A rail-over-road bridge is being constructed in Victoria next to its final setting and will be slid into place over the coming months.
The 95-metre-long bridge at Kilmany is part of the Princes Highway East Upgrade project and will replace the existing rail underpass that was built around 1965.
With 1000 cubic metres of concrete poured to create the bridge deck and 16 steel arch segments craned into place, around 3000 tonnes of material have already been installed.
The network tied-arch bridge comprises a steel arch on each side of the rail track, a concrete deck, and a network of high-strength steel hangers that cross each other, tying the arches to the deck.
This type of bridge allows one long span without a central supporting pier. The design of the bridge was developed by Victoria’s Department of Transport and Planning and V/Line in consultation with the local community.
The bridge, when completed, will form part of the Gippsland rail line. It will be over a new section of the Princes Highway between Traralgon and Sale so its construction is being carried out 27 metres to the side of the site to avoid disruption to traffic and rail services.
Sliding the bridge into place is expected to occur in the next two months once its construction is complete. The team will work 24/7 throughout one week to move it into place using a slide channel and hydraulic jack on a sledge. When it is in position, new ballast and tracks will be laid.
Concrete, reinforcing steel, stress bars, post tension bars and tendons and other materials and bridge components have all been sourced from companies in Victoria. And more than 90% of the steel used is produced in Australia.
About the author
Desi Corbett
Desi is our weekly news journalist and the editor of Concrete in Australia magazine for 10 years. She has been heavily involved in all forms of engineering since 2013; part of a 30-year writing career across a range of subjects and media.