Bridge Refresher

Topic 16.3

Callendar Hamilton span

Washout
Photograph of Bridge After opening to
traffic
 General
• Temporary arrangements are structures used in lieu of the
permanent bridges structure to ensure uninterrupted traffic

• They are designed as simple and light weight structures so as

to be handled easily during erection and ensure faster speed
of constructions

• Callender Hamilton Span is used for restoration works for

longer spans (more than 24.4 m).
 Callender Hamilton span
• The Callender-Hamilton bridge is a modular portable
pre-fabricated truss bridge. It is primarily designed for use as
permanent civil bridging as well as for emergency bridge
replacement and for construction by military engineering
units. Assembling a Callender-Hamilton bridge takes much
longer than the more familiar Bailey bridge as it is made up
of individual lengths of galvanised steel bolted together with
galvanised high-strength steel bolts, all of which require
torque settings. It is stronger and simpler in design concept
than the Bailey bridge.
 CH Span History
• The Callender-Hamilton bridge system was designed by the
New Zealand civil engineer, A. M. Hamilton, and patented by
him in 1935. The system is currently fabricated by
Painter Brothers, Hereford, operating within the Balfour Beatty
Power Networks Division[1] formerly
British Insulated Callender's Cables.
• Hamilton's bridge concept was inspired by his work between
1928 and 1932 as principal engineer on the 'Hamilton Road'
through Iraqi Kurdistan. He described the building of this road
in his book, Road Through Kurdistan: Travels in Northern Iraq,
1937. Hamilton became aware of the need for strong,
adaptable bridges made from simple components that could
easily be transported and erected in remote locations or on
difficult terrain.
 CH Span Design
• The Callender-Hamilton bridge system is a prefabricated
Panel/Floor Beam/Deck system designed to span bridging
lengths ranging from 30 to 150 metres with road widths of one
to three or more lanes. The design uses Warren trusses and is
centred on a series of gusset plates that allow the direct
attachment of the longitudinal, diagonal, vertical, and cross
framing members. Centralised connection points increase the
speed of construction and allow identical panels to be
fabricated from identical members and then installed on site.
An important feature is that all connections are bolted, so
removing the need for onsite welding.
 CH Span Design
• The bridge is usually built on falsework. A reinforced concrete
deck is then superimposed on, and acts compositely with, the
fabricated steel truss deck, thereby eliminating the use of
scaffolding. A steel orthotropic deck, steel open grate deck or a
timber deck are alternatives to a concrete deck. As with the
Bailey bridge, an enhanced feature of the Callender-Hamilton
bridge is that it can be assembled entirely on one side of a gap
and with a removable launching nose added then be projected
on rollers to the other side.[3]
• All bridge elements are small enough to be transported by road
and site operations can be carried out without skilled labour,
special plant or heavy equipment. Because of the modular
design, repairs are as structurally efficient as the original
construction and at the end of service dismantled bridges can
be reduced to initial components for reuse. Salvability is high
due to the hot-dip galvanisation of each individual component.
CH Span Connections
CH Span Connections
 CH Span Examples
• Bridge No 194 in KZJ-BPQ Section, South Central Railway, India
• Caparmesnil near St-Pierre-sur-Dives, Normandy
• Cleenish Island Road County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
• Grand Falls - Province of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Heusdensch Canal Netherlands
• Langwathby Bridge, Cumbria
• St. Lewis and Alexis Rivers, Province of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Tal-y-Cafn type B10 bridge over the River Conwy
• Two Fords Bridge Lydlinch, Dorset
• Two Lane Bridge at St. Paul's Bay - Province of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Vernon, Eure, Normandy, between 1945 and 1955.
• Walton Bridge Fourth Bridge
• Pont du Mandrare, Anosy, Madagascar [14] between 1958 and 2012.
• Axminster, Somerset - A temporary Callender-Hamilton bridge has been
constructed over the River Axe adjacent to the M5 to facilitate construction
works for the Hinkley C Nuclear Power Station power grid connection
Callender Hamilton span: In Indian Railways
• Designed for purpose of building long spans (above 24.4m) as
rapidly as possible in place of steel span in case of emergency
• Panel fabricated of length 10’-4”
• These girders are of warren type truss with double intersection
for span 24.4m and 30.5m
• The chord members as well as web members are made up of
angles 8”x8”x1/2” (high tensile steel)
 Callender Hamilton span: In Indian Railways
• Main gussets are made with 1” thick plate
• Member to gussets connections at panel points are with 2” dia
turned bolt (high tensile steel)
• Bearing are provided with flat type for 18.3 and24.4m and
knuckle pin type for span above 30.5m
• These girders are available with N.Rly, NE, C, NF & E. Rly.
• A hand book containing details is available for using the span
properly
• Slightly heavier spans, also called US spans, available with NF
Rly.
• All the members of CH span can be transported to site by BFRs/
Wagons and Span is assembled at site.
Callender Hamilton span: In Indian Railways

• Erection of these spans normally carried out on any one side and
it is rolled in position with the help of skids and launching pad.
• 200 men are required for 8 days to work in 3 shifts for assembly
and launching of one 30.5 span
• Precautions while launching
– Cribs should be checked for stability
– Bolts and nuts should be tightened properly
– Jacking points should always be on panel points
 CH span being pulled

2 ft 15’-6” 2 ft
Erection of CH span in progress
Photograph of erection of UC span
Photograph of Launching of UC span
Train on CH span (semi through)
Photograph of Bridge After opening to
traffic
Thanks