The Solihull-based firm Armac Demolition has carried out a bridge demolition over the M42 on behalf of Balfour Beatty VINCI
The bridge demolition team worked overnight to remove a 4,000-tonne two-span bridge to make way for the new HS2 railway in the West Midlands.
The team of 20 demolition experts used eight 50-tonne excavators and two 40-tonne excavators to destroy the 40-metre-long bridge.
The demolition was completed during the planned 56-hour closure of the motorway.
The bridge material will be reused on HS2 sites
Excavated material was moved to a local stockpile by six articulated trucks, where it will be crushed a recycled for use on HS2’s haul roads and working areas.
Balfour Beatty VINCI diverted all power and telecommunications cables away from the site prior to the demolition.
The demolition will enable the installation of a new twin box structure, which will carry the high-speed line over the M42.
HS2 has provided a new roundabout and road structure which will carry the A452 over the motorway. The new setup will also enable easy access to HS2’s new Interchange Station.
The Interchange Station will be the first to attain the BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ certification
The Interchange Station is located near Solihull, Birmingham Airport, and the NEC and will serve as a transportation hub for the West Midlands region.
The Interchange Station is the first railway station to attain the prestigious BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ certification and will be in the top 1% of environmentally friendly buildings in the UK.
“It is through relentless collaboration with HS2 and National Highways that we have achieved this latest milestone in less than two days, overcoming technical and logistical challenges along the way,” said Oliver Shore, construction director at Balfour Beatty VINCI.
“The demolition of the existing M42 bridge will kickstart the next phase of works, with our attention now turning to the construction of the new twin box structure, which is designed to carry Britain’s new zero-carbon railway – HS2 – over the motorway,” he continued.
The bridge demolition was managed efficiently by Balfour Beatty
Once the demolition was complete, a team of 30 workers removed the motorway vehicle restraint system before installing a new protective matting. The bridge demolition team then arrived to remove the bridge deck, wing walls, central pier, and abutments.
Next, Balfour Beatty VINCI will begin construction on the 300 metres long and 25-metre-wide twin box structure, which will carry HS2 trains over the M42.
