Bridges

Currently there is pressure from the freight industry to allow higher performance freight vehicles (HPFV) the use of major transport routes, particularly between the major centres of Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. An initial review of the existing structures on the Hume Freeway and Goulburn Valley Highway in North Eastern Victoria identified 17 structures as potentially deficient in load carrying capacity for HPFV’s. Following a detailed investigation and analysis of these bridges by consultants using different HPFV configurations, 16 bridges were identified as requiring strengthening to allow their use by HPFV’s.

To address the load rating deficiencies for HPFV’s identified in these 16 structures, detailed design was commissioned from both consultants and VicRoads, with the brief being to produce feasible design solutions for consideration by VicRoads prior to producing the final drawings for construction.

These solutions have largely involved the use of fibre reinforced polymers in the form of carbon fibre laminates or wraps; however this has not always been the most appropriate solution. This paper will discuss the bridge components identified as deficient, the strengthening options proposed and why the solutions ultimately adopted were chosen.