384 SEXTON ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CORONATION BRIDGE

Paper No. 5509.

I( The Construction of the Coronation Bridge over the Tista River,

North Bengal, India.”
BY CYRIL GEORGESEXTON,A.M.I.C.E.
(Ordered by the Council to be published with written discussion.)f

TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
The
site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Theropeway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Plant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Description of the bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 387
Construction of thearchrib . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 388
Anchorage of thearch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Closure of thearchspan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Removal of archanchorties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396

INTRODUCTION.
THE Coronation bridge spans the Tista river at Sevoke, in the fourteenth
mile of the Tista Valley road from Siliguri railhead, North Bengal.
The project was first considered in 1913. In 1931, it was decided that,
owing to erosion and floods in the Tista valley, an outlet from the north-
west connecting the Bengal Dooars railhead(E.B.Rly.), a t Bagrakote
with Sevoke in the Darjeeling district, was an urgent necessity if the
Dooars was to be assured of outsidecommunication throughout all
seasons. Hitherto, theonly means of crossing the river had been by means
of a ferry a t Sevoke, which could not operate during the monsoon. Work
commenced on the roads in 1933.
The bridge provided the most northerly access from Bengal to Assam,
and therefore had considerable strategic value.
At this point the Tista valley is subject to heavy rainfall, the average
throughout the year amounting to more than 200 inches. The monsoon
breaks in May and rain ismore or less continuous until theend of Septem-
ber, the maximum intensity being reached in June and July. On the
eve of 1 July, 1940, 19 inches of rain fell at the site of the bridge, causing
.~~ . . ~~ ~~~

tCorrespondence on thisPapercan be accepteduntil the15thAugust 1946,

and will be published in a Supplement (obtainable on application) to the Institution
Journal for October 1946. Contributionsshould be limited to about 600 words.-
SEC. 1.C.E.

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 OVER THE TISTA RIVER, NORTH BENGAL, INDIA. 385
the destruction of bridges and long lengths of track on the Darjeeling-
Himalayan Railway by landslides. The road from Siliguri to Kalimpong
a t deck level was frequently impassable for days a t a time. Maximum
shade temperatures reached 100" F. during the day, but theeffect of heavy
rain, coupled with a stiff breeze blowing downstream, could reduce the
evening temperature over thearchto 40" F. The climateduring the
monsoon months was humid and unhealthy, and strict precautions had to
be taken against malarial and sandfly fevers, and dysentery. From mid-
October until the end of February, theclimate was delightful.

THE SITE.
At the bridge site the river flows through a deep gorge, the slopes on
either side being covered with a dense jungle growth. The existing road
on the Sevoke side is 160 feet above the river, and carries motor t r a 5 c
between Siliguri railhead and Kalimpong. The new road brought to the
bridgehead on the Bagrakote side is about 20 feet lower. The road on
either side had been cut into the side of the gorge so that the fall to the
river was very steep. On therightbank of the river below runsthe
Darjeeling-Himalayan Railway (2-foot gauge), and the contractor had to
rely on this for the delivery of materials. Only very limited space was
available for the storage of materials and stores and for the installation of
plant, but by cutting and clearing at the bridgehead on the Sevoke side,
it was found possible to locate offices, stores, power-house, batching-plant,
and water storage.

MATERIALS.
Stone boulders, found a t a point 3 miles upstream, were collected and
brought to the site by rail and stackedupstream of the bridge against the
track. Here they were broken down by hand to 6-inch size and later were
crushed and stacked for use.
Sand from a point 3 miles downstream of the bridge was brought to
the site by rail, and stacked downstream. Cement was brought by rail
via Siliguri.
Steel reinforcement arrived by rail andwas stacked downstream of the
bridge, where it was bent to design before transport to the actualwork.

