BRIDGES IN FOCUS
Bridgeply panels are traditionally available in standard widths of 1200mm, and can be custom made to other sizes. The Big River Grafton Mill has a scarf joining machine that allows plywood machining to almost any sheet size within the limits of transportation – including lengths of over 10 metres. The longest order made to date is a 13.1m sheet of Bridgeply, which was carried on a 14m long semi-trailer.
ABOUT BIG RIVER GROUP
end could be stepped so the sheets could interlock together rather than having to mitre cut them,” explained Dan Berryman, National Wholesale Manager, at Big River Group. An economic alternative to steel or concrete, Bridgeply can be easily applied to damaged or deteriorated hardwood decking. Additionally, its lightweight composition means less machinery is required to install it. “We chose Big River Bridgeply for its distinct adaptability to our unique problem, as well as its quality and Australian Origins” – Kiah Road Bridge owner South Maitland Railways Pty Ltd, Manager Warren Hedley.
Bridgeply – Structural Grade Plywood Bridgeply is a structural grade plywood manufactured to AS/NZS 2269-2012 made from AFS/PEFC chain of custody certified sustainable Australian plantation pine. It provides a reliable replacement where suitable lengths of solid hardwood timber are unavailable for bridge decking. The ply is cross-laminated, with the grain at right angles in alternating layers, to evenly distribute longitudinal and lateral stiffness. The product is envelope treated (H4) to protect against termites, fungus and environmental degradation.
River Group manufactures and distributes timber and steel formwork products, timber flooring, structural plywood and related timber products, and distributes a broad range of other building products, including MaxiWall, primarily to the commercial and residential, non-residential, and infrastructure, construction market segments. Big River owns and manages 13 sales and distribution outlets including Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Townsville, Illawarra, Melbourne, Hume (ACT), Adelaide and Perth. The Company also owns and operates manufacturing facilities at Grafton and Wagga Wagga in NSW. Big River provides customers with the security of a full support network, and technical expertise at every stage of the product lifecycle. This is the guarantee of quality and service that Big River has based its 110 years of success on. For further information, please visit: www.bigrivergroup.com.au
A Fascinating History of an Iconic Bridge The Hawkesbury River Bridge is the single largest asset in the care of Sydney Trains. Situated in an obscure bend in the river, it is out of public view, except when crossing it. The current bridge was built alongside the original bridge, side-by-side. Both bridges were technically challenging for their time, and required significant ingenuity and engineering feats to move the huge steel spans into place. Fortunately, the construction of both bridges was well photographed. The history of these iconic bridges has now been documented in Bill Phippen’s new book The Hawkesbury River Railway Bridges. Detailed, informative and with an array of photos, it provides a fascinating and comprehensive history of these remarkable structures, and is an extremely worthwhile read for historians, engineers and railfans alike. (329 pages, $88). The Hawkesbury River Railway Bridges is available from the Australian Railway
Historical Society NSW Bookshop, Ph: (02) 9699 4595 or visit: www.arhsnsw.com.au ** Highway Engineering Australia (HEA) readers are able to purchase copies of The Hawkesbury River Railway Bridges for the special pre-sale price of $75 (valid until April 30th).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Bill Phippen OAM was born in Sydney in 1950. He graduated in Civil Engineering from Sydney University in 1976. Bill was elected to the Founding Board of TAD disability services where he served continuously until 2017, holding the position of President from 1996 until 2012. TAD Disability Services is a charity which builds custom equipment for people with disabilities. On Australia Day 2013 Bill was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to people with disability, and to the community. In 2010 he was named as New South Wales Senior Volunteer of the Year and by the Sydney Morning Herald as one of the 100 most influential people in Sydney. In 2013 Engineers Australia named Bill as one of the 100 most influential engineers in Australia on the basis of his work with TAD and invited him to be a Fellow of that Institution. Bill is a member of the Engineers Australia Sydney Division Heritage Committee.
April/May 2018 | Highway Engineering Australia 53