Agenda The 2025 programme

• The ideal bridge should be functional, sustainable, structurally coherent, aesthetic, and durable, as well as respectful of the history, culture and society of the site, appropriate to the environment and on the right scale with regard to the problem.
• In this presentation I will explain my view on how to achieve holistic bridge designs, in the context of the current climate emergency. 

• The A19 Tees Viaduct, or Tees Flyover is a high level 2.9km-long road bridge in the Northeast carrying the main A19 trunk road north–south across the river Tees. It has a total length of 2.9km.
• Since opening in November 1975, the structure has had problems with corrosion and repairs have been necessary at various times through its life to increase the longevity of the structure.
• CRL has been working on this structure since October 2020 and is currently working collaboratively with Sir Robert McAlpine on the 3rd phase of the project, which includes concrete repairs, surface preparation and cathodic protection to a further sixteen bents along the viaduct. 
  
  Session will be led by Concrete Repairs Limited

• Minimising the quantity of material specified is one significant way in which bridge engineers can reduce the embodied carbon in their designs and also reduce the cost.
• In reality, relatively few bridges are currently designed to the limits of the rules in the applicable design codes.
• This presentation will discuss some of the common reasons why designers are reticent to design for 100% utilisation and makes proposals for why and how they should re-consider their approach in many situations.

• The Inspection Manual for Highway Structures (IMFHS) was first released in 2007; the document consisted of two complimentary volumes; Volume 1 was a reference document whilst Volume 2 acted as a quick reference for inspectors on site.
• National Highways decided in 2023 that a refresh of the document was required and employed WSP to undertake the work.
• The new manual is divided into 13 chapters; chapters 1 to 11 replace the original reference document; chapter 12 is the updated Inspector’s Handbook whilst chapter 13 provides informative references.
• The IMFHS is applicable to any individual or organisation in the UK who wish to use it.
• The presentation will describe the changes made with examples taken from the two volumes.

• Introduction to City Bridge Foundation.
• Background to why the decking works are required and intermediate operations.
• The improvements to the decking.
• Additional maintenance works included.
• Progress of the proposals and works on site.

The TEN/20 (aka Pecha Kucha) is a stand-alone session comprising mini presentations delivered at a blistering pace by exhibitors and delegates from local authorities and academia.

Presentations are vetted by the organisers of Bridges in partnership with ADEPT.

To suggest a presentation subject, email Jose Sanchez on j.sanchez@hgluk.com.

• A reflection on collapses in the first quarter of this century.
• Details of collapse investigations.
• Some case studies.
• Are we sufficiently well resourced to prevent future collapses?

• Cart Road Bridge, Cardiff is a Grade II listed three span masonry railway underbridge which, before the works, was in very poor condition. 
• This presentation will describer the project background and how it fits in within the wider Core Valley Lines works for Transport for Wales.
• Our paper will also examine mistakes that were made in the assessment and initial strengthening of this bridge which can apply to other masonry bridges and which dangerously overestimated the strength of the bridge. 
• Lastly, we will present the latest advances used in the installation of the MARS System and discuss the problems associated with re-casing masonry bridges.

• The long-term challenges that Network Rail faces with its aging bridges portfolio.
• How Network Rail’s examination regimes have been evolving and continue to evolve, to support engineers and asset managers make good decisions.

• An innovative footbridge for Network Rail.
• Designed for manufacture.
• Working with stainless steel thin sheets.
• The AVA footbridge was conceived as a disrupter to shake up the procurement, carbon cost and glacial speed of construction that still characterise the majority of conventional footbridge projects. It is also a beautiful, timeless piece of infrastructure, all made of stainless steel thin sheets.

• Strange as it may seem to us in the 21^st Century, construction and repair of bridges was once considered an important act of charity. Benefactors were motivated by piety to give large sums of money towards their upkeep.
• This talk will give a fascinating insight into the religious motivation of our medieval ancestors and why they considered that making these donations for bridges might help to save their souls after death.

• Introduced by Bridge design & engineering magazine and the organisers of the Bridges conference and exhibition in partnership with the Bridge Owners Forum, the biennial Bridges Awards aim to recognise and honour individual projects and/or organisations for outstanding achievement.

Read more here.

• Exploring the latest developments in National Highways ‘Structures Moonshot,’ relating to the non-destructive testing of post tensioned bridges.

• This presentation will provide overview of aluminium bridges before delving into the engineering and verification processes behind the 55m-long pedestrian Hangar Bridge being built in Norwary. 
• With a focus on engineering, verification and fabrication, the Hangar Bridge project is actively exploring the potential environmental and lifecycle benefits of using 100% recycled aluminium for bridge construction.

• Bridgitise is a pioneering project that aims to advance bridge integrity management through the development and validation of digital technologies for bridge information management.
• The project will train 16 PhDs on themes related to innovative technologies to collect bridge data; AI and IoT technology to process and share data; and digital decision support tools to manage bridges' integrity across their life cycle.
• All the projects will go beyond the state of the art to move scientific developments closer to real applications.

• Our infrastructure is ageing, and at the same time, we're placing increasing demands and expectations upon it.
• This is becoming a critical national challenge.
• The good news is that technology has reached a point where AI and machine learning can help to solve these problems.
• Steve Denton and Tom Bartley will explore their vision for 'Digital Custodianship' and demonstrate how emerging digital technologies will transform the way asset managers make decisions about maintaining infrastructure.

• Highlighting the efforts of the Working Group.
• Presentation on areas of best practice across UK bridges.

• This presentation will explore the design, engineering and construction of a first-of-a-kind low-cost and low-carbon grant-funded pilot footbridge.
• The structure was completed in September 2024 at Constructionarium’s Norfolk site and includes two fully instrumented 10.8m-long 3D printed concrete beams, Scottish glulam timber decking and timber parapets.
• Compared to typical steel or concrete footbridge designs (excl. foundations & prelims) the bridge provides a supply cost saving of 40% and an embodied carbon saving of 30%.
• Data on strain & temperature in the beams is being gathered over 6 months to map the performance & demonstrate evolution of the concrete strength and  creep.

• An overview of the Canal & River Trust’s bridge and aqueduct portfolio.
• Pontcysyllte Aqueduct:
  • Historic Information;
  • Construction details;
  • Planning & undertaking inspections; and 
  • Previous and planned remedial works.

• The historic bridge is a two-pinned arch structure comprising 16 riveted steel arch ribs.

• Having previously undertaken a comprehensive programme of surveys, inspection and assessment we were able to demonstrate that refurbishment was a feasible option instead of replacement, drawing on the ‘build less’ approach in PAS 2080.

• The refurbishment scheme being presented on at Bridges offers embodied carbon savings in the order of 50%.

• An overview of the repair and restoration works being undertaken on the Newport Transporter Bridge.

• Discuss the importance of public speaking in our industry.
• Discuss how effective communication is key to solving challenges (linking to conference theme).
• Outline the key elements of an effective presentation.
• Launch a new opportunity for engineers to improve their public speaking skills and gain confidence in a fun and safe environment, supported by Toastmasters International.

• Following installation of emergency temporary fail-safes on the Menai Suspension Bridge in January 2023, a permanent solution was procured and installed between September 2023 and October 2024.
• 168 defective hangers were replaced on the bridge, whilst temporary fail-safes were kept in place for structural safety throughout the replacement operation. 
• This talk discusses the details of the project, including the specification, manufacturing, testing and site installation of the replacement hangers.