing bearings, as well as installing both the temporary solutions and the new bearings on the side decks.

The project team undertook strengthening works to the tower cells to accommodate the combined 14 tonne load of the support bracket and new sliding bearing system. To enable the installation of the new bearing, the current truss was modified, with a section of the end post and bottom chord cut away and replaced with new sections.

The team also conducted modifications to make future works on the bearings considerably easier. This included installation of new access stairs and permanent access platforms to allow easy maintenance all year round, reducing disruption to bridge users during future repairs or maintenance.

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PROJECT OUTCOME

Spencer Bridge Engineering successfully delivered the project by overcoming a number of key challenges, including working safely at height and on a live, operational bridge.

The works required the installation of temporary scaffolding approximately 50 metres above the River Forth, alongside the implementation of comprehensive traffic management measures to safely control vehicle movements, including speed restrictions and reduced traffic volumes throughout the works.

The Forth Road Bridge is located within a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The team therefore had to proactively coordinate all works with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), implementing appropriate environmental controls to ensure that no adverse impacts arose from the works.