The iconic Nene Bridge in Peterborough has been strengthened in a landmark project.

Contractor Skanska delivered a unique reinforced concrete encasement for V-shaped piers to extend the life of the bridge. This is the first project of its kind in the UK.

The project involved strengthening six of the eight piers supporting the Nene Bridge, a 155m long structure carrying more than 60,000 vehicles daily.

Work was completed on the project a month ahead of schedule despite significant challenges like its complex architectural design and working in close proximity to a live railway line.

The team used hundreds of steel bars to wrap each of the unique piers, creating complex reinforced concrete jackets that supplement the unique geometry of the structure.

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As two of the piers requiring strengthening were positioned within the River Nene, a temporary coffer dam was built to provide access below the water level.

Moving the heavy formwork panels from one pier to another with restricted headroom could mean a lengthy and expensive process of dismantling and rebuilding them. The team used an air skid system – placing air skid pads under the formwork and skating it into its new

position on 2mm of air – to achieve time and cost savings of 90% and 70% respectively.

The team also used digital tools throughout the project, creating 3D printed models of the four stages of construction of the bridge piers; existing pier, pier following hydrodemolition, first concrete pour, and completed encasement to visualise the geometry of the complex, multifaceted structure.

Mark Shopland, Operations Director, said: "This was a technically challenging project that gave us a great opportunity to utilise our wide spectrum of expertise from across our construction and design teams, working collaboratively with our supply chain. We were also able to use the latest engineering technology to deliver an innovative solution to a significant challenge faced by our valued customer, all the while preserving the distinctive appearance of this iconic bridge for another 50 years without any road closures."

This refurbishment project was carried out on behalf of Peterborough City Council.

(CM/JG)