Queensland’s Premier Anna Bligh opened the Second Gateway Bridge over the Brisbane River on 16 May 2010.
Fencing the Gateway Bridge, QLD
The Second Gateway Bridge is 50 metres downstream from the original bridge and is built to the same distinctive shape using the latest pre-stressed concrete strand technology.
At its highest point the Second Gateway Bridge towers over 65 metres above the Brisbane River. The Bridge caters not only for six traffic lanes but includes a 4.25 metre wide pedestrian – cycleway. The Bridge was constructed through a joint venture between Leighton Contractors and Abi Group Contractors, known as the “LAJV”.
LAJV set up a pre-casting facility on a six hectare site, adjacent to the Bridge. This site allowed the production of various concrete components including 742 segments which comprise the Bridge approach spans and the 123 segments that go to form the Bridge itself. OneSteel’s customer, VSL, was selected to perform the post-tensioning of all the Bridge segments.
Each segment of the bridge was tensioned to the next segment using three pairs of 6 x 19 tendons of SRPC. It is these SRPC strands that hold the whole bridge together.
Protective Fencing, based at Somersby, NSW supplied their high security Promax® welded mesh fence products for all the fencing needs in the project including the approaches, bridge and pedestrian – cycleway fences. Protective Fencing’s Promax® high security mesh is made from OneSteel’s 4.00 mm Medium Zalcote® XL wire at their Somersby plant.
Protective Fencing’s General Manager, Trevor Buwalda said, “The Gateway Bridge was a very large and significant project for Protective Fencing, as we supplied over 200 tonnes of Promax® mesh into Brisbane for the project.
The project was delivered on time despite a demanding work schedule set by the LAJV. “It required very close planning between Protective and LAJV, and relied heavily on OneSteel’s wire being supplied on time and to the right quality.”
“The mesh was used as not only barrier fencing on both sides of the new bridge and on the new cycleway, but it was retro-fitted to the existing Gateway Bridge”.
“Promax® using OneSteel Wire, was also fitted to the overhead gantries on the new Gateway Motorway and on the Ipswich Motorway to prevent objects falling or being thrown from the bridge and of course to deny access for vandals”.
“The LAJV were delighted with the mesh and Protective’s innovative design solutions to the more challenging aspects of the work, which included the manufacture of oversized sheets, whichwere only able to be transported in daylight as they were over 2.6 metres wide.”
Next time you are in Brisbane slow down and take look at your wire in action or better still, do the healthy thing and walk or cycle over the new pedestrian and cycleway. That way, you can see just how high 65 metres really is, all the time knowing you are safe behind Promax® security mesh and supported by OneSteel’s SRPC Strand