FITZHERBERT BRIDGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 294, 9 November 1934, Page 2

FITZHERBERT BRIDGE

INSPECTION BY ENGINEERS

Members of the North Wellington branch of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers, in conference in Palmerston North, this afternoon paid a visit oi inspection to the new l ttzherbert bridge. They were conducted over the structure by the clerk o works, Mr J. E. Menzies, who explained in detail the many interesting features from the point of-view or a practising civil engineer. The bridge is one of the most ■ important works of its kind being carried on in the Dominion and represents a return to the bowstring type of structure instead of the beam span type. Formerly more popular than it is at the present time," the bowstring bridge offers a means of coping with long spans at a reasonable cost, and on account of its unusual type the new bridge ottered plenty of interest to the engineers making the inspection this afternoon. Mr Menzies dealt extensively with details of the work, those visiting the bridge even climbing to the peak of the arch under construction where they watched the concrete being poured into the boxing. Much interest was taken in the technical points met with in the construction. One aspect of the work was the operation of a pneumatic hammer, on the outside of the boxing receiving the concrete, the vibration settling the wet concrete down evenly into the maze of steel bar reinforcing. Later in the afternoon those attending tlie conference paid a visit to a ‘‘mix-in-place” road sealing plant at work near Himatangi for the Manawatu County Council.