CVL Engineering Inc. was contracted by Eagle Builders to design a bridge that would span over a section of CN Rail track in Peace River. There were several parameters we were asked to work within for this project. Primarily, we needed to avoid a lengthy initial construction period and limit the amount of ongoing maintenance required to ensure that rail and bridge traffic would not be disrupted more than necessary.

The solution CVL Engineering Inc. provided was a buried precast concrete arch bridge that would require minimal maintenance and a shorter construction period, resulting in less disruption to traffic and a lower initial project cost. The design also included cast in place crown beam which would not require formwork. We worked within the CSA standards to determine the maximum capacity for live loads for the bridge.

An additional challenge was maintaining the right of way for the CN railway at all times during construction, which required us to think outside the box when it came to planning for temporary support during construction. The contractor originally held the sections in place with cranes, but as costs added up, they got in touch with us to find a better alternative solution. We proposed using steel plates with Hilti anchors to connect the two arch segments, creating a hinge at the crown and making it a three-hinge arch. The proposal was accepted and this made the arch structurally stable so that construction of the crown beam could be carried on without further delays.