Transportation  > Bridges

Tsing Ma Bridge
Hong Kong

The Tsing Ma Bridge is a combined highway and railway suspension bridge consisting of two portal-type concrete towers, each 200 meters tall, that support the bridge's 2,172-meter length (1,377-meter clear span). The bridge forms an integral part of the transport network linking the Hong Kong Airport at Chek Lap Kok with Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. The Bridge was commissioned by The Government of Hong Kong, Highways Department (Government). The Government accepted a tender for the Project by an Anglo-Japanese Construction Joint Venture (JV) for a Contract period of 60 months. Nielsen-Wurster was engaged by the Government's Counsel to perform a schedule delay analysis to validate schedule impacts of the JV's claim that it incurred significant cost overruns in accelerating construction due to two principal issues: The Government's imposed concrete specification was too strict, thereby rendering an approved mixture impossible to attain; and because of Government-attributable delays related to concrete and other late approval issues, the JV was forced to alter its means and methods by using two sets of slipforms and constructing the towers in parallel rather than sequentially with a single slipform set. Nielsen-Wurster performed a Window Analysis and identified the activities that delayed the works and concurrent delay, including causation for each delay. These and other relevant findings were presented in a written Expert Report and also via expert testimony before an international Arbitration. While specifics of the arbiters' ruling are confidential, the Client can be contacted relative to work efforts performed.
 

Houston Ship Channel Cable-Stayed Bridge
Baytown, Texas

Nielsen-Wurster was jointly engaged by the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) and the Contractor to serve as a Project Neutral to analyze claims and issues on this $96 million fixed price contract for the construction of a large cable-stayed suspension bridge over the Houston Ship Channel. There was a 48.5-month delay in completion of the bridge and a $70.5 million claim was filed. As a result of Contractor-proposed changes to the suspension cable, bridge deck (from cast-in-place concrete for each segment to precast panels for each segment) and cable anchorage, the design of the structural steel was changed. The claim alleged design defects by the engineer, over-inspection by the TXDOT quality control inspectors, and management deficiencies by TXDOT. Conversely, TXDOT alleged General Contractor design changes, poor workmanship and poor quality control. Nielsen-Wurster prepared an independent technical and management evaluation of all the issues, made recommendations on responsibility, and proposed a value for settlement to the Contract Claims Board to which the parties agreed.

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