Staying Ahead of the Curve - Cost-effective and Environmentally Conscious Innovation

Courtney Pratt - Fulton Hogan Ltd, MBA, BSc(Geography), PGDip(Infrastructure Engineering Management (Civil)), MEngNZ

With increased focus on environmental and social outcomes in the construction industry,
finding a solution that safeguards our waterways and brings value to the client, ratepayers,
and local community is a story worth sharing.
The Waipa District Council (WDC) sought to strengthen an aging pipe bridge across the
Waikato River which had minimum fall gravity pipework, fluctuating flows from multiple pump
stations, and the potential for hundreds of litres of sewage per second to enter a sensitive
and public waterway. Councils’ original plan was to refurbish and extend the life of the
existing structure while upgrading the size of the pipes. The question was, how could Fulton
Hogan provide a solution that kept people and our environment front of mind?
Through an extensive Value Engineering period, Fulton Hogan worked with Waipa District
Council to offer an alternative design, taking a “build only” refurbishment contract and
replacing it with a modern design and build. After gaining the client’s trust through sound
design offerings, we set about constructing an economically viable, aesthetically pleasing
and structurally improved bridge which is seismically resilient, of a higher quality, and will
require less maintenance over its life cycle than its aging counterpart.
The design of the new pipe bridge eliminated piling and concrete works along the unstable
banks of the environmentally and culturally significant Waikato River, reduced vegetation
clearing, prevented the need to access high-risk erosion zones, and lowered the output of
dust from sandblasting and piling works and eliminated vibration to surrounding buildings.
This change in scope also resulted in a reduction of construction safety risk, as there was
less requirement to work at height, over water and on steep riverbanks. A community
waterway rehabilitation project was also implemented to bring the locals together in service
of their environment.
Through careful construction and considered design, the Cambridge Pipe Bridge project
improved public perception and engagement, protected its people and environment from
construction related harm, and saved the client a significant amount of money while adding
value over all. We hope to provide evidence that innovation and collaboration hold the key to
future improvements in the water and construction industries.