By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions. We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Not sure why, but I think it would be quite a cool thing to do should the opportunity arises. I just saw a post on Facebook from local MP Tom Hunt and he's sharing pictures of a local visit.
I went in it a few times early 2000's. I walked underneath it as well a few times (at the join between the bridge and legs) to do some checks. I was working for a civil engineering company that looked after the A14 at the time. It's actually really big inside. You could drive a bus through it! It's also actually two completely separate bridges.
[Post edited 22 Feb 2021 12:54]
1
Who knew you could go inside the Orwell Bridge? I didn't... on 12:50 - Feb 22 with 1029 views
Who knew you could go inside the Orwell Bridge? I didn't... on 12:49 - Feb 22 by DrissaDiallo
I went in it a few times early 2000's. I walked underneath it as well a few times (at the join between the bridge and legs) to do some checks. I was working for a civil engineering company that looked after the A14 at the time. It's actually really big inside. You could drive a bus through it! It's also actually two completely separate bridges.
[Post edited 22 Feb 2021 12:54]
I told someone the other week that the tunnels are big enough for a single decker bus to drive through on some Facebook page as someone was asking about it, some people were having none of it.
Hunt seems to be trying to claim credit for the measures being taken to try to keep the bridge open during high winds - work on which started a year before he was elected.
You're absolutely right that one of the crucial parts of this bridge is the box girder form for the main road supporting elements.
When you have a span as long as the Orwell bridge (I believe it's about 190m) you start to get issues with deflection. Concrete is also very heavy and you start to get issues with the amount of load applied. Box girders are a very rigid "stiff" form of structure and so this helps to limit deflection for these very long structures. You also reduce the amount of concrete present which is a significant cost, time & environmental saving. Being able to go inside is also really useful from a maintenance perspective.
These type of box girders can also be found on the railway as well. I've had to spend some time inside steel box girders for inspection on the railway(it's not very nice!).
Another really interesting example of this kind of "hollow" construction is Royal Albert Bridge in Plymouth:
I hope he stayed on his side. Half of the bridge is in South Suffolk, it is bad enough that we have James Cartlidge without that Hunt sneaking in through the bridge's bowels.
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
