NOTTINGHAM TRENT BRIDGE REFURBISHMENT

PROJECT Nottingham Trent Bridge Refurbishment CLIENT Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council MAIN CONTRACTOR Cleveland Bridge clevelandbridge.com Cleveland Bridge ingenuity ensures heritage bridge rehabilitation is completed on time in challenging conditions.

Requirement

The Grade 2 listed Trent Bridge is a steel, cast-iron and stone road bridge across the River Trent in Nottingham. It is one of the principal river crossings into the city from the south. Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council needed to find an experienced bridge rehabilitation specialist to carry out ongoing corrosion-resistance work to prevent degradation of the historic structure, and to secure its long-term load- carrying capacity.

Solution Project scope

In the tender process, Cleveland Cleveland Bridge took on the role Cleveland Bridge also needed to Bridge achieved the highest of Principal Contractor for the replace damaged cast-iron parapet quality score of all bidders and rehabilitation works. The project components, and repair others in- was appointed to deliver the high- involved painting all steel and situ. To recreate the precise design profile seven-month maintenance cast-iron elements on the bridge, of these historic elements, Cleveland programme. The works were carried encompassing a total area of more Bridge took moulds of existing intact out during the period of Covid-19 than 11,000m2. To maintain the decorations and used them to cast lockdown restrictions, which meant historic appearance of the bridge, brand new sections. Repairs also had careful planning was required to Cleveland Bridge needed to find an to be made to the heritage stonework maintain social distancing and exact colour match for all painted on the piers and abutments. associated safety measures. areas, as well as the artwork on more than 400 intricately decorated Through close collaboration cast rosettes. between the Client and project team, Cleveland Bridge was able to In addition, 120m2 of gold leaf had adjust the works programme to allow to be applied to the bridge fascias simultaneous working on two bridge to restore them to their former glory. spans, rather than working on them Cleveland Bridge worked with a sequentially. This enabled social specialist partner to complete this distancing to be maintained, while delicate work. keeping the works within the planned programme time.

Creating landmarks worldwide clevelandbridge.com Challenges Outcomes In addition to rearranging the works programme to mitigate the risk Covid-19 related delays, Cleveland Despite the unexpected delays, Bridge had to manage the work closures and restrictions around a three-week closure of the imposed by external factors, site at the height of the pandemic. Cleveland Bridge managed to On top of this, storm conditions and keep the programme within high river levels further inhibited the the original timeframe, with project. no detriment to the quality or safety of the works completed. Further complications were added as unscheduled emergency works The bridge remained open were ongoing on the adjacent Clifton to traffic and the public Bridge, which meant the Client throughout, which meant this required Trent Bridge to remain open essential bridge rehabilitation was completed with no at all times. Cleveland Bridge quickly “Cleveland Bridge were had to problem solve and devise a disruption to bridge users. way to deliver the full programme of Cleveland Bridge was able a pleasure to work with. rehabilitation works safely, without to achieve the exemplary Whatever delays or standards of workmanship the need to close any of the traffic obstructions were thrown lanes. The solution involved a number and aesthetics required by of creative methods, including the council for this Grade 2 at them, they managed transferring all scaffold material by heritage structure. to find effective ways to river-going pontoon, instead of lifting complete the extensive it over the bridge parapet from a delivery vehicle. repairs and repainting works on time and to an extremely high standard. Their efforts mean this much-loved structure will retain its heritage appeal for many more generations, while providing the structural strength needed for modern-day traffic.”

Chris Capewell CEng MICE Highway Engineering Technical Lead Nottingham City Council

Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd. T. +44 (0) 1325 381188 Cleveland House, Yarm Road, F. +44 (0) 1325 382320 Darlington, Co. Durham DL1 4DE, UK E. [email protected] clevelandbridge.com