KENNESAW, Ga., March 8, 2021 — Several BrandSafway companies are working together to deliver comprehensive access, scaffolding and forming solutions for the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge. Once construction is finished, the six-lane (three lanes to Canada and three to the U.S.), cable-stayed bridge will have a clear span of 853 meters (0.53 miles) — the longest of any cable-stayed bridge in North America.
Aluma Systems by BrandSafway is providing formwork, falsework, stair towers and access platforms to support the concrete pours for the main pylon footings. This includes custom preassembled formwork panels for the footings, caisson collars, crane foundations, the pylon starters, and a base platform for access, storage and the temporary elevators surrounding each pylon.
“The project presented several technical challenges,” said Anthony DeFrancesco, a sales representative for Aluma Systems. “The foundation shape was unique, requiring formwork that could be ‘jumped’ and reused for different configurations.”
AlumaSafway, a BrandSafway company, is providing access stairs as well as an elevator on the Canada bridge site in Windsor, Ontario. BrandSafway is supplying the elevator on the United States bridge site in Detroit, Michigan. The two elevators will provide access for on-site personnel along the height of the main pylons and to the jump form systems during construction.
“The elevator mast had to match the bridge pylon geometry, which includes a lower inclined structure, a curved portion and then a vertical ascent,” said Alex Di Domenico, managing director of the Major Projects Group for BrandSafway. “We had to engineer a specialized elevator cabin with an automatic leveling mechanism to compensate for the changing mast angle, so the floor of the cabin remains horizontal no matter where it is on the inclined or curved sections.”
On the Canada site in Windsor, Ontario, Aluma Systems by BrandSafway is providing formwork, falsework, stair towers and access platforms to support the concrete pours for the main pylon footings on the Gordie Howe Bridge for the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority.
Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA), a Canadian Crown corporation, is responsible for the delivery of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, through a public-private partnership. Its private-sector partner Bridging North America began working on the project in 2018. Once completed, the new bridge will be among the top five longest bridges in North America at a total length of 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles). In addition to providing much-needed cross-border capacity for commercial and personal vehicles at the busiest trade corridor between Canada and the United States, the bridge will include a dedicated multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists.
“It is a pleasure to work with BNA personnel, who share our commitment to safety as the first priority,” said Robert Fallowfield, director of business development for Aluma Systems.
AlumaSafway, a BrandSafway company, provides the broadest range of solutions with the greatest depth of expertise to the industrial, commercial and infrastructure markets throughout Canada. With a network of more than 26 strategic locations, AlumaSafway delivers a full range of forming, shoring, scaffolding, work access and industrial service solutions. For more information about AlumaSafway, visit www.AlumaSafway.com.
Aluma Systems by BrandSafway delivers high-efficiency concrete forming and shoring solutions to projects including condos, hotels, stadiums, bridges, transit, airports and power plants. With more than four decades of experience in more than 50 countries, Aluma Systems improves the quality and speed of construction all over the world. For more information, visit www.Aluma.com.
With a commitment to safety as its foremost value, BrandSafway provides the broadest range of solutions with the greatest depth of expertise to the industrial, commercial and infrastructure markets. Through a network of 340 strategic locations across 30 countries and more than 38,000 employees, BrandSafway delivers a full range of forming, shoring, scaffolding, work access and industrial service solutions. BrandSafway supports maintenance and refurbishment projects as well as new construction and expansion plans with unmatched service from expert local labor and management. Today’s BrandSafway is At Work For You™ — leveraging innovation and economies of scale to increase safety and productivity, while remaining nimble and responsive. For more information about BrandSafway, visit www.BrandSafway.com.
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