Ashton Bridge Flexi Arch Installation

Fourteen Macrete Flexi Arch units were slid into place beneath an existing road bridge dating from 1935, in Tameside Greater Manchester, in the first application of the Macrete Flexi Arch technology as an existing bridge reinforcement. The 7.40m span flexible precast concrete arch rings were manufactured in Northern Ireland and shipped to site in four deliveries over the two days of operations.

A pair of hydraulic jacks was used to slide the arch rings - first one, and then two at a time, to the far end of the fourteen metre width of the old bridge, until all fourteen arch rings were installed.

The purpose of the Flexi Arch rings in this refurbishment application is to provide new load bearing strength to a weak and decaying structure without the need for total removal, also involving services removal and relocation. The refurbishment was completed by installing spandrel walls and back filling the voids with foam concrete using injection points at road level.

The materials were supplied to A E Yates Ltd..

For more photographs of the installation please go to our Projects Section