Sarens was asked by our client Parramatta Connect to execute the installation of the James Ruse Drive steel arch bridge in Rosehill, Australia, for the Parramatta Light Rail project. 

The project scope included:

• Engineering and design of customised temporary lifting assembly of SPMT and strand jacks set-up.
• Mobilisation of equipment for temporary lifting assembly.
• Lifting and transportation of the bridge arch from fabrication area to installation site.
• Lowering of the bridge on temporary bearings of steel arch bridge using SPMT and strand jacks temporary lifting assembly.

The operation and equipment was planned on the basis of an eight-hour window available for project execution, quarantine requirements for COVID-19 protocols, and project timeline. The team deployed:

• 48 axle-lines of Kamag K24 SPMTs with 2 Power Packs
• 48 axle-lines of Scheurle Gen 3 SPMTs with 2 Power Packs
• 4 HSL 4500 Strand Jacks
• 2 x MB 1800 Modular Beams
• 4 Towers built-up with BS610 Columns and BS324 Bracings

The SPMTs were transported from Malaysia, Vietnam, and Western Australia. Towers, bracings, modular lifting beams, and strand jacks came from Belgium. It took 4 weeks to set-up and functional test all the equipment. 

The steel arch bridge weighed 1425-tonnes and measured 64-metres long and 15.87-metres wide. Bog mats were laid along James Ruse Drive to level the travel path of the SPMTs. The bridge was lifted using strand jacks and SPMTs were aligned with a travel path marked on the ground meticulously by operating two SPMTs and strand jacks tower assemblies in synchronization.

Once aligned with the transport path, the bridge was lifted to a height of 11.7metres using SPMT and strand jacks temporarily lifting and locking it into position ready for transport and installation. On the night of installation, the bridge was transported from fabrication location to final installation position and installed onto the bridge piers. The bridge will now be fitted with light rail tracks and new walking and bike-riding path.

According to Project Manager, Minhaj Rizvi, “Our 6 crew members on-site and the design experience of our engineering team made this extremely challenging project a success.”