Published Resources Details
Journal Article
- Title
- Story Bridge - design and construction
- In
- Technical Papers (Institution of Engineers Australia, Queensland Division)
- Imprint
- vol. 29, no. 3, 1988, pp. 9-16
- Abstract
In 1933, the Queensland Government passed an amendment to the Bureau of Industry Act establishing the Bureau as constructing authority for a bridge to be built over the Brisbane River at Kangaroo Point. From this was established the Bridge Board comprising Messrs J.R. Kemp, Commissioner for Main Roads, Chairman, J.D. Story, Public Service Commissioner, and J.B. Brigden, Director of the Bureau of Industry. Dr J.J.C. Bradfield was appointed on January 1, 1934, as Consulting Engineer and he in turn chose Mr J.A. Holt as Supervising Engineer for the design of the bridge and supervision of the contract. To a large extent, the construction of Story Bridge was a make-work project as the nation was then in the throes of the great depression. Consequently a short design period was required and indeed achieved. Design commenced in early January 1934 and tenders were called on 30 January 1935, this being accomplished before computers, although the design team was proud of its new electric calculators. Preliminary design entailed comparative studies of the type of bridge, width of roadway, location of bridge, headway for shipping, and grades. The types of superstructures considered were cantilever, suspension, and arch. Foundation conditions, particularly at Kangaroo Point, were unfavourable for arch and suspension bridges of the usual types, and a lack of costing information applying to spectral variations of these precluded their consideration.