Delegates at Bridges 2015 will have the chance to find out more about the USA’s accelerated bridge construction programme and its implications for the UK and European market; discover how new technologies exploiting the use of drones, satellites and lasers are set to revolutionise bridge inspection and monitoring, and hear about progress on bridge construction projects in the UK and overseas.
In Scotland construction of the Forth Replacement Crossing is moving into its most visually-dramatic phase, with the main towers rising and the first sections of deck now in position. Project director David Climie will bring delegates up to date with the latest progress on the scheme as it enters its last two years of construction.
Another major project currently being built in Turkey will also be under the spotlight; the Izmit Bay Bridge contractor’s deputy project manager Yasutsugu Yamasaki will give a presentation highlighting the challenges of building a large-span suspension bridge in a very short time and will share some of the secrets of progress so far.
But the fact that medium and small-span bridges are just as important is also acknowledged in our 2015 programme, with designer Andreas Keil of Schlaich Bergermann & Partners demonstrating that a landmark bridge need not be showy; good detailing and careful consideration of context is central to a successful result. Working within tight constraints is another challenge that the UK’s bridge engineers regularly face, and will be one of the aspects addressed by Ray Sexton when he talks about the Nottingham Express Transit.
Repair, maintenance and inspection continue to be the mainstay of workload for the vast majority of bridge engineers, and we will be showcasing a number of major refurbishment projects as well as new technologies aimed at increasing efficiency and safety for these daily tasks. Find out how drones are being used to inspect inaccessible structures, and hear how the joints of the Dartford Crossing were replaced under traffic.
