Bramcote Road Bridge Repairs

The Project

Bramcote Road Bridge (also known as Ashby Canal Bridge 6) lies on a bend in the canal, and as such has suffered numerous bridge arch impacts. The bridge arch underwent major repairs in 2019 and wooden fenders were installed to prevent boats hitting the bridge in the future. These wooden fenders were severely damaged and almost non existent.

The works involved installing steel channel framework with an oak timber insert, to provide better protection against boat impact than the previous wooden framed structure. ​

​

We also needed to improve the trench sheet piles on northern offside approach as the trench sheets had lost their rigidity and were not secured with wailing bars or anchor piles. We proposed to secure the trench sheets by threaded bars cast in concrete beam behind, with layer of topsoil on top of the beam to blend with the surrounding ground.

First we had to work with our ecologists under a Natural England bat licence to exclude bats from the bridge ahead of works commencing. This ensured we didn’t seal any bats in the bridge when undertaking the works. Utilities were present within and around the bridge, so full best practise was adhered to with permit to dig forms issued before works began.​

​

Piling works were undertaken first on the bridge approaches off floating plant and an L8 backtied system installed, backfilled with concrete. The bridge was then drilled to allow steel tie bars to be inserted and support the metal framework along the inside and bridge approaches. ​A wooden fender was then fixed to the inner steel channel. ​

​

The heritage brick and stone works were tricky. Stone had to be sourced and matched to the existing ahead of careful breaking out of the broken stones. Solid stones already in place were then drilled to allow for the new stones to be fitted within the arch. ​