Woolgoolga to Ballina is the final link in the Pacific Highway between Hexham and the Queensland Border. The upgrade includes more than 170 new bridge structures.

Paterdis partnered with the construction team to produce generic abutment form systems, precast headstock stability advice and girder restrain systems during girder landing and deck construction for a number of precast bridge structures. Paterdis’ main involvement was the bridge over Clarence River North Arm at 136.4km north of Coffs Harbour. Paterdis and the contractor responsible for delivering the project collaborated to develop a unique plated pier form system that was universal for all eight piers of the bridge. Each pier had similar plan geometries but all differed in height along the bridge alignment.

The final solution incorporated a two way cantilevered platform universal to all piers that provided access, support for upper access frame, lateral support for the face forms and served to support the internal column and soffit form system. Face forms oversized to suit all pier geometries with curved end forms and carefully located splices enabled the construction team to use the one fabricated form for all piers.

The internal column and soffit form system was propped off the lower platform and was fabricated in pieces such that the column forms could be stripped and moved onto the next pier with smaller pieces add and removed to suit each pier geometry. The internal column forms reduced the amount of fabrication required by finding common components on all piers. The internal soffit form remained in place until the pier concrete had gained the required strength but the cantilevered platforms could be partially removed and reused on the next pier with only the platform section supporting the internal soffit form remaining. A higher universal cantilevered platform attached to the lower cantilevered platform also provided high access for restraint block and bearing preparation.

The lower platform system suited the similar geometry of the bridge structure over Tuckombil Canal and conveniently allowed re-use with little modification.