The work to create the cofferdams
involved driving steel sheet piles
into the riverbed to form an outer
circle with a diameter of 40 metres
and a second, inner circle with a
20 metre diameter. Now these are
in place the water has been
pumped out and the space
between the two sets of steel piles
filled in with local natural materials
to form a dry refuge in the centre.
the piles and curved to match the radius
them to add strength to a structure,
of the inner circle. The tas k of creating
improve the aesthetic qualities of a project,
these enormous curved sections was
or, in this case to fit a precise curved
awarded to Barnshaws Metal Bending,
profile. In all, we have formed nearly 400
which is renowned for having the tools
tonnes of this heavy duty steel section to
and expertise to deal with the largest of
the exact requirements of the client.
projects. The steel sections measure up to
356mm x 406mm and weigh 467 kg/m and
they are formed to a radius of 9.7 metres
so as to fit on the inside of the steel pile
structure.
They will provide the strength necessary to
hold the shape of the cofferdams while the
foundations of this new river crossing are
constructed."
The new Mersey Gateway Bridge is due to
However, before the infill material could
Greg North, Commercial Director at
be added, the steel piles needed to have
Barnshaws, comments: "As the world's
some reinforcement fitted so that they
largest metal bending company, we are
Images courtesy of Merseylink/David
can cope with the additional pressure. This
extremely competitive when it comes to
Hunter.
came in the form of huge steel sections
this type of challenge. We often work on
www.barnshaws.com
that have to be strong enough to support
large structural steel sections, bending
open in 2017.
Issue 22 PECM
105