Title: Design of Long Span Precast Concrete Bridges For The Kwinana Freeway Interchanges and Extension

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Publication: CIA

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Date: 2/13/2011

Abstract:
The Kwinana Freeway Interchanges and Extension Project, extending over 35 kilometres from Berrigan Drive to Safety Bay Road, was awarded to Thiess late in 1999 and was designed and constructed within 20 months and to budget. The structural component for this $166 million Main Roads infrastructure project, designed by Bruechle Gilchrist & Evans, includes twelve bridges, seven principal shared path underpasses and three rail tunnels. Long span, wide, pretensioned, precast concrete composite trough beams satisfying the strict technical and aesthetic requirements of the Scope of Works and Technical Criteria provide the structural solution for the bridges. The cost effective, structurally efficient, innovative design approach allows for bridges of varying span and width, and varying structural depth. Architecturally shaped bifurcated columns support pairs of beams and create a simple aesthetic pier line. Semi spill-through .Reinforced Earth. abutments employing full height concrete panels, curved in plan, maintain uniformity in construction theme with earlier structures provided on the Freeway. Concrete columns formed behind the facing panels provide an innovative support system, offering considerable savings in construction time and cost. This paper describes the aesthetic and technical decisions that contributed to the successful and innovative designs for the structures on this project.