Bridges
- Publication no: ABC-DES019-11
- Published: 31 October 2011
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The Steam Fields Bridge is a 444 metre long bridge on the East Taupo Arterial route bypass of the township of Taupo on New Zealand’s North Island. The bridge site is quite constrained due to the topography and a series of steam pipes passing under the bridge alignment from the steam fields to the adjacent geothermal power station. A steel ladder or twin plate girder form of superstructure was adopted in response to the limitation on craneage from these constraints. The topography of the site, length of the bridge and bridge form also created a number of significant challenges for the seismic design of the bridge. The issues that arose and how they were addressed is discussed in the paper. The paper also discusses the thermal aluminium spray coating that was used to protect the steelwork in the corrosive environment of the steam fields.