New world record for Queensferry Crossing

The world’s largest continuous underwater concrete pour has been achieved as foundation work for the huge 210 metre high Queensferry Crossing towers progresses.

With work already completed on huge concrete plugs on which the foundations of the north and centre towers, the finishing touches have now been completed on the south tower plug.

The huge 15 day, 24 hour non-stop operation, successfully poured 16,869 m3 of concrete to the foundations of the south tower.

The concrete was delivered by barges from the batching plant at Rosyth dockyards into position in the Firth of Forth at a rate of 47 m3 an hour.

The concrete pour is the latest foundation work for the three main towers that will support the bridge’s deck, with work already progressing well on the centre tower structure and the north tower base.

Commenting on this major milestone Carlo Germani, Project Director for the Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors consortium said:

“Construction focus now switches from below the waves to above as we start work on the erection of the three towers. Over the past 15 months, the foundations team has done a fantastic job and I congratulate them.

“The three steel caissons are amongst the largest structures ever lowered to the seabed anywhere in the world and we have successfully placed them extremely accurately in often difficult marine and weather conditions.

“The underwater concrete pour operation went without a hitch thanks to detailed advance preparation and is a credit to the skills of the team.”

Transport Scotland, Project Director David Climie said:

“There has been excellent team work and a fantastic effort to get us to this point. We have come through a very challenging phase of construction.

“We are now coming out of the water and are working in the dry on all three towers. And the first of fifty four pours for the centre tower has been completed. I am confident the project remains on schedule for completion by the end of 2016.”