We have successfully completed the strengthening west bridge at Swanley
Interchange, reopening the road to the traveling public five days ahead of schedule, without accident or incident. This marks the completion of the Swanley Interchange strengthening project. The works also included re-waterproofing the bridge deck, resurfacing the carriageway and reinstating the lane markings.
The Swanley Interchange, which connects the M25 to the M20, plays a crucial role in linking the Kent ports, London, the South East, and popular local attractions such as Brands Hatch and the Kent Downs. As part of this vital project, our team have strengthened two key bridges that carry traffic over the M20, utilising innovation solutions and efficiencies to ensure the road remains secure and resilient for years to come.
The innovation is the first time in the UK and on the M25 Network that Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) rods have been used to stabilise a bridge structure. After successfully strengthening the east bridge in November 2023, we have now completed the west bridge, replacing the traditional steel plates with corrosion-resistant CFRP rods. At the outset of the project in July 2023, it was clear that the traditional method of using steel plates would not meet the future demands of increasing traffic loads and environmental conditions. With the existing road showing signs of severe deterioration, our team developed an innovative, bespoke engineering solution. This involved sequentially removing the existing steel plates and replacing them with carbon fibre-reinforced polymer rods (CFRP).
CFRP rods are significantly lighter, more durable, and less prone to cracking compared to traditional steel plates. They are also more sustainable, resistant to corrosion and environmental decay, ensuring that any structure reinforced with CFRP will maintain its operational efficiency long into the future.
In total, our team have installed 182 CFRP rods on the east bridge and 182 on the west bridge.
Award winning innovation
The project was recognised at the 2024 Highways Awards, where our team and partners, Atkins, Connect Plus, Connect Plus Services received a Highly Commended award in the Innovation category, celebrating the collaborative team’s contribution to transforming the highway infrastructure.
A huge thank you and well done to everyone involved in this important project, for implementing a new innovation solution for our customer and implementing several efficiencies, allowing the works to be completed ahead of schedule. This project has paved the way of a new approach for road stabilisation and durability on the road network, turning conventional bridge strengthening on its head.
