FORMWORK and scaffolding specialist PERI has revealed details of the firm’s work on a project to carry out repairs on the Clifton Bridge in Nottingham.
The road bridge has been undergoing works both inside and underneath the bridge to strengthen the concrete with the installation of new steel cables.
PERI explained that Spans 4 and 5 are ‘critical’ structural sections as they sit directly above the River Trent, making access to this section more technical than most.
The company proposed a full integrated scaffolding and formwork solution to main contractor VSL Systems UK. The design was subject to checks by National Highways and VSL prior to the build. PERI said this involved detailed planning and demonstrating how the suspended access would be installed to the underside of this section of the bridge, which spans over 100m.
PERI worked alongside specialist contractor Newco Scaffolding to ensure continuity throughout the installation of various applications.
Over 140 tonnes of PERI UP scaffolding has been used to support a range of access requirements. This has involved incorporating the lightweight PERI UP 75 Flex Stairs where possible for greater flexibility, with its range of stair lifts accommodating changes in working height throughout the build. Other systems included birdcage scaffolds with high load capacity to store large amounts of material on opposite sides of the river leading up to the suspended scaffolding and walkway to the underside of the bridge.
PERI added that access to material was ‘enhanced’ by integrating the 40kN-capacity PERI UP loading bays on site, as they provided storage space at the required levels and could be accessed via the main working platforms.
PERI revealed a ‘key’ benefit of the firm’s early involvement was the supply of formwork products in the early stages and how it integrated with the PERI UP Flex system to prevent clashes throughout the build.
3D planning and the benefits of system integration enabled the lightweight DUO formwork, GT beam formwork and VARIOKIT to work around the scaffolding structures, resulting in a unified temporary works solution.
Charles Stratford, business development manager for PERI UP, said, “We wanted to provide a clear walkway to allow repair works to be carried out seamlessly with minimal interruptions to the interface and existing structure. We have been able to achieve this through detailed 3D planning of the vision we had proposed to VSL in the early stages of this project in conjunction with our in-house design team.
“This has proved beneficial for the site team and our designers as we were able to carry out a clash detection exercise with our formwork and scaffolding to deliver a secure and obstruction-free working area suspended above the ground. We are looking forward to continuing our working relationship with VSL and other customers in similar challenging infrastructure environments.”
