ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Barton High Level Bridge (BHLB), one of the longest in the UK, carries the M60 motorway over the Manchester Ship Canal. Situated on the Manchester Outer Ring Road, it is of strategic importance in maintaining the smooth functioning of the North West of England's highway network. In 2013, proposals for two privately funded schemes in the vicinity of the bridge warranted a structural assessment of BHLB to demonstrate that any ground movement associated with the proposed construction would not affect its safe operation. As would be expected with a structure of this age, 1st stage assessment revealed that some elements did not meet current assessment standards and further, more complex analysis was adopted. This paper describes the approach to improve the assessment result in one key area; the half joint end frames to the approach spans. The additional analysis showed the bridge to be satisfactory when compared to its design criteria, not only in the steady state but also to allow construction of the two adjacent privately funded schemes.
