Visual concept designs of the new River Clyde bridge. Produced by Kettle Collective in collaboration with Sweco.
Roughan & O'Donovan (ROD) and Hardesty & Hanover (H&H) are collaborating to provide comprehensive movable bridge engineering design services for the first opening road bridge over the River Clyde in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The project marks another significant win for the two firms, who have established a strong reputation for undertaking designs of competitive, constructible, kinetic structures in the UK and Ireland.
The Clyde crossing is the centerpiece of the Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside (CWRR) project, which will transform the waterfront, connect communities on both sides of the river, improve access to jobs, education, hospitals, and leisure pursuits, and create new connections into Scotland's manufacturing innovation district AMIDS.
The design-build project is being led by construction and civil engineering company, GRAHAM, with Hollandia Infra, lemants, Ramboll, Amey, Hycom Engineering, and Fairfield Control Systems amongst the other members of the project team.
The 184m double cable-stayed swing bridge, connecting Renfrew to Clydebank and Yoker, will carry vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians.
The geometry of this elegant and structurally efficient swing bridge allows for cyclist and pedestrian-friendly gradients on the bridge while also providing a significant navigational opening. The 12.3m wide bridge deck contains two carriageways and two pedestrian footpaths.
The double swing bridge is 130m pivot to pivot with an asymmetric or “bobtail” arrangement of 65m forward span and 27m back span. The steel superstructures spans are gear-driven, hydraulically powered, and open at a 110° angle. The pivots feature 6.7m-diameter slewing bearings. The forward steel superstructure is supported by cable-stays anchored to steel pylons and a counterweighted back span.
Planning consent has already been obtained. Detailed design and construction are scheduled to start this spring and take three years to complete.
The ROD/H&H team is a highly sought after collaboration for its unmatched experience in designing competitive, highly constructible, kinetic structures. The team uses an integrated design approach with structural, mechanical, and electrical systems functioning as one, and bridge geometry and systems matched to optimise functionality and long-term durability and reliability.
Paul Skelton, PE, H&H’s Principal-in-Charge of the firm’s international projects said, “Our well honed partnership with ROD is emblematic of our approach to designing complex kinetic structures. Our structural, mechanical, and electrical/controls specialists design collaboratively to ensure that the bridge and its machinery function as one. This will bring to life an elegant and unique bridge that offers pedestrians and cyclists a less-steep journey across the Clyde while also providing a significant opening for marine traffic.”
ROD’s Tony Dempsey commented, “We have been collaborating with H&H for the past 15 years, and we are delighted to be working with Paul and the team again on this our latest success. It continues our established relationship in the UK and Ireland.”
