“The Pergola”

Presentation for 9th Small Bridge Conference

by Ken O’Neill – Bridges Leader NSW

1st & 2nd April 2019

Image
Grafton Source – Google
floods regularly. Maps
There is a 1 in 27 year levee that protects the town
Image Source – Google Maps
The Pergola

Forms part of the Warrell Creek to Nambucca Heads Pacific Highway

Upgrade project
Existing Pacific
Highway
alignment

New Pacific
Motorway
alignment

North Coast
Railway crosses at a
skew of
Image Source – Google Maps 70 degrees
 North Coast
Railway crosses
at a skew of
70 degrees

Combined Bridge
over Upper Warrell
Creek and North
Image Source – Google Maps Coast Railway
 North Coast
Railway crosses
at a skew of
70 degrees

Combined Bridge
over Upper Warrell
Creek and North
Image Source – Google Maps Coast Railway
Existing Pacific
Highway
alignment

North
Coast
Railway
North Coast
Railway
Top-down construction
Build a rail line
diversion and
build the new
structure off-line
1. Divert railway and open cut the site
2. Construct retaining walls on each side + central blade
3. Place precast concrete planks and deck slab
4. Place ballast and finishing works
Drawing layouts
Ground
Conditions
Integral versus non-integral
Designing for bearing
replacement
Dealing with Track Geometry

Squaring off slabs for each track to prevent rolling of the track
Mechanically stabilised fill with geogrid layers to provide a
transition zone to the bridge deck
Wall Dowel
Joints
Dowel joints at 12 m centres were
included in the walls to limit cracking.

Dowels were 24 mm dia. Grade 304

Stainless steel.
Pour
Sequencin
g
Bearing
Design
Deck Design
Designing for upward loads from road
traffic on Pergola section
Image Source – Ferrovial (Youtube)
Deck Dowel Joints

Dowel Joints included in the slab to segment the concrete pours to

reduce cracking due to the high skews
Dealing with Deck Drainage
Image Source – Google
Deck joint
 Thank you
For more information contact:
Author:

Ken O’Neill
Bridges Leader ,NSW at Aurecon
E: ken.oneill@aurecongroup.com

Co-authors:

Brian Killeen
Associate, Bridges at Aurecon

Jaime Granell
Engineering Director Australia & New Zealand at Ferrovial Agroman