The Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) have started preparatory work to replace the damaged rubber bearings of the concrete bridge across river Kallada at Enathu, near Adoor, on MC Road on Wednesday.
The bridge was closed for heavy vehicular traffic from Tuesday evening following detection of cracks in the concrete just above the third pier of the bridge from the Kottarakkara side. The KSTP experts, led by Chief Engineer P.K. Satheesan, inspected the bridge on Tuesday and Wednesday. After inspecting the bridge in the presence of Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran on Tuesday night, Mr. Satheesan said the rubber bearings between the pier and the beams were damaged.
The experts, in their detailed inspection carried out on Wednesday, detected that three elastomeric rubber bearings padded between the pre-cast beams of the bridge had been damaged. They had even slipped out from its original position. Experts told The Hindu that the elastomeric rubber bearings that provided vibration isolation were relatively maintenance-free, but would degrade over time and require replacement.
Geetha G.S., the KSTP Executive Engineer, told The Hindu that experts in bridge repair had already started the work to replace the bearings.
She said the pre-cast deck beams would be raised using jacking systems to replace the damaged rubber bearings.
Four jacking systems were already been in place and one more system was expected to reach site by Thursday. The raising of the beams would begin on Thursday to allow removal of the existing rubber bearings and to clean and prepare interface surfaces.
Ms Geetha said the bearing replacement work was expected to be completed in the next four days.
She said a detailed investigation would also be carried out to see whether there was any damage to the bridge piers, besides assessing the pier strength.
Only light motor vehicles were permitted on the bridge on Wednesday and heavy vehicles had been diverted via Kadambanad from Enathu on the northern side of the bridge and from Puthoor junction on the southern side from Tuesday night.
Ms Geetha said vehicular traffic on the bridge would be completely stopped once the beading replacement work started.
