ABSTRACT
The Captain Cook Bridge is the most trafficked bridge in Queensland. The original DU Glacier and stainless steel sliding plates failed and were replaced in 1996–97. Routine inspections in July 2016 found that the PTFE sheet had extruded from the sliding bearings on the bridge’s two main suspended spans at its southern end. Bespoke bearing designs were implemented in February 2017.
This paper discusses the innovative bearing design changes, how the replacement bearing design evolved, the jacking of the suspended spans, traffic control and strategies to allow the new bearings to be installed. This paper discusses the bearing design changes and a new sliding material, Orkot TXMM®. This was the first trial of Orkot in a bridge bearing in Queensland. As this material has a high allowable compressive stress, it not expected to extrude under a substantial increase in traffic loading. As part of the design changes, a new lateral restraint was installed.
