M9 - Waterford motorway construction updates

Setanta_og

I was down the N9/M9 way last week here are a few shots of the KC>CD Section except for the installation of high level lantern on the Mullaghmast Interchange and the completion of the KC tie (also possible additional lighting) this section of the Dublin/Waterford IUM Scheme looks like it very near ready for traffic.

slimjimmc

Guys were out at Kilcullen this evening laying out some steel cable along the central median. It seems they're fitting a central rope barrier from the overpass to the end of the concrete barrier. Imo they should run the concrete barrier all the way up to the overpass instead of stopping it so far short. You can see where the concrete barrier ends in the top picture in Rameire's post at #798

kingjohn

Rameire can you give us a photo update of the killcullen tie in. This section seems ready to open when this is complete. I have to visit Waterford before Christmas and wonder if this section will open soon as it would make a big difference to journey time. Also is the Knocktopher Waterford section not ready yet?. It is not long but seems to have taken for ever. One last question now the Waterford City bypass is open is the diversion to Grannagh now confined to history? At least that would save a few minutes!!

rameire

kingjohn wrote: »

Rameire can you give us a photo update of the killcullen tie in. This section seems ready to open when this is complete. I have to visit Waterford before Christmas and wonder if this section will open soon as it would make a big difference to journey time. Also is the Knocktopher Waterford section not ready yet?. It is not long but seems to have taken for ever. One last question now the Waterford City bypass is open is the diversion to Grannagh now confined to history? At least that would save a few minutes!!

its not ready yet, they have to move the contra flow to the other side of the road, so they can do the north bound carriageway tie in.

plus i have predicted elsewhere it will open on the 17th dec.
just a guess.

Chris_533976

So whos going to be good and go on a sneaky run down the new stretch with a camera

GeneHunt

ARTICLE - Wrong concrete in Kilkenny bridge

A SECTION of the N9/M9 which will link Waterford to Dublin by motorway will have to be dismantled after the wrong batch of concrete was used in its construction.

A section of the deck in the new bridge over the river Nore in Co Kilkenny will have to be dismantled after an on-site error, according to Kilkenny County Council engineer Joe Gannon.

He said approximately one sixth of the deck of the bridge was constructed with the wrong mix of concrete due to a computer error.

“They are telling us that it was a computer error. One batch of concrete that was supposed to go to one end of the site went here, and vice versa. As the client we don’t care what went wrong; we just want it sorted out.”

Mr Gannon said the concrete in the bridge was supposed to have a strength of 40 neutrons, but the concrete that was used had been intended for the central barrier.

“The concrete they put in, I think, has a design strength of 20 . I think it’s the concrete that would be used for a central barrier, I am told.”

A spokesperson for Sisk Road Bridge (SRB) said they were in talks with the cement contractor.

“SRB and its concrete supplier have been in discussion with Kilkenny County Council with regards to the remedial works at the Nore river bridge.

“There are no health and safety or environmental issues arising. There will be no cost to the local authority as a result of the works, which will take place in the short to medium-term, and will not affect the delivery of the project.”

A spokesman for the National Roads Authority (NRA) said quality control and identifying mistakes were all part of large building projects.

“Being able to identify the cause and effect is all part of quality control, and who is going to be responsible for payment is being dealt with through the contractors.”

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1021/1224257144951.html

W.B. Yeats

Unbelievable news:mad:
Massive ineptitude on display

kwalshe

This is bad news but in fairness , so far things have been going really well / fast. I work externally certifying equipment in the on-site testing labs that are attached to all the roads that are constructed across the country.
The testing companies that certify the concrete and aggregate etc. are extremely professional and are serious about what they do. They themselves are certified to the highest european standard as is the finished product that legally has to be certified.
When you think about it if they are so far ahead of schedule it means that all people invloved from PM's to workers, drivers and lab testing are at full belt.
Anyhew... hurry up and fix it lads....

jiggajt

Is that the one near bennetsbridge? Pretty big structure if memory serves me right.

jiggajt

HA HA!:D Just noticed the idiot journalist used the term "netrons" to described concrete strength. I assume she meant NEWTONS per cm^2. Or perhaps she is referring to the strength of the concrete's atomic nucleii!!

road_high

Section due to open next Summer. Don't think we should get too hot and bothered, I've every faith in Roadbridge to fix the problem promptly...had it been BAM I would not have been so confident with the meal they made of Knocktopher-Waterford...started Feb 2006 and still not open :rolleyes:

Munurty

They've actually known about this for a couple of months. They needed the bridge to finish so dumpers could cross it to fill in a very large hole on the east side of the river. They have been using it with weight restrictions in place, crossing the bridge one at a time and taking it easy on the brakes.

The earth work seems to be completed there now so it looks like they will be able to do the repair work on the bridge without holding up any other areas. I couldn't see it having much effect on the opening date.

Wild Bill

Storm in a thimble folks! Onward to completion! :cool:

marious

was driving trough it today, a bit dear 1.90..., but sure saving at least quarter

road_high

marious wrote: »

was driving trough it today, a bit dear 1.90..., but sure saving at least quarter

No, that's the N25 Waterford Bypass, it is different to the M9 though the two will tie in together in the next month or two when the Southern end of the M9 is completed.

road_high

Anyone hear of any possible opening date for Kilkenny (Danesfort)-Waterford M9? How is it progressing down south?

rameire

while passing last night on the way home
they had laid down one layer of t mac at the tie in, where they had scraped up the section last week,
so it will prob be totally laid on the south bound carriageway so that will mean all t mac on the southern lane will be complete.
they had also started to line the road just after the bridge.
and yes the wire barrier is existant is is just a continuation of the existing wire barrier to the new concrete barrier.

