CN Rail Bridge over Fort Road

Widening of Ford Road in Edmonton necessitated a second span for both CN Rail bridges. Each 32.4m simple span bridge comprises two 3m deep girders, floor beams, and steel deck plates. Challenges included a restricted site, active railway and roadway, and skewed bridge geometry. This required meticulous planning for erecting procedures and the installation and removal of temporary supports to ensure structural stability at all stages. Key Features:

Total Steel Erected: Approximately 300 tonnes, distributed over two spans, each with two girder lines.

Erection Methodology: A Liebherr LTM 1400 7.1 crane was used to erect the 50T girders at an 80ft radius.

Erection Sequence: Initially, the girders were transported to the north of a shoefly adjacent to the spans, then unloaded flat to the south of the tracks. They were pivoted to a vertical position for erection. The south span girders were lifted directly onto ungrouted permanent bearings with the crane positioned behind the west abutment. The girders were then secured with bottom flange transverse restraints and top flange stability bracings at each end. The girders were blocked longitudinally at one end against the abutment backwall and the girder of the existing east span on the other end. The floor beams and infill steel were then installed to achieve a stable unit.

This process was replicated for the north span girders, with the crane repositioned to the north of the span. The south girder of the north span was stabilized against the north girder of the erected south span. Due to spacing and lifting radius restrictions, special measures were taken to erect the north girder in its permanent location without interference from the crane. This involved temporarily stabilizing the girder at an intermediate location and retracting the crane's outriggers to 50% extension.

Challenges Addressed: The project faced significant challenges due to tight site constraints for crane positioning and lifting above/across railway lines. The high skew and limited space on the abutment/pier cap surfaces necessitated unique design stability bracing anchorages for each end, including positioning and pad-eye connection to the concrete. Despite these challenges, creative intermediate erection steps and effective wind management ensured the project's successful completion.