THE ROPEWAY.
In view of the unusual height of the work and the general features of
the cross-section, and also in consideration of the proposal to build the
main arch withouta fixed centre, it was decided to erect a ropeway to span
the gorge over and above the bridge. This ropeway was designed and con-
structed by the contractors and proved very satisfactory (Pig. 1, Plate 1)

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 386 SEXTON ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CORONATION BRIDGE

The anchorages for this ropeway were founded a t level 708.0 on the
Sevoke side and at 730.0 on the Bagrakote side, in mass concrete keyed
into rock with steel dowels. The span of the rope between the anchor-
ages was 800 feet and the unloaded rope was adjusted to a sag of 35 feet
below the Sevoke anchorage. This allowed for aclearance of 16 feet
between the bridge deck at the centre and the fully loaded rope. Owing
to difficulties in placing the anchorages the rope had to be sited 9 feet
downstream of the centre-line of the bridge.
The main rope consisted of a l$-inch diameter cable which had seen
service in an old suspension bridge across the Tista. The lifting rope was
of Q-inch diameter steel cable, and the traversing rope of &-inch diameter
steel cable. Buttons of steel plate, running by means of pulleys on the
main rope, controlled the sag in the lifting and traversing ropes. The
carriage was steel-framed and balanced on the main rope by means of four
pulleys placed at the top of the carriage, whilst at the bottom were two
pulleys over which passed the lifting rope. The loop of the lifting rope
passed under a 17-inch pulley attached to and suspended from the skip.
The skip was of steel plate and angle construction, designed for bottom
opening with an outside step as a balance. The capacity of the skip w a ~
14 cubic feet.
The driving units consisted of two electric winches operated by direct-
current motors taking 90 amperes a t 230 volts. Grooved winding-drum
driven by the motorsoperated the lifting and traversing ropes. The drum
for the lifting rope was designed with sufficient turns toenable the skip to
be dropped down to rail-level. One man operated the ropeway, and the
driving units were arranged so that it was possible to lift and traverse at
the sametime. Bothdrums were controlled by foot-operatedclutch
brakes and also by electric solenoid brakes. Difficulty was experienced
during windy weather indropping the skip down to rail-level, the tendency
being for the skip to turn and rope the to twist, causing spiking of the rope.
Duringthese times a guide ropeoperatedfrom below was used. The
lifting rope was renewed twice during the course of the work. The main
rope was tightened and adjusted by means of $-inch diameter steel cable
passing through five-sheave pulley-blocks and on to hand-operated winches
at theSevolre anchorage-level.

PLANT.
The power-house, situated a t road-level, containeda 35-horse-power
Ruston diesel engine with a generator producing 90 amperes a t 230 volts
direct current, and a 10-horse-power Petter diesel engine with convertor
producing 20 amperes at 230 volts. The power was supplied through a
control panelto thevarious units of the plant. A small convertorproduced
alternating current a t 4-40 volts for the vibrating units used in placing the
concrete, which were of the " Sinex " type, clamped to the outside of the
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 OVER THE TISTA RIVER, NORTH BENGAL, INDIA. 387
forms. In a separate housing, a direct-current motor and exciter produced
alternating current at 440 volts for operating a 14-ton Scotch derrick crane
driven by a 10-horse-power motor for lifting materials fromrail-level.
The batching plant consisted of the usual electrically driven scraper
conveyor and an elevator discharging into overhead bins feedingweighing
hoppers, where the materials were automatically recorded before passing
into the mixer below. The plant and the winch-house were situated SO
that the mixer could discharge easily into the ropeway skip.
Water for all purposeswas stored in overhead tanks behind the power-
house, fed by gravity from reservoirs formed by damming two nearby
cascading streams. Water for curing the work on the Bagrakote side was
pumped from the river.
Skilled labour was not obtainable at or near the site, but had to be
imported.
The work is described from the contractor's point of view, and the
design of the structure is not discussed, except in so far as it has a direct
bearing on the construction.

