CHAIR – Thank you. In relation to the Bridgewater Bridge, were there any sort of problems with the build or load-bearing capacity? Is the load-bearing capacity of the Bridgewater Bridge any different from other bridges?
Mr VINCENT – That’s not a technical question I can answer but I’m sure Mr Moloney would be right across that.
Mr MOLONEY – I guess I’m not exactly sure of your question in the sense that the Bridgewater Bridge has been built to contemporary standards, to withstand appropriate loading for the types of events that would, I guess, be anticipated during the life of the build. For an important piece of infrastructure such as this, some of our design standards require us to build a build that’s suitable to withstand events that may be anticipated within a one‑in‑2000‑year event. The bridge has been designed and constructed to achieve that.
CHAIR – Were there any problems during construction with slumping?
Mr MOLONEY – In terms of slumping, as in, for instance, movement of piles downwards?
CHAIR – Yes.
Mr MOLONEY – No. Part of our processes actually included very accurate surveying of our piles, because we did have some concerns. We wanted to make sure that the piles that were constructed did perform as intended. There was quite detailed surveying undertaken throughout the construction of the project, and will continue afterwards, to make sure there isn’t any settlement. All of the movements of the piles that have been monitored are all within anticipated ranges.
