East coast connection

A new 1.5km-long bridge in eastern Australia, on the coastal route between Sydney and Brisbane, has TENSA® MODULAR expansion joints connecting its deck to the abutments at each end – with noise-reducing features to minimise disturbance of the area’s peaceful location

A highway that connects two of Australia’s biggest cities, Sydney and Brisbane, crosses the Clarence River at Harwood in a relatively rural area near the coast. An existing bridge, unable to meet the demands of modern traffic, is currently being supplemented by a new four-lane bridge, alongside the existing structure, with a total length of approximately 1500 m. To facilitate the bridge’s movement requirements – especially from thermal expansion and contraction of the long twin superstructures – expansion joints with a movement capacity of 800 mm were required at each end, and it was specified that noise from traffic crossing the joints should be limited. A high degree of quality and durability was also required – for example, with a strong focus on laboratory testing to AASHTO/NCHRP requirements, including highly demanding fatigue testing. To meet these and all other demands, bridge expansion joints of the TENSA®MODULAR type were selected for use, equipped with noise-reducing features both above and below: “sinus plates” on the driving surface to minimise wheel impacts and thereby any resulting vibrations and noise, and ROBO®MUTE encapsulation of the space directly beneath the joint to block the transmission of noise from the underside of the joint.

The modular expansion joints were designed by mageba in compliance with the Australian standard AS5100.4 and the New South Wales standard RMS B316. The modular joints were then manufactured at mageba’s Shanghai factory, and delivered to site in open-top shipping containers for maximum protection and easy lifting. When the bridge opens to traffic in the coming months, the quality and quietness of its expansion joints – as sensibly specified by the bridge engineers – will help to both minimise disruption to traffic and preserve the area’s peaceful environment. 

Bridge designer: Arup Pty Ltd
Contractor: Harwood Pacifico- Acciona Ferrovial JV
Owner: Transport for New South Wales

Image © www.acciona.com.au

The new bridge over the Clarence River at Harwood in eastern Australia, on the coastal route between Sydney and Brisbane, has a length of 1.5 km

View of underside of bridge during construction

Inspection of production of one 10-gap TENSA®MODULAR expansion joint (shown here upside down) at mageba’s Shanghai factory

Installation of a TENSA®MODULAR expansion joint at one end of the bridge

The so-called “sinus plates” on the surface of the joint, spanning the gaps between the joint’s surface beams to provide a smooth driving surface, greatly reduce noise from over-passing traffic

Preparation for concreting after placing of reinforcement

Noise from traffic crossing each expansion joint is also reduced by a ROBO®MUTE system underneath such as that shown here, which captures and reduces any noise emitting from the underside of the joint

Image © www.acciona.com.au

View of the new bridge during construction, with the existing bridge still in service beside it