Qatar-Bahrain Causeway Project

Bridges Middle East Conference 2009

2Introduction

• Bridges in the region

• Qatar-Bahrain Causeway

(the latest & greatest)

• Design and construction issues

• Introduction of rail

• Technical challenges

3

Bridges in the Region

Bridges Middle East Conference 2009

4Bridges in the Region

Typically:

• Water crossings

• Connect population centres

• Access key infrastructure

Notably:

• Abu Dhabi

• Dubai

• Bahrain

5Bridges in the Region

Drivers:

• Economic growth

• Population growth

• Urban expansion

• Development of major

infrastructure

• Increasing traffic

6Bridges in the Region

Abu Dhabi

Hodariyat BridgeSaadiyat Island Bridge (Sheikh Khalifa Bridge)

Sheikh Zayed Bridge

7Bridges in the Region

Dubai

Garhoud Bridge Palm Jebel Ali Crescent Bridges

Dubai

Metro

Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Crossing (6th Crossing)

Business Bay Bridge

8Bridges in the Region

Bahrain

Sheikh Isa Causeway

Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Bridge

9Bridges in the Region

Sitra Causeway

10Bridges in the Region

King Fahd Causeway

11

Qatar-Bahrain Causeway

Bridges Middle East Conference 2009

12Qatar-Bahrain Causeway

Project Overview• 40km marine causeway

• 2 lane highway in each direction• Adjacent high-speed rail facility

• 2 dredged navigation channels

• 2 high level arch bridges• 23km bridges / viaducts

• 17km embankments• 2 rest area islands

• Interchanges, tolling, border facilities

QBC

Qatar

Bahrain

13Qatar-Bahrain Causeway

14

Design and Construction Issues

Bridges Middle East Conference 2009

15Design and Construction issues

• Pre-cast solution adopted:

– To limit offshore operations

– To maintain control over quality & safety

• Design closely linked to construction methods

• Design-Build approach adopted

• Allows fast-tracking of schedule

Large Marine Site

16Design and Construction issues

Material:

• Volumes required

• Need to ensure

– Consistent quality

– Reliability of supply

• High import content

• Marine Borrow

• Durability considerations

17Design and Construction issues

Concrete Durability: Options

• Stainless steel

• Corrosion inhibitor

• Coating

• Cathodic Protection

• Extent of splash zone

18Design and Construction issues

Eurocode:

• One of the first projects to use

• Europe-wide code for bridge design

(road/rail) from 2010

• Option of factored loads or 3rd party checks

• Reliability & Consequence Classes

19Design and Construction issues

Influenced by:

• Archaeology (Qatar)

• Competing land use (Bahrain)

• Stakeholder Requirements

Alignment at Landing Points

20Design and Construction issues

Qatar Landing Point

21Design and Construction issues

3 km

22Design and Construction issues

23

Introduction of Rail

Bridges Middle East Conference 2009

24Introduction of Rail

Concept design:

• Road only

• Twin deck viaducts

• 80 m viaduct spans

• Cable-stay bridges over

Navigation Channels

Introduction of Rail

25Introduction of rail

• Larger vertical and horizontal loads

– Freight

• Limitation on gradient and horizontal curvature

– High-speed passenger

• Extended Schedule

Impact of Rail

26Introduction of rail

Resultant changes to concept design:

• Vertical and horizontal alignments revised

• Length of viaduct increased

• Stronger, stiffer structures

• Arch bridges replaced cable-stayed

• Closer pier spacing

• Twin road decks combined

• Navigation Channel relocated

27

Technical Challenges

Bridges Middle East Conference 2009

28Technical challenges

Environmental

• Zero impact on hydraulic flows

• Extensive baseline measurements

• Ongoing Monitoring

• Constraints on construction methods

29Technical Challenges

Quality & Safety

• Remote sites

• Working at height

• Heavy lifts

• 24/7 working

• Cost-driven schedule

• Motivating the workforce

30Technical Challenges

Rail Issues

• Axle Load

• Speeds

• Height Clearance

• Emergency Escape

• Maintenance Access

• Bahrain Network

• Qatar Network

• GCC Network

31Technical challenges

Dredging of Navigation Channels• Unsuitable material• Creative disposal

Ship impact on Main Bridges• Designed to deflect• Seismic resistant• Visual Impact• Technical challenges

32Technical challenges

Settlement of Embankments

• Soil improvement & testing

• Deferred rail solution

• Ballasted track

High Voltage Interconnect

• Three 220 kV circuits

• Two 400 kV circuits

33Concluding remarks

• Rich heritage of major bridges in the GCC

• The Qatar Bahrain Causeway will enrich this

heritage

• First high-speed rail crossing

• Numerous challenges to overcome

• A landmark project for the Region

In Conclusion

34

Thank You