Mabey bridge innovation stabilises bridge within 24 hours of M6 crash
Leading bridge and engineering services specialist Mabey has provided an urgent solution for Highways England to prop up a bridge over the M6 following a serious lorry crash. The bridge propping solution, which was installed overnight, enabled the safe removal of the wreckage, and allowed the road to be re-opened within approximately 24 hours of the accident.
When an articulated vehicle crashed into one of the main supports of the Turner’s Farm Accommodation bridge, the entire structure was in danger of collapse. Thankfully, the driver was not seriously injured, but the accident led to significant delays and the subsequent closure of the M6 in both directions between junctions 32 and 33 in Lancashire.
Mabey was immediately contacted by Kier Highways, on behalf of Highways England, to help resolve the issue. Its engineers worked throughout the night to design a solution which comprised of two Mass 50 four-legged towers with base beams to spread the load on the carriageway, as well as header beams and hydraulic jacks which supported the existing bridge beams. By 6am the following morning, the bridge was safely propped up, so the road could be re-opened before the working day started.
Graham Porter, General Manager Area 13 M&R at Kier Highways said: “Mabey provided an absolutely first-class response. From the initial call, Mabey engineers designed and delivered a solution that enabled us to re-open the road in little over 24 hours. The team worked tirelessly, and we are extremely grateful for their support.”
Matthew Westhead, Engineering Manager, Mabey, concludes “Our aim is to respond to enquiries as quickly as possible, so we can enable the safe and efficient delivery of vital solutions. We were very pleased to help Highways England minimise the impact of this incident for other travellers using the road.”