DESCRIPTION
OF THE BRIDGE.
On the Sevoke side there are two straight approach spans of 52 feet,
with a fixed shore end. Roller bearings are provided at the main abut-
mentpier.Theoriginal design called for rockerbearings at the shore
end of the spans, but the contractors obtained permission to change this
arrangement for afixed end for construction purposes, reasons
for explained
later. In between the shore end and the main pier is a column group sup-
porting the spans, consisting of three units, the outsides being of ('T "-
section and the interior column of ('crucifix "-section, 4 feet by 4 feet.
These columns are braced horizontally across the bridge at every 20 feet
of their height, and spring from a mass foundation built into rock against
rail-level. The decking of the shore spans isof beam and slab construction.
Two main abutment piers, 40 feet 10 inches by 10 feet overall on plan,
founded on rock, arise from each bank. The underside of the shore span
bearing on the Sevoke pier is 134.7 feet above arch springing, and on the
Bagrakotepier l 2 5 5 feet. These piersare of hollow construction, fhe
outside walls being 7-inchthickreinforcedconcrete. Four cross walls,
9 inches thick, stiffen the shell vertically, whilst 6-inch thick horizontal
diaphragms are introduced at every 20 feet of height. The ends of the
piers on plan are hexagonal, and at the springing the pier increases in
section forthe foundation.
The main arch springs from the abutment piers and has a span of 276
feet and a rise of 132 feet from springing to crown. The arch rib is of
hollow construction, ranging indepth from 7 feet 6 inches at thespringing
to 4 feet 6 inches at the crown. Longitudinal walls 9 inches thick, in
addition to the face walls, also 9 inches thick, run between and stiffen

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 388 SEXTON ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CORONATION BRIDGE

the intrados and extrados slabs, and form a series of boxes, as shown in
Fig. 2, Plate 1. Radial diaphragms 9 inches thick are built across the arch
a t approximately 20 feet apart centre to centre along the arch line. The
extrados and intrados slabs vary inthickness from 9 inches at thespringing
to 6 inches at the crown. The width of the arch ranges from 32 feet a t
the springing to 20 feet at the crown. The central portion of the deck
over the archis monolithic with the archrib about thecrown for a distance
either side of the centre of26 feet 6 inches, where a seating with rocker
bearings is provided to support the ends of the spans between this point
and the main abutments. Four spans of 26 feet6 inches run between
the crown deck and the main abutment piers, on either side of the arch
centre, and each is supported on three column groups. Roller bearings
are provided at the main abutment piers. Each column group consists
of three columns similar to those constructed under the approach spans,
but varying in size according to their height. The column groups sit on
contjnuous pedestals built from the arch rib.
The approach spans on the Bagrakote side are in three units of 56 feet
6 inches built in plan on a radius of 120 feet to meet the end of the new
road on that side. The deck is superelevated 1in 12 to meet traffic require-
ments. The three spans arc supported on two column groups similar to
those under the Sevoke approaches, founded on mass concrete into rock,
as shown in Fig. 2 . Roller bearings are provided at the main abutment
piers and rocker bearings at the shore end.
The bridge deck throughout consists of a 7-inch thick slab spanning
in two directions between cross beams 8 feet 6inches apart centre to centre
and main longitudinal beams a t 9 feet apart centre to centre. A feature
of the main longitudinalbeams is the soffit profile, which makes a parabolic
curve from the bearing to a distance of one-third the span on each side
of the centre-line of the span.
The wearing surface over the deck slab consists of 4 inches of 1 :3 : 6 mix
and 2 inches of 1 : 2 : 4 mix, without reinforcement. Between this and
the deck slab a $-inch layer of bitumen dressing forms a waterproofing
medium. Expansion joints 2 inches wide are constructed a t all bearing
points, from angle framesbuilt into the wearing surface. A copper U-
strip seals the ga,p and makes aseatingfora compressed bitumastic
compound.
The parapetsare of panelled reinforced-concrete construction,with
expansion joints carried up from the road. Over the main abutment piers
are refuges from the footways, and thepier walls are carried up to form the
enclosures.

CONSTRUCTIONOF THE ARCHRIB.

