Client
Highways England
Value
£1.99 million
Sectors & Services
Highway Structures Concrete Repair Cleaning & Preparation ECI (Early Contractor Involvement) Bearing Replacement Projects Projects
Helsby Viaduct is a strategically important highway structure within Highways England’s Area 10 network, carrying live traffic while spanning sensitive infrastructure, including a railway corridor. The project was initiated to address deteriorating bearings, deck waterproofing defects, parapet constraints and concrete deterioration to the abutment sill, all of which posed risks to durability and long-term performance.
Commencing during the national lockdown, the scheme demanded rigorous planning, safe delivery and close collaboration with stakeholders. Through Early Contractor Involvement and disciplined programme management, CRL not only maintained compliance with government guidance but successfully accelerated the works, enabling all traffic lanes to be reopened four months earlier than originally planned.
Services undertaken
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ECI with Highways England and project stakeholders
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Environmental control measures, including French drain, sump and siltbuster system
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Initial survey and assessment of abutment sill beam
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Jacking of bridge deck with continuous monitoring
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Removal and installation of new bridge bearings
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Carriageway planning, milling and deck preparation
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Spray application of waterproofing membrane
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Parapet replacement works
CRL undertook Early Contractor Involvement with Highways England and the wider project team to develop an integrated solution covering access, temporary works, bearing replacement methodology and environmental controls. A key challenge was managing water generated by hydro-demolition. CRL designed and implemented a French drain system with a dedicated sump to capture and divert run-off, which was treated through a siltbuster under an Environment Agency discharge licence. This ensured full environmental compliance while allowing high-output concrete removal.
Extensive scaffold and access systems were installed, including a combi safe system spanning the works and extending over the railway line. A partitioned scaffold enclosure was constructed using visqueen membranes, double plywood layers and a tarpaulin outer face. This segregated work zones and enabled controlled capture and redirection of hydro-demolition water to the treatment system.
Deck works were carefully sequenced. Following detailed planning, the carriageway was milled, the deck prepared and localised repairs undertaken before spray application of a new waterproofing membrane and reinstatement with hot rolled asphalt. Parapet replacement works were accelerated in parallel, allowing early reopening of all lanes.
Significant structural concrete repairs were completed to the abutment sill using hydro-demolition for break-out, steel replacement, shuttering and flowable concrete pours. Galvanic XP4 anodes were incorporated to mitigate future corrosion. New corbels were constructed to support a temporary jacking system and bearings, enabling the bridge to be lifted under traffic management closures. Existing bearings were removed by hydro-demolition and replaced with new units, with continuous structural monitoring throughout. This coordinated, technically robust approach demonstrates CRL’s capability to deliver complex concrete repairs and structural repairs UK schemes while protecting programme certainty and asset availability.
"Instead, we kept two lanes open in each direction for drivers making essential journeys during the Coronavirus lockdown and have been able to remove the roadworks four months ahead of schedule."
Mangat Bansal | Programme Delivery Manager | Highways England
CRL undertook Early Contractor Involvement with Highways England and the wider project team to develop an integrated solution covering access, temporary works, bearing replacement methodology and environmental controls. A key challenge was managing water generated by hydro-demolition. CRL designed and implemented a French drain system with a dedicated sump to capture and divert run-off, which was treated through a siltbuster under an Environment Agency discharge licence. This ensured full environmental compliance while allowing high-output concrete removal.
Extensive scaffold and access systems were installed, including a combi safe system spanning the works and extending over the railway line. A partitioned scaffold enclosure was constructed using visqueen membranes, double plywood layers and a tarpaulin outer face. This segregated work zones and enabled controlled capture and redirection of hydro-demolition water to the treatment system.
Deck works were carefully sequenced. Following detailed planning, the carriageway was milled, the deck prepared and localised repairs undertaken before spray application of a new waterproofing membrane and reinstatement with hot rolled asphalt. Parapet replacement works were accelerated in parallel, allowing early reopening of all lanes.
Significant structural concrete repairs were completed to the abutment sill using hydro-demolition for break-out, steel replacement, shuttering and flowable concrete pours. Galvanic XP4 anodes were incorporated to mitigate future corrosion. New corbels were constructed to support a temporary jacking system and bearings, enabling the bridge to be lifted under traffic management closures. Existing bearings were removed by hydro-demolition and replaced with new units, with continuous structural monitoring throughout. This coordinated, technically robust approach demonstrates CRL’s capability to deliver complex concrete repairs and structural repairs UK schemes while protecting programme certainty and asset availability.
