Gull Wing Bridge Case Study
The Gull Wing Bridge in Lowestoft, Suffolk UK is the world’s largest rolling bascule bridge lifted by hydraulic cylinders. It is the third crossing over Lake Lothing and provides a vital connection between the north and south of the town. The vehicle and pedestrian bridge reduces congestion and will help regenerate the area.
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Designed by Arup, built by Farrans Construction and delivered by Suffolk County Council, the Gull Wing Bridge is a truly striking addition to the local infrastructure.
It's certainly a fantastic looking bridge, so something we can all be proud of.
The single span rolling bascule bridge’s most striking feature is the dual ‘gull wings’ that act as counterweights. To achieve the necessary weight for this counterbalance, MagnaDense was utilised to produce the high-density concrete that is installed in the upper portions of the gull wings.
The collaboration worked really well . . . What we got was exactly what we needed.
The bascule span was constructed in The Netherlands and transported to Lowestoft by barge. Due to the weight of the counterbalances, the high-density concrete wasn’t installed until the bascule span was placed in situ. This posed potential problems due to the height and location of installation of the high-density concrete ballast.
I have got no problem using MagnaDense Concrete . . . I actually find it better than some of the normal material we supply!
We worked extensively with Arup (the designers), Farrans Construction (the builders), Capital Concrete (the readymix suppliers), and Camfaud Concrete Pumps (the installers) to ensure the required mix and density was achieved. This involved extensive lab trials and a mock-up of the gull wings to test the installation of different mixes. The height of the gull wings, and the fact there are steel strengthening vanes contained within them, meant there were potential concerns about the application of the counterbalance solution. We needed to ensure the high-density concrete would flow efficiently and that the necessary weight would be achieved with a high degree of accuracy.
. . . everything went to plan, and everyone was happy with the outcome.
