THE PROBLEM
Construction alignment of a new inner relief road intercepted several existing roads which required a series of over bridges to form the new junctions. A cost effective solution was sought to create a series of wingwalls to reduce the costs associated with using reinforced concrete.
THE SOLUTION
A TensarTech TW1 modular block with a split faced finish was used to create a series of reinforced soil wingwalls to the bridge abutments for the over bridges.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
A new inner relief road was being constructed to help relieve congestion in Sligo town centre. The 4.5km road runs from the Carraroe roundabout south of Sligo to Michael Hughes Bridge north of the city centre. The project cost €74 million and was completed many months ahead of schedule. The alignment of the new road intercepted several existing roads and a series of over bridges were required to form a series junctions.
The TensarTech system was chosen as it allowed an architectural appearance that was acceptable to all parties and is designed to the relevant highway design codes.
The TensarTech TW1 modular block wall system carries a current BBA certificate for roads and bridges and was therefore acceptable for this scheme as a direct alternative to reinforced concrete walls. The small, manually laid modular nature of the facing units allowed for rapid installation and facing colour selection to suit the required appearance giving cost savings on both materials and installation speed.
