H&H, in partnership with Roughan & O’Donovan (ROD), marks a significant milestone in the construction of the Renfrew Bridge in Renfrewshire, Scotland. The north leaf was shipped from Arendonk, Belgium, to Vlissingen, Netherlands, and travelled by barge to Renfrewshire. Recently, the second section was floated into place using SPMTs (self-propelled modular transporters).

H&H/ROD were commissioned by Hollandia Iemants JV to lead the design of the new 184-meter double-leaf bobtail cable-stayed swing bridge. Renfrew Bridge will connect Renfrew to Clydebank and Yoker and it stands out as the centrepiece of the Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside (CWRR) project.

Featuring an asymmetric or “bobtail” arrangement with 65-meter forward spans and 27-meter back spans, the bridge will carry vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. Each steel span is supported by a pivot assembly located at shore. The spans are gear-driven and operated by an efficient electro-hydraulic system capable of swinging each span 110 degrees to permit passage of marine vessels.

Each span on Renfrew Bridge is 92 meters long, making it one of the largest double-leaf bobtail swing bridges in the world. The stay cable and pylon system leverages the high tensile capacity of the stays to efficiently transfer the deck loads to the slewing bearing. This yields weight reduction in the overall deck structure, resulting in a lightweight, cost-effective swing bridge.

H&H is the lead engineer for the design of the structure, slewing bearing, and slewing drives for Renfrew Bridge. The project is one of several collaborations with ROD, with the overall scheme led by the construction and civil engineering company GRAHAM. The design-build project team includes Hollandia Infra and Iemants. Renfrew Bridge is jointly funded by The UK and Scottish governments and the owner is Renfrewshire Council. The bridge is set to open Fall of 2024.

Photo Credit: Roughan & O’Donovan