Engineering Design Consultants

New East Riding Bridge Swings into Action

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• Lifting jacks raise the tail and centre of the bridge. Slide blocks are removed, with the nose bearings being left in contact.

• The tail and centre jacks lower the bridge on to the central pintle bearing, and the tail jacks continue to lower the rear of the bridge. Due to its tail-heavy nature, the bridge tilts on the pintle bearing, automatically lifting the span off its nose bearings. The nose bearings are passive, so require no actuation

• The bridge now rests on the pintle bearing and two tail wheels.

The central section is rotated 90° by two rack-and-pinion drives until it is in the fully open position, where it is held by slewing drive brakes. The racks are mounted on the main pier, and the drive units and pinions on the bridge superstructure.

Maximum rotational speed of the bridge is 1m/sec, with creep speeds being used at the beginning and end of each movement. A complete opening or closing sequence takes approximately three and a half minutes. When the bridge is being opened and closed, hydraulic buffers mounted on the drive rack bring the structure smoothly to rest and locate it firmly.