Macrete Ireland Ltd supplied 6 Nr precast concrete standard cill beams and 16 Nr precast concrete composite deck beams for the reconstruction of Hoole Road bridge in Chester. The bridge is a 15 span Victorian era viaduct, the components manufactured by Macrete were for the replacement of spans 6 & 10.
Due to the existing ground conditions in the area, one of the main aims of the design was to achieve a lightweight replacement to the existing cast iron beamed bridge which in its' day was an innovation in itself. Because of this, LYTAG concrete was used in the casting process - a pumice stone type aggregate known both for its' lightweight characteristics and also its' lower density compared to regular concrete mixes (1600kg/m3 v. 2400kg/m3). The concrete encased an ovaloid polystrene void former running the full length of the beam (approx 10.00m), designed to further reduce the overall weight.
The reduced weight of the components was also of great benefit during the installation process - possession and installation timeframes were vital due to the fact that the bridge was situated on one of the busiest roads in the Chester area.
The work was carried out on behalf of the principal contractor APB Group. The main client was Network Rail.

Technical help and photographs courtesy of Ian Draycott - Cheshire County Council.