Prairie Siding Swing Bridge

Condition Assessment/Load and Fatigue Evaluations/Rehabilitation

Chatham – Kent, Ontario

The Prairie Siding Swing Bridge is a four-span bridge over the Thames River in Chatham, Ontario. The bridge was built in 1984 and consists of two (2) concrete slabs on steel girder spans with a two (2) span equal arms centre pivot swing span. The swing span has an orthotropic steel deck and steel girders. Doug Dixon & Associates Inc. (DDA) undertook a condition assessment consisting of a detailed deck and substructure condition survey, steel, mechanical, electrical, diving and fatigue inspection (complete with non-destructive testing). DDA also undertook load and fatigue evaluations for the bridge and established the estimated remaining fatigue life of the bridge. Doug Dixon & Associates Inc. established rehabilitation needs for the bridge as well as the estimated cost for the work. Operational and maintenance costs were also established and a life cycle cost analysis was complete to assess the cost of maintaining the bridge as an operational swing bridge or converting the bridge into a fixed bridge. The Regional Municipality of Chatham-Kent utilized the Doug Dixon & Associates Report to establish a recommended strategy for maintaining the crossing.