A project to increase the life expectancy of Humber Bridge has been shortlisted for a prestigious civil engineering award.
The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has announced that the Humber Bridge hanger replacement and testing project has been shortlisted for recognition in its 2020 Yorkshire and Humber Awards.
The iconic Grade 1 listed Humber Bridge was once the world’s longest suspension bridge and works by the Spencer Group to inspect, maintain, replace and test the hangers, which included the creation of a bespoke access gantry, has now completed.
Joe DiMauro, site agent at Spencer Group, said: “When the bridge was built, the hangers were expected to require replacing multiple times during its design life.
“If, through a proactive approach to maintenance, the hanger life can be extended and the total number of replacements can be reduced, this will lead to significant reductions in life cycle cost and the overall disruption of bridge users.
“We are delighted that such a unique civil engineering project has been shortlisted.”
The project is one of nine projects from across the region to be shortlisted for the Smeaton Award which recognises projects valued at £5m or under, alongside Scarborough Bridge in York and the River Aire Bridge Refurbishment.
The awards are held annually to showcase the outstanding work done during the past year by civil engineers in the Yorkshire and Humber Region. They are divided into three categories; projects with a cost in excess of £5m will compete for the Centenary Award, those under £5m can apply for the Smeaton Award, and those concerned with studies and research can compete for the Sir John Fowler Award.
In 2019 the Smeaton Award was won by Knostrop Footbridge.
This year’s winners will be revealed at the ICE’s annual black-tie gala dinner at Sheffield City Hall on March 6, sponsored by Mott Macdonald, Balfour Beatty and YORhub.
Penny Marshall, the ICE’s regional director for Yorkshire and Humber said: “The standards of entries we have seen this year is exceptionally high and the judges now have a very difficult task ahead of them.
“There are thousands of civil engineers in Yorkshire and Humber that work tirelessly to design, improve and maintain the infrastructure that we rely on, and these awards are a great opportunity to highlight the positive impact their work has on our lives.”
For more information on the shortlisted projects, please visit: https://www.ice.org.uk/news-and-insight/latest-ice-news/ice-yorkshire-and-humber-awards-shortlist-revealed
And to book your tickets to the event, visit: https://www.ice.org.uk/events/yorkshire-humber-annual-dinner-2020-sheffield