Sully

With the talk of the bridge on the M9 with the incorrect concrete, it seems the story floating around Waterford is that the new bridge on the bypass was the one at fault! Someone text in a message to the local radio asking was it true that the birdge had to be demolished! Was very funny at the time!

(N25 Bypass being different to the M9 - Correct, but you can see why people get it wrong or just jabber on without thinking (like myself!)).

road_high

Sully wrote: »

With the talk of the bridge on the M9 with the incorrect concrete, it seems the story floating around Waterford is that the new bridge on the bypass was the one at fault! Someone text in a message to the local radio asking was it true that the birdge had to be demolished! Was very funny at the time!

(N25 Bypass being different to the M9 - Correct, but you can see why people get it wrong or just jabber on without thinking (like myself!)).

As Fricatus rightly said "Chinese Whispers". The bridge in question is the M9 Nore bridge on the Kilkenny-Carlow scheme. Storm in a tea cup and highly unlikely to delay opening.

Sully

mfitzy wrote: »

As Fricatus rightly said "Chinese Whispers". The bridge in question is the M9 Nore bridge on the Kilkenny-Carlow scheme. Storm in a tea cup and highly unlikely to delay opening.

No no, your wrong. The construction workers told my uncle, who told my best friends sister, who told my girlfriend, who told my friend who eventually told me that the Waterford bridge doesn't even have planning permission and must be knocked! :O

tramor

Anyone got photos of the tie in at Kilcullen?(Rameire!!) It's been a while since we saw the last lot and there must be great progress at this stage.

Pablod

tramor wrote: »

Anyone got photos of the tie in at Kilcullen?(Rameire!!) It's been a while since we saw the last lot and there must be great progress at this stage.

I passed by it yesterday and from what I could see at a glance - they started the road markings
(up to the Kilcullen bridge)

alpha2zulu

Heres a couple of pics of the Waterford Knocktopher section at the very start of the Motorway outside Waterford this weekend.

Looking south towards the M9/N24 Roundabout,(with a strategically placed pole in the way of the sign)


Looking Northbound at the same point.


About 500m further north is the bridge over the River Blackwater.Access to machinerey seemed to be restricted during the week, with a 'bridge jacking in progess" sign in place at the bollards.


The rest of the pics are just of the area that is being jacked at the moment. The area the bridge is located is quite boggy.




Material wedged under one of the pillars.

johnbk

I took these picture on Friday on the way back from work. They are on the Knocktopher to Danesford section, (the section further north from the previous pictures). They are both of the Kings river bridge at Stoneyford. This was the least progressed part of the M9 between Knocktopher and Danesford. They are now placing the final layer of the road, only the marking remains after this. No problem finishing this section before Chrismas IMO.

johnbk

Just comparing the two bridges, it looks like the Blackwater bridge has been risen by what look like 300-500 mm. This must have happened before the hand rail concrete was cast or the road was laid. Its strange if the level of the bridge was low by mistake, then surley it would have been easier to lower the road either side of the bridge? By the way, this bridge was the first stucture to be built on the Waterford-Knocktopher section. It must be the best part of 2 years since it was completed.

Bards

johnbk wrote: »

Just comparing the two bridges, it looks like the Blackwater bridge has been risen by what look like 300-500 mm. This must have happened before the hand rail concrete was cast or the road was laid. Its strange if the level of the bridge was low by mistake, then surley it would have been easier to lower the road either side of the bridge? By the way, this bridge was the first stucture to be built on the Waterford-Knocktopher section. It must be the best part of 2 years since it was completed.

... or it fell by the same amount due to ground conditions

Road-Hog

Bards wrote: »

... or it fell by the same amount due to ground conditions

By all accounts there is no 'rising' taking place at all.......bridge bearing (big pieces of rubber esentially) repalcement is what is going on, the deck at each support has to be raised slightly (in the order of mm) to allow the placement of new bearings......there was some problem with the original ones.....!!!

Also there is a fundamental difference between the two structures, the one at Stoneyford has 'diaphragms' cast at each row of cols and does not require bearings apart from at the abutments, whereas the blackwater one is a 'diaphragm-less' bridge with bearings needed at each row of cols and abutments......

Geogregor

alpha2zulu wrote: »

Material wedged under one of the pillars.

Somehow this bridge doesn't look great. Sort of "dodgy" using unprofessional language. Discoloration of concrete, visible joining of different concrete batches etc.
Are they going to paint it?

johnbk

Why would they have differnet design of bridges on the same Motorway? Do the construction companies have the final say in how the bridge is built, ie Sisk designed the Kings river bridge and Bam designed the Blackwater bridge?

fricatus

Some pictures I took this morning...

Mullinavat (Waterford-Knocktopher scheme - J11), looking northbound:



Mullinavat, looking southbound:



Stonyford-Kells road overbridge (Carlow-Knocktopher scheme between J9 and J10), looking southbound (note the stopping area - on a motorway )



Stonyford-Kells road, looking northbound - note Kings River bridge:



Danesfort - J9 (Carlow-Knocktopher scheme), looking southbound - note the cantilevered gantry:



Danesfort - J9, looking northbound: