Following a routine inspection of the south side viaduct platform on the Forth Road Bridge, it was decided that a major refurbishment would be required to address the evident levels of corrosion that had been identified on the structure.
Millar Callaghan put forward a bid to carry out these works by completely removing the platforms from the bridge and taking them off site to be refurbished. On winning the contract we produced detailed method statements, risk assessments and lifting plans that clearly explained how we would separate the two main platforms from the connecting bridge section and lower them to the compound below. The platforms and bridge sections would then be taken off site and stripped down to their individual component parts. Each individual section would be inspected and any existing welds would be NDT tested for defects. Where possible, the existing steelwork would be repaired, but, in some cases, it would be necessary to replace damaged sections with new steel. When the inspection of the steelwork was complete the platform would be reassembled and new steel handrailing and GRP flooring would be fabricated to replace the existing damaged sections. When all fabrication was complete the steelwork would be shotblasted and galvanised before arriving back on site. The new steelwork would be fully assembled into the two main platforms and the link bridge at ground level, before being raised into position and reattached to the underside of the bridge.
