Collaboration on a Difficult Site – Cuningar Loop Bridge, Glasgow

When sections of the Cuningar Loop pedestrian bridge were lifted into place over a meander in the river Clyde in east Glasgow, the bridge was being put together for the second time. To ensure a perfect fit, a trial erection of the hundred metre bridge had already taken place at the Jamestown Steel site.
Collaboration on a Difficult Site
Specialist surveyors were brought in to produce a three-dimensional scan of the bridge once the trial erection was completed; this was so that the scan could be checked against the dimensions of the pier and bearings already built by Robertson Civil Engineering, the contractors who were also responsible for the bridge abutments and access embankments. Progress at the site was further complicated by old mine workings and a trunk sewer, as well as electrical and water supplies running through the abutments.
Steel Section Delivery
The finished bridge is 100 metres long, 4 metres wide and 4 metres high. Five sections constructed from cellular beams, which weighed 160 tonnes in total, were made up and delivered to the Glasgow site. The sections, up to 33 metres long, were partially assembled before delivery because of the restricted space available on site. At the site, these five sections were combined into three larger components which were then craned into place over a period of three days.
A Three-Month Project
Jamestown Manufacturing's work on the project lasted three months. The steel products used for the Plate Girders were S355J2W+N and S355K2W+N. We also provided stillages so that the large bridge sections could be handled safely on site after delivery.
'Workmanship to the Highest Level'
Connell Mohan, the Robertson Project Manager, spoke highly of the Jamestown contribution to the bridge; "Jamestown's workmanship was to the highest level and (they were) very easy to deal with"
An Important Link
Cuningar Loop is a new woodland park to the east of Glasgow, which has been created from fifteen hectares of formerly derelict land. Fifteen thousand trees have been planted on the site by Forestry Commission Scotland, who are creating the park in partnership with Glasgow City Council. The new bridge, open to both pedestrians and cyclists, enables access to the park by people from the new residential area being built on the site of the former 2014 Commonwealth Games Athletes' Village. The park is intended to encourage outdoor activity, with an extensive path network, adventure play facilities, and Scotland’s first outdoor bouldering park. This is seen as an important facility in an area where there are long-term concerns about public health.