Newquay Harper Footbridge

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Restoration works to this footbridge returned it to its original structural design preserving one of the few ‘Harper Bridge’ designs remaining in the UK. A method was devised by the engineers to carry out the restoration without support works, allowing the bridge to remain open throughout and creating a considerable cost saving for their client. 

Judge's comment:

When this footbridge structure began to deteriorate, the immediate response might have been to replace damaged members with new ones.

Pragmatic and broad-minded thinking by the structural engineers on this project aimed to save and protect the existing materials to extend their useful life, without costly interventions or modifications.

This saved 90% of the initial budget and avoided complex cable replacements at height. 

This restoration project not only ensured the continued safety of the suspension bridge, but it did so through careful detective work into historical documentation and alterations to pin-point the root causes of the problems in order to rectify these. 

This is a beautiful piece of conservation and extension of structural design life carried out extremely well.

An existing structure with a new lease of life through minimal modifications is a prime example of good proactive sustainable structural engineering.