Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Tasman Bridge
The Tasman Bridge is a prestressed concrete girder bridge carrying the Tasman Highway over the River Derwent in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. When it opened on 29 March 1965, it was the longest prestressed concrete bridge in Australia, with a total length of 1,396 metres (4,580 ft), including approaches. The bridge provides a vital link between the Hobart central business district on the western shore and the City of Clarence on the eastern shore. Averaging around 73,000 vehicle crossings per day, it carries the highest traffic volume of any road section in Tasmania. It features five lanes of traffic, including a central lane equipped for tidal flow operations, and grade-separated shared-use walkways on both sides, with ramp upgrades for improved access and cyclists completed in 2010.
The bridge gained national attention following the Tasman Bridge disaster. On 5 January 1975, it was struck by the bulk ore carrier SS Lake Illawarra, bound for EZ Industries’ Risdon Zinc Works with a cargo of 10,000 tonnes (11,000 short tons) of zinc concentrate. The impact caused two piers and three sections of concrete decking totalling 127 metres (417 ft) to collapse, sinking the vessel and resulting in the loss of twelve lives. The disaster split the city in half, forcing commuters on the eastern shore to make a 50-kilometre (31 mi) detour via the next bridge to the north. The event was notable as no comparable study of a city divided by such an incident existed at the time. After two and a half years, the bridge reopened on 8 October 1977. The Bowen Bridge was later constructed to provide redundancy in case of any future disruption to the Tasman Bridge.
Ongoing upgrades have sought to improve safety, lighting, and accessibility for cyclists and pedestrians, ensuring the bridge continues to meet contemporary transport standards.
During the 1950s, Hobart's eastern shore underwent substantial expansion due to the opening of the Hobart Airport at Cambridge in 1956. By 1957, the airport was the country's fifth busiest, and the surge in air travel, associated automobile usage and surrounding developments led to a notable rise in traffic, overwhelming the capacity of the existing Hobart Bridge. With its single carriageway struggling to manage escalating traffic volumes and frequent disruptions due to the lifting of the bridge's lift span for passing ships, a necessity emerged for a novel bridge solution. These challenges highlighted the pressing need for a new, more accommodating bridge designed specifically for the increased traffic flow without constant interruptions for maritime navigation.
In 1956, Tasmania's Department of Public Works commissioned Maunsell & Partners Pty Ltd to design the new River Derwent crossing. The stable foundation for the bridge was ensured by the favorable conditions of the riverbed between Queens Domain and Montagu Bay on the eastern shore, which includes bedrock, dolerite, and basalt beneath the silt. The engineers recommended a bridge supported by multiple piers due to the width of the water expanse, similar to that of the Sydney Harbour Bridge but requiring a comparable height to accommodate medium-sized cargo vessels. Consequently, a decision was made to construct a girder bridge featuring twenty-two spans, including a navigation span at its apex, with thirteen spans to the west and six spans to the east, each measuring 42.7 meters (140 ft) wide. To achieve the height of the 60.5-metre (198 ft) apex, a large sequence of interval spans was critical in the design to accommodate the weight of concrete required for each heightened pier, with its deepest pile measuring 81 metres (265 ft) below mean sea level.
Criticism of Premier Eric Reece arose in 1958 when concerns were raised by engineers about the susceptibility of the concrete design to potential ship collisions. Investigative reports revealed Reece's dismissal of objections during parliamentary proceedings in favor of the $14 million project over a slightly more expensive suspension bridge option.
The bridge was originally built to a design life of about 100 years.
Tenders were issued in April 1959, and contracts were subsequently awarded to Reed, Braithwaite, Stuart, and Lipscombe in November of the same year. Construction on the eastern shore viaduct commenced in May 1960. A labour force of over 400 workers were employed during peak construction.
Hub AI
Tasman Bridge AI simulator
(@Tasman Bridge_simulator)
Tasman Bridge
The Tasman Bridge is a prestressed concrete girder bridge carrying the Tasman Highway over the River Derwent in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. When it opened on 29 March 1965, it was the longest prestressed concrete bridge in Australia, with a total length of 1,396 metres (4,580 ft), including approaches. The bridge provides a vital link between the Hobart central business district on the western shore and the City of Clarence on the eastern shore. Averaging around 73,000 vehicle crossings per day, it carries the highest traffic volume of any road section in Tasmania. It features five lanes of traffic, including a central lane equipped for tidal flow operations, and grade-separated shared-use walkways on both sides, with ramp upgrades for improved access and cyclists completed in 2010.
The bridge gained national attention following the Tasman Bridge disaster. On 5 January 1975, it was struck by the bulk ore carrier SS Lake Illawarra, bound for EZ Industries’ Risdon Zinc Works with a cargo of 10,000 tonnes (11,000 short tons) of zinc concentrate. The impact caused two piers and three sections of concrete decking totalling 127 metres (417 ft) to collapse, sinking the vessel and resulting in the loss of twelve lives. The disaster split the city in half, forcing commuters on the eastern shore to make a 50-kilometre (31 mi) detour via the next bridge to the north. The event was notable as no comparable study of a city divided by such an incident existed at the time. After two and a half years, the bridge reopened on 8 October 1977. The Bowen Bridge was later constructed to provide redundancy in case of any future disruption to the Tasman Bridge.
Ongoing upgrades have sought to improve safety, lighting, and accessibility for cyclists and pedestrians, ensuring the bridge continues to meet contemporary transport standards.
During the 1950s, Hobart's eastern shore underwent substantial expansion due to the opening of the Hobart Airport at Cambridge in 1956. By 1957, the airport was the country's fifth busiest, and the surge in air travel, associated automobile usage and surrounding developments led to a notable rise in traffic, overwhelming the capacity of the existing Hobart Bridge. With its single carriageway struggling to manage escalating traffic volumes and frequent disruptions due to the lifting of the bridge's lift span for passing ships, a necessity emerged for a novel bridge solution. These challenges highlighted the pressing need for a new, more accommodating bridge designed specifically for the increased traffic flow without constant interruptions for maritime navigation.
In 1956, Tasmania's Department of Public Works commissioned Maunsell & Partners Pty Ltd to design the new River Derwent crossing. The stable foundation for the bridge was ensured by the favorable conditions of the riverbed between Queens Domain and Montagu Bay on the eastern shore, which includes bedrock, dolerite, and basalt beneath the silt. The engineers recommended a bridge supported by multiple piers due to the width of the water expanse, similar to that of the Sydney Harbour Bridge but requiring a comparable height to accommodate medium-sized cargo vessels. Consequently, a decision was made to construct a girder bridge featuring twenty-two spans, including a navigation span at its apex, with thirteen spans to the west and six spans to the east, each measuring 42.7 meters (140 ft) wide. To achieve the height of the 60.5-metre (198 ft) apex, a large sequence of interval spans was critical in the design to accommodate the weight of concrete required for each heightened pier, with its deepest pile measuring 81 metres (265 ft) below mean sea level.
Criticism of Premier Eric Reece arose in 1958 when concerns were raised by engineers about the susceptibility of the concrete design to potential ship collisions. Investigative reports revealed Reece's dismissal of objections during parliamentary proceedings in favor of the $14 million project over a slightly more expensive suspension bridge option.
The bridge was originally built to a design life of about 100 years.
Tenders were issued in April 1959, and contracts were subsequently awarded to Reed, Braithwaite, Stuart, and Lipscombe in November of the same year. Construction on the eastern shore viaduct commenced in May 1960. A labour force of over 400 workers were employed during peak construction.