RE: Hammersmith Flyover: more than temporary trouble?

[sleep envy]

Ted Rolson said:

robinessex said:

Has anyone but me noticed that new bridges being built on motorways, with steel sections, these days aren't being painted ! South side of the Dartford crossing, A3, M4, and the widening of the north section of the M25. Neither are the steel cassons that retain the soil embankments. I wonder how long these are going to last ?

100% correct mate.
If they polished or painted anything that can rust, most things would last much longer.
A technique i use called sand, paint and polish.
Even a medium layer of polish or grease adds years to metalworks lifespan.

the sheet piling doesn't need to be painted as it's there solely to hold back the soil until the reinforced concrete is poured or the gabians are located/placed

besides which, steel plate will take a lot longer than 40 years to rust

[r7ehw]

I think the sums being talked about in that article sound pretty small. I have seen the works taking place in Birmingham and am alarmed at the miles and miles of elevated roadway we have in this region alone. These roads simply can not be alowed to fail. Not only the disaster of the occurance but the economic disasters of the road closure.

Government needs to take this seriously and take action fast.

[tylerama]

When they knock it down, they can settle once and for all the stories of the krays 'getting rid of' some bodies in the concrete foundations. I bet half of it is held up with 50 year old bones !

[Targarama]

sleep envy said:

the sheet piling doesn't need to be painted as it's there solely to hold back the soil until the reinforced concrete is poured or the gabians are located/placed

besides which, steel plate will take a lot longer than 40 years to rust

But they have finished the work on the M25 and it is still exposed steel. Seems odd to me too. If nothing else it looks fugly, even the French paint their bridges and reinforcing nice colours.

[Steameh]

This seems to have been in the news again recently, along with a load of other bridges that are endangered down south. Did they get round to repairing the bridge?

[Laurel Green]

Just in time for the Olympic Games. Mind, how long it will last?