STRATHFILLAN CREEK BRIDGE
The Strathfillan Creek Bridge before the repair works.
Concrete column being prepared for crack injection.
The bridge after the completion of the repair works.
Strathfillan Creek Bridge
CLIENT: V/LINE PTY LTD
The Strathfillan Creek Rail Bridge lies on the Dunolly - St Arnaud rail line. The bridge has four spans, each approximately 9 metres in length. The three bridge piers and the two abutments, which are constructed predominantly of unreinforced concrete, were suffering from severe Alkali Silica Reaction (ASR) induced cracking. V/Line required a remediation treatment to be designed to stabilise the deterioration.
CHALLENGES
As the deterioration was being caused by the concrete itself, the main challenge was to develop a repair solution knowing that the problem could not be solved in its entirety. Knowing that deterioration would continue, the aim was to ensure that the repair solution minimised the extent of future deterioration and provided additional ongoing support. A further challenge was to ensure that the rehabilitation works were designed so as to allow the bridge to remain in service while the works were in progress.SOLUTIONS
Infracorr developed a four stage remediation process to provide both added support to the bridge and waterproofing of the concrete piers and abutments.
The stages consisted of:
• Extensive crack repairs via epoxy injection;
• The installation of ‘Near Surface Mounted’ (NSM) Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) Plates;
• Encapsulation of the piers with a CFRP Wrap to provide added support; and
• Application of a waterproofing coating to minimise moisture penetration and thereby slow the progress of ongoing ASR.
RESULTS
V/Line requested specialist repair contractors to provide quotations for the repair works to be performed in accordance with Infracorr’s design and specification. Under the watchful eye of Infracorr’s onsite quality assurance and off-site support services, CPR successfully completed the project works from June to September 2015.