Brewery Wharf Bridge

History and location:

The Brewery Wharf Bridge is situated in the city center of Leeds, England and
it has been designed and funded by the Ove Arup & Partners. Arup is a
multinational firm based in London, with offices across forty two countries.
They have had projects in over 160 countries, contributing to the development
of various engineering projects starting from the designing and planning stage
to the project management and building stage.

The Brewery Wharf Bridge connects the city center to a range of restaurants,
shopping centers and cafes. It has contributed a lot to the touristic
development of the city as well as its commercial growth.

Opened to the public in December 1993 to celebrate the 100 th anniversary of

the city of Leeds, the bridge is still an important landmark and it stands out for
its uncommon design.
Structure and Materials:

The bridge has a span of over 10 m, essentially taking the form of a cable
stay and suspension structure. The deck of the Brewery Wharf Bridge is built
from pre cast reinforced concrete in two sections, supported every 2.5
meters. A 4 meter tall tower is cast at one end of the bridge, covered at the
end with a layer of white painted metal in order to protect the concrete used in
the foundation. There are tension cables attached to the tower as well as to
the other bank of the bridge so the bridge has stability and strenght.
Furthermore, a supporting ground beam to the anchoring foundation holds the
tower back.

The bridge required essentially reinforced concrete as a main construction

material. The deck and the tower are made of concrete as it provides
strength, durability in harsh environments and weather conditions. It is also an
easily available material with a reasonable cost. As for the fence along the
bridge, normal metal bars were cast, because of metals rigidity and long life
cycle. A coat of paint has been provided to avoid as much as possible
damage from corrosion as the bridge is exposed to the atmospheric
conditions.