Mersey Bridge advance study

RSSResearch is underway on the Mersey Estuary in the UK, mapping tidal flows. The data will be used by the designers of the new Mersey Gateway Bridge, currently being designed. This profiling work is being carried out close to Runcorn and Widnes and is mapping the strength and direction of currents in the Mersey Estuary. Part of the development of the Mersey Gateway Project, the surveying work has been carried out by specialist contractor 5377 ABPmer using Acoustic Doppler Profiling equipment. The work measured the speed and direction of currents in the Mersey close to where the new bridge will cross the river and will provide prospective contractors with detailed information about the conditions they are likely to encounter when working out on the estuary. The flow data will be of use initially during the planning of advance site investigation works, which are intended to determine the strength of the bed-rock upon which the bridge towers will be built. The project planners already have a lot of important data about the estuary and during the advance works, cores will be drilled into the rock to a depth of up to 50m from mobile working platforms. Advance work on the project is being stepped up now that the UK Government has agreed the detailed Mersey Gateway funding package.