Display QRP21168a

Queensland Rail wishes to advise of an upcoming tender opportunity for project QRP-21-168 Alligator Creek Bridge Pier Replacement works. 

This tender is planned to be released to the market via QTenders in February 2022.

The Alligator Creek rail bridge located near Yaamba crossing Fitzroy River at 674.310km on the North Coast Line was constructed in the 1920’s and is 253m long which consists of six, 11m prestressed concrete spans, nine, 8.5m steel girder spans, and three, 36.5m truss spans. The substructure consists of 19 concrete piers.

The piers to be replaced as part of these works are piers 5 to 9 on the eastern side of the creek and 14 and 15 on the western side. While piers 5 to 15 are original piers from 1910, piers 1 to 4 and 16 to 19 were replaced in 1993. The superstructure between spans 1 and 9 and spans 13 and 18 were also installed in 1993. While the truss spans (spans 10 to 12) are the original 1911 superstructure, they were strengthened as part of the 1993 major work. 

In summary, previous inspections had noted leaning piers 14 and 15. As a result, a temporary steel propping system has been installed to reduce the risk of further movement of these piers. Extensive cracking was observed on piers 5 to 9 and piers 14 to 15. 

The Contractor’s scope is to replace existing Piers 5 to 9 and 14 to 15 with twin cast in place concrete piles/columns. The existing girders will be retained and supported by new precast concrete headstocks which are connected to the new columns using stressing bars. 

The Contractor shall develop construction methodologies that allow the cast in place piles and columns to be constructed with no disruption to normal railway operation adhering to safe working requirements.

The deck over Spans 4 to 9 and 13 to 15 will then have to be removed in track closure(s) to allow for the top portion of the existing piers and installation of the precast concrete headstocks. The existing decks are to be reinstated following completion of the substructure construction. The remaining portion of the piers can then be demolished during normal railway operation while working in between trains

Key Characteristics of the bridge:

The superstructure shall be kept and reused. 

• The deck over Spans 4 to 9 and 13 to 15 comprises of 3 steel girder arrangement. 

• Overall width of the deck over the abovementioned spans is 1.79m and accommodates a single narrow gauge (1,067mm) direct fix track. 

• The spans are simply supported and are nominally 8.56m long. 

• Steel girders are supported on steel bed plates. New steel bed plates will be fixed to the new precast concrete headstocks using hold down bolts. The spans are fixed at one end and free to move longitudinally at the other end under cyclic thermal loads. The girders bottom flange ate the fixed end are tap screwed to the steel bed plate. The girders are restrained laterally by keeper plates. 

• Q100 and Q2000 flood levels submerge the bridge deck. 

Substructure: Piers 5 to 9 and 14 to 15 will be replaced as part of the Works. 

• Precast headstock on twin bored cast in place piles/columns. 

• Piles socketed into competent rock with toe levels at approximately 6m (Piers 5 -9) and 11m (Piers 14 and 15) below ground level as shown on the Drawings. 

Key Constraints:

The piling works are to be completed with no disruption to normal railway operations. Wide twin pile design has been designed to facilitate this. The Contractor’s construction methodology and Safe Work Method Statements shall demonstrate to Queensland Rail’s satisfaction that the works can be carried safely and without disruption to railway operations. 

The piling work is to be completed either side of existing piers. Existing piers are to be monitored during the piling work for any movements. 

The headstock installation and change over from existing piers to new piers shall be carried during full track closures, i.e. no train operations. 

The existing girders are to be fixed to the new headstocks with new bearing plates. 

To be considered for this activity the Principal Contractor must be classified as a Category 1 Contractor prequalified on the Queensland Rail Contractor Safety and Environmental Management (CSEM) register as well as holding current Safely Access the Rail Corridor (SARC), Working in Electrified Territory (WET) and Rail Industry Worker (RIW) certification.

Queensland Rail will be conducting a tender information session to outline specific requirements and expected project outcomes, the date will be confirmed upon tender release.

If there are no documents listed in this section, please refer to Section 1 Tender Overview.

Documents can not be downloaded once Tender has closed.