The usual method of constructing the arch over a temporary centre
was considered, but was rejected on account of its high estimated cost.
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 OVER THE TISTA RIVER, NORTH BENGAL,
INDIA. 389
The high rise-to-span ratio, coupled with the close proximity of the main
abutment piers, and the existence of the overhead ropeway adopted for
the distribution of the concrete to the forms, suggested the alternative of
cantilever construction and, after careful consideration, this was decided
upon. The method of building a reinforced-concrete arch of thistype,
without a tgmporary centre, is believed to be novel.
Procedure.-The springingportions of thearch on either side were
built out clear of the pier face by means of timber falsework.founded on
the river bed. This work was completed before the monsoon of 1939, so
that work could proceed on the cantilevers withoutinterruption from
floods.
Cantilever frame.-A special cantilever frame was designed by the con-
tractor andbuilt at the site, one for each side of the arch (Pig. 3, Plate 1).
As will be seen, the steel frames were designed for fixing to the springing
portions already concreted by means of two rows of through bolts 6 feet
apart. Holes were left in the springing portions to take these bolts and
the frames were erected into position (Pig. 3). Timber centering was made
for lining inside the cantilever frames, the intrados centering being 6 feet
6 inches long, whilst that of the extrados, rib face, and interior boxes was
3 feet long. The cantilever frame was arranged to take a 6-foot lift of
concrete before being dismantled and moved forward, and thepouring was
to be done in two operations of 3 feet. After pouring the first 3 feet, the
concrete was left for 36 hours to harden, afterwhich the extrados, rib face,
and interior box centerings were struck and lifted, the steel was tied, and
the second 3 feet was concreted to complete the totalrange of the cantilever
steel frames.
The concrete was then left undisturbed for 3 days, after which the
through bolts were removed and the cantilever steel frame was lifted and
refixed for the next concretings. Holes were formed in the newly poured
concrete by insertingpipes to accommodate the through bolts for the next
position of the frames, the top line of holes of the last concreted portion
becoming the bottom line a t transfer.
The extended head of the cantilever frame was designed to support the
long lengths of reinforcing steel projecting during construction from the
arch section, horizontal rods being threaded through the holes inthe
frames to form a bearing for the longitudinal steel.
Safety nets of fine rope were slung from the cantilever frames underthe
intrados to protect men working on thearch (Pig. 3 ) . In moving the
frames forward the timber centering was first removed and stacked on the
extrados. The horizontal channel framing to both intrados and extrados
was then dismantled to free the cantilever units. Each arch cantilever
system consisted of five cantilever steel frames, each with head and tail
bolts. Each of these frames was lifted forward, by means of a derrick pole,
block and tackle, to its nextposition and fixed again by bolts through the
m h . The horizontal framing, wedging, and timbering was then carried

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 3%) SEXTON ON THE CONSTRUCTION O P THE COR,ONATION R R l l X l T

out in preparation for the next concreting. After a little practice, the
removal and re-erection of the frames was carried out in quite good time
to the following schedule for one complete cycle of 6 fcet.
Dap.
(U) l>isuantling, moving forward, ancl refixing frames including intrados
timber centering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
( b ) Fixing extrados, face, and interior timber centering . . . . . 4
(c) Fixingandtying steel reinforcement . . . . . . . . .
( d ) Concreting of first lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
( e ) Wait before removal of innercentering (36 hours) . . . . . 14
( * f ) Strike, lift, and refixing of timber centcring to ext.~xtlos, rkcr,
and interior,including tying of steelreinforcement . . . . 1
(g) Concreting second lift of 3 feot . . . . . . . . . . . 4
( h ) Wait before removal of frame for lifting on the next cyclc . . . 3
__
time Total . . . . . . . . . . 9

By working both sides of the arch together, the speed of erection was
12 feet in 9 days. This was the maximum speed attained on the straight-
forward run of the arch, but the difficulties from cross diaphmgms and
column pedestals, added to the slowness a t starting with a new system,
gave a reduced average speed. Actually for the Bagrakote arm, which
started a little after the Sevoke side, thirty-eight lifts of concrete, that is,
nineteen lifts of the cantilever frames, covering 114 feet of arch rib, were
carried out in 210 working days between 23 September, 1939, and 8 May,
1940. This gavea progress of 6 feet in 11 days for the one side, and,
taking the speed of the arch building as a whole, of 12 feet in 11 days.
The method of construction worked well, the only rcal difficulty being
experienced where the frames came over the pedestals from which the
column groups were supported. Here the horizontalframing had to be
amended to accommodate the mass of steel projecting from the arch rib.
Measurement.-Horizontal lines set across the arch profile a t 3-foot
intervals, starting from the springing, located standard points at the inter-
section of these lines with the arch intrados. Corresponding horizontal
distances and vertical ordinates from the springing to these points were
calculated and tabulated, together with the thicknesses of the arch rib,
arch width, and thickness of intrados and extrados slabs a t these points.
The levels of these points were then marked on the face of each main
abutment pier, both upstream and downstream, and indicated by a thin
paint-line, with the level noted.
The main abutment piers already constructed were then plumbed a t
the points of level, the difference in or out of plumb noted plus or minus,
and the horizontal distances corrected to suit.
Timber platforms for the theodolite work were constructed on the canti-
lever frames. At measurementtime the instrument was set up on the
platform, and a staff A was held at the level marked on the main pier,
whilst a staff B was held against the intrados, the centering having been
fixed in the approximate position. Levels were taken first on the up-

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 OVER THE TISTA RIVER, NORTH BENGAL, INDIA. 39 l
stream face, and thereading, on A were noted, and also the deviation on B.
The centering was then lowered or raised by the application of wedges
until thelevel a t B corresponded to thatat A, simultaneous with the read-
ing of the horizontal distance for the point set with a steel tape between
the pier and the arch. Levels were then taken on the downstream face
and the centering was corrected in a similar manner.
In order to allow for the drop of the centering under the concrete load,
the centering was set up an amount based on the calculated extensionof the
tie-rods. This became more important as the arch went out.
After the inside timber centering had been wedged up and the steel
tied, the horizontal distances were again checked before concreting took
place, and again after thecast had been made.

ANCHORAGE
OF THE ARCH.
Details of the method used for tying back the arch cantilever as the
construction proceeded are illustrated in Fig. 4,Plate 2. Each set of ties
consisted of seven li-inch-diameter mild steel bars made up, in the case
of the internal ties, of two lengths coupled by a union. The rods were
screwed on the site by means of a power machine.
Galvanized pipes of 2-inch diameter were left in the arch during con-
creting to form the holes for passing the tie-bars at the required levels,
and .set in position for angle by means of passing lines from the shackle
positions on the main pier through the pipes in the arch. The pipes were
withdrawn from the concrete 4 hours after casting.
The lower two systems on the Sevoke side had inclined components on
the shore side, so that the main piers took the vertical component of the
anchor load direct. The higher three groups of ties all culminated a t the
top of the main pier, so that at this point the pier held 21 shackle anchor-
ages. These anchor bars were passed horizontally through the pier in the
thickness of the diaphragm concrete, having an eye in each case on the
arch side of the pier, whilst screwed ends at the shore side were tied to-
gether by means of a continuous channel iron.
The horizontal pull from the combined anchorage at the top of the
Sevoke main pier was transferred into the shore span main beams by
means of eighteen l$-inch-diameter high-tensile steel bars, six to each beam.
The beams of the shore spans were designed to take the resolved horizontal
tension component of 164 tons plus the end shear dueto the totalinclined
load of 214 tons from the twenty-one tie-bars acting during construction.
At the end of the shore spans this tension was again picked up and
distributed through three anchor tie-beams, the beams being fanned out
in plan and tailed into rock anchorage blocks against the road.
The interior anchorages of the Sevoke and Bagrakote arch cantilevers
were similar, except that the higher anchorage group shackles on the main
piers were 9 feet 3 inches higher on the Sevoke pier.
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 392 SEXTON ON THE CONSTRUCTION OB THE COBONATION BRIDGE

Theexterior anchorage of the Bagrakote side proved a much more

intricate problem, as the approach spans were built on the curve in plan
and consequently could not be allowed to take thehorizontal pull from the
top of the main pier, as was done at the Sevoke side. In view of this
change, inclined anchor-ties were adopted, as shown in Pig.4,Plate 2.
A suitable outcrop of rock was located upstream of the bridge approxi-
mately a t the level of the base of frame E, the rock being