OneSteel Market Mills’ DuraGal 180 channel steel used in bridge construction
The Great Southern Rail Trail gently meanders eastwards through the lush dairy cattle farmland and remnant bush of the Gippsland Hills in Victoria.
Until recently, a section between Leongatha and Foster lay dormant, due to the degradation of an old trestle bridge. Construction is now underway to reconnect the trail to accommodate pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders passing through the beautiful surrounds.
The structure, which spans the banks of the Tarwin river and reconnects the trail, is being rebuilt by Hulls Engineering Australia.
“It’s a 240 metre long trestle bridge, made up of 19 separate bridge sections. We’re utilising OneSteel DuraGal 180 channel in the bridge’s floor to bolt the joists to the timber,” explained David Gaskin from Hulls Engineering.
“DuraGal is a lot easier to use because it was easier to punch rather than drill. This will result in a considerable amount of time saved on the job.
“The product is also a better option due to its lightweight structure and great spanning ability – an important factor when you consider we’ll be using 1000 metres of DuraGal 180 channel, weighing around 21 tonne which is around 25% of the whole structure,“ he said. DuraGal is available from OneSteel Market Mills .
Project Manager, John McKay, is pleased the construction of the bridge is underway.
“The bridge’s biggest spanning section is 30 metres across the Tarwin river, and it’s been designed to replicate the style of the original bridge built in a bygone era,” he said.
“The 240 metre long bridge will connect the gap in the rail trail from Leongatha and Foster five metres above the flood plain area and it runs along the route the railway used to follow.
The Great Southern Rail Trail project is due to be completed by the end of this month.
31-Jul-2008