Bridges

In January 2011, Queensland experienced a rain event, unlike any other in recent history. Unprecedented damage occurred to the infrastructure in many parts of Queensland. After the flood event, Aurecon was commissioned to assist in flood damage assessments for a number of Local and State Authorities to assist in the assessment of flood damaged assets. On behalf of the LGIS for the Lockyer Valley Regional Council, Aurecon undertook the Stage 1 assessment, to provide initial reports on damaged bridges and remediation requirements to get the bridges open to traffic as quickly as possible. The Stage 2 assessment was then carried out to provide detailed remediation concepts and funding applications. 51 bridge and culverts were inspected and assessed for these works. This section describes the works undertaken, looks at some of the failure mechanisms, emergency remediation works undertaken to open the road network and provides observations on the design of bridges and culverts for extreme flood loads The Xstrata coal rail line from Rolleston Mine to Blackwater Spur sustained severe damage to approximately 2km of track adjacent to the Comet River. The damage included 2km of embankment and rail track, 4 bridges and 3 banks of culverts. The damage typically centred around major scour to the bridge abutments and creek bank adjacent to the bridges. Aurecon assisted in the assessment of flood damaged bridges and to provide construction details to enable the damage to be repaired and the track reopened to rail traffic.