Construction
Levens Viaduct
Overview
- Client: Network Rail
- Project Value: Undisclosed
- Dates: July 2024
GPS MACS were contracted by Story Contracting on behalf of Network Rail to carry out repairs to the scour protection beneath Levens Viaduct in Cumbria. To accommodate for the remote location of the works and heavily tidal nature, GPS MACS mobilised numerous marine craft including a landing craft with excavator on board, a flat top pontoon with a grout spread and crane on board and a number of ScaffFloat pontoons for transporting materials between the load out facility near Ulverston and the work front.
- The works involved the removal of damaged section of the existing concrete apron and replacement with fabric grout mattresses by Proserve.
- The mattresses were placed onto the apron and filled with grout batched on the barge, all during limited low tide windows.
- Other areas of the concrete apron that were damaged but not as significantly were repaired using appropriate marine specific fast setting concrete repair grout.
- Two of the existing cast iron collars around the bridge piers had corroded significantly and the brickwork pier was starting to deteriorate.
- GPS MACS, in collaboration with ScaffFloat, developed a precast concrete collar design that could be installed around the bridge piers during high tide and lowered into position using air hoists.
- This allowed for the full collar to be installed quickly and within tolerance in a single tidal shift.
- This was a challenging project delivered in extremely difficult tidal conditions.
- The success of the project was recognised during the North West Institute of Civil Engineers Awards where it won Best Small Project (less than £5 Million).
