Murrindindi Shire Council: Breakaway Bridge, Acheron

Mar 31, 2014 by     Comments Off    Posted under: Capital Works < $1M

Breakaway Bridge is a 9-span timber bridge extending over the Goulburn River on Breakaway Road, Acheron, Victoria. It is believed to be around 100 years old. It is a single lane timber pile bridge with cross decking, timber kerbs and two strips of running boards.  The project was to reinstate the load carrying capacity the historic bridge while maintaining the heritage look and feel of the structure. The iconic structure crosses the Goulburn River and is a tourist attraction and key community link within the Murrindindi Shire.    The projects goals were:

  • Meeting load requirements for caravans and school buses.
  • Ensuring structural improvement did not compromise the heritage look of the structure.
  • Ensuring a high level of community consultation through the establishment of a community reference group.

Key Goals and Innovation

The key goal of this project was to keep the historic value of the old wooden bridge, while raising the load capacity to a 20 tonne limit. The existing structure was in a serious state of decay and as such load limits had been progressively reduced to three tones over the years.  To maintain the historic character of the bridge, the refurbishment saw the wooden decking, handrails and wooden running planks being supported on discreetly hidden galvanised steel beams. These beams were supported on steel piles driven into the riverbed.  These piles were driven in line with the existing wooden piles and cross bracing. This affords sufficient disguise of the piles to make them blend in, and effectively disappear to all but the closest inspection.  The horizontal steel beams are masked between the existing timbers within the bridge structure. The handrails are secured directly to the wooden beams, thereby refurbishing the existing handrail in accordance with its original condition and appearance.

Best Practice Engineering

The goal of this exercise was to take an old bridge and refurbish it to a new bridge standard, whilst making it look like an old bridge!   The project outcome was that the dilapidated structure of Break Away Bridge was restored, not replaced, and met with expectations of the community.

Achievements:  

  • Structural integrity is not compromised by aesthetic features.
  • A higher level of service in terms of load limit and accessibility has been achieved and the bridge retains its original character and form.
  • Maintenance and inspection regime is not hindered by additional structural elements.  Rather the additional structural elements improve ease of maintenance and accessibility.
  • Structural efficiency is vastly improved by the use of modern materials and construction methods.
  • Retaining as much of the original structure as possible to minimise any environmental disturbance.  This also allowed ease of access during construction, thereby speeding up construction time and reducing inconvenience to commuters.
  • All existing materials were inspected prior to reuse.  Material that was not suitable for reuse has been recycled into secondary products, minimising wastage.
  • The construction methods employed reduced disturbance to the existing bridgework. This integration into the existing structure allowed its continued contribution to the overall load capacity.
  • Delivery of a project which met the needs and expectations of the community.

 Environmental protection:

The engineering approach to this project was aimed at keeping the natural aesthetics of the structure as well as limiting any environmental impact on the Goulburn River. By using the key components of the existing structure’s framework ensured that no pollutants, dust or swarf entered the waterways. No excavation below water level was been required.

Community participation:

The desires of the Acheron community was to retain the original look of the bridge. A public meeting in November 2011 proposed three options:

  • Refurbish the current structure.
  • Build a new single/two lane wooden structure.
  • Build a new single/ two land concrete structure.

While a concrete structure would have had certain advantages, it was the community’s strong desire to see the charm and appearance of the old wooden bridge retained. To engage the community, a reference group was formed comprising Council staff, community members and contractors to oversee the project.

Cost Benefits:

Refurbishing the existing bridge has returned significant cost savings compared with bridge demolition and replacement with a steel/concrete structure.  Using renewable material for the decking, railing and running planks has resulted in a significantly lower carbon and energy footprint. It has also helped to strengthen the area’s economic development, resulting in increased traffic for local businesses.  It has retained the character of the beautiful Goulburn River Valley. The works have proved to satisfy the requirements of all stakeholders, which is quite an achievement. The success of this project has been largely contributed to by the collaboration of all stakeholders.

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