Project Description
The Menangle Pedestrian Bridge is located about 250 meters south of Menangle Station, providing pedestrian access to Mirvac’s residential development, The Village. It supplements the adjacent road bridge and comprises a single span, simply supported prestressed super tee girder with a topping slab, supported on reinforced concrete abutments and piles. Steel-framed approach ramps provide access to the primary span from the east and west, while a mesh safety screen encases the bridge, supported by a series of steel frame elements. The foundation design was completed with inputs by geotechnical subconsultants, SMEC.
Project Challenges
Robert Bird Group was engaged to advance an existing design from the Detailed Design stage to Approved for Construction. Initially, a 6-week design program was planned to align with a proposed rail shutdown. However, during the design review, we identified several critical issues, necessitating the redesign of key elements, including the bridge girder, piles, safety screen frames, approach ramp handrails, and the realignment of the ramps. Despite extending the original schedule, the redesign was completed within a highly constrained construction timeline.
Added Value
The most significant added value Robert Bird Group brought to the project was its ARTC accreditation, earned through extensive experience in bridge design to AS 5100 standards, prestressed element design, and rail interfaces. Further value was added with a rapid design turnaround. Leveraging computational design, the team produced a complete design in a very short period of time. Approach ramp structures were initially drawn in Rhino based on the civil control line, with a full Revit model generated using the Rhino Inside Revit API. This approach allowed for ongoing updates while creating the model simultaneously, streamlining the process.
Sustainable Methodologies and Outcomes
The project provides a safe and sustainable transport link between the new residential development and Menangle Station. The construction method and sequencing were designed to minimise the duration of works inside the rail corridor, reducing disruption to the railway line.