During the construction of large Cement and Steel bridges crossing rivers you often need to access the site which is in the middle of a fast flowing stream. Access is required to pour cement into large caissons which ultimately are the "footings” to hold up the bridge. Floating barges or platforms are difficult to position, not cost effective and unsafe. A temporary Timber Crane Mat and steel post "trestle style bridge” is the answer. All services like cement trucks, cement pumper trucks, cranes,  forklifts, welders and safety vehicles can easily access the site with this technique. After the bridge is complete, dismantling the sections is easy and cost effective as the Crane Mats can be used again on the next job site.
Here is several pictures of this technique in use. Pictures are of the Pitt River bridge project completed in 2009. The Crane Mats from CarlWood (Welco Lumber suppliers to builders Kiewett) were in place for 3 years during construction.
Here is additional pictures from the Port M ann Bridge project (Welco Lumber suppliers to builders Kiewitt/Flatiron)
If you are interested in this technique CarlWood can supply any size Crane Mat, made from sustainably harvested second growth BC Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock. Our mats are built straight and square; requirements of this type of temporary bridge. Inferior mats of Oak are often not flat or square enough making a tripping and engineering hazard. Cut-outs or daps in our manufacturing process allow handrails to be manufactured on site. An additional technique has been to temporary pave over the timber road with bitumen pavement to make a smoother non-slip surface.
Contact CarlWood for further information about temporary Crane Mat bridges for over-water access. |
