Keeping India moving

In the renovation of the Naini Bridge, one of India’s oldest and longest cable-stayed bridges, the required bridge bearing and expansion joint replacement work had to be carried out without any closure of the bridge due to its importance to local and regional traffic.

The Naini Bridge, also known as New Yamuna Bridge, is located in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. With a length of 1,510 m – including a main span of 260 m – it is one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in India. In the course of a major bridge renovation that is currently ongoing, bearing and expansion joint replacement work was required, and mageba was awarded the contract to supply the necessary items. Huge RESTON®SPHERICAL bearings were supplied to replace the existing pot bearings, and a six-gap TENSA®MODULAR expansion joint was supplied to replace the existing modular-type joint.

The new bearings are especially notable for the large displacements of +/- 780 mm they are designed to accommodate. In addition to the associated design and fabrication work, our team in Kolkata was also responsible for much of the work on site – in the case of the bridge bearings they provided the expert supervision of installation, and in the case of the expansion joint they carried out the complete replacement work. This was made all the more challenging by the requirement to keep traffic flowing on the bridge at all times, and by the very tight schedule imposed by the overall project. Happily, the work was completed within the time allowed and without stopping traffic – a good result for a bridge that is so important to the transportation needs of this heavily populated region. 

Consultant: COWI
Contractor: Freyssinet Menard India (P) Ltd
Owner: National Highways Authority of India

The Naini Bridge (or New Yamuna Bridge) in northern India has a length of 1510 metres, making it one of India’s longest cable-stayed bridges

RESTON®SPHERICAL bearings with an enormous longitudinal movement capacity of +/- 780 mm were designed and supplied by mageba for the bridge

Installation of the RESTON®SPHERICAL bearings to replace the existing bearings was carried out under mageba supervision

The expansion joint replacement work was carried out by mageba – section by section as required to avoid any closing of the bridge to traffic

Removal of an existing modular-type expansion joint and preparation of the recess to receive the new TENSA®MODULAR joint

Lifting into position of a new TENSA®MODULAR expansion joint at one end of the Naini Bridge

A new six-gap TENSA®MODULAR expansion joint following placing in the recess formed when the old joint was removed

Following concreting in place of this new TENSA®MODULAR expansion joint, only the placing of the asphalt driving surface remains to be completed