ABOUT
The scope of this project was to study and detail solutions for the application of water supply pipes on existent roadway bridges and viaducts. It is part of the Public Administration of Portugal Northwest Waters plan for the new regional water supply and sewage system.
The selected route for pipes included many river crossings, four of which had the potential to be done using roadway bridge decks. Several conditions for installing the pipes were checked – structural, geometric and architectural, amongst others. Where feasibility was demonstrated, detailed design was performed. Special care was taken to devise installation methods to minimise roadway traffic disturbance.
Four major crossings over the Lima River were studied. Three of them proceeded to detail design and construction:
- A28 Motorway – 500 mm water supply pipe on 2180 m long bridge;
- EN 305 – 2×200 mm water supply pipes on 1200 m long bridge;
- EN 101 – 250 mm water supply pipe on 211/290 m long bridge and access viaduct.
Apart from the pipe support design, the project included the definition of hydraulic equipment, construction methodology as well as the upstream and downstream connections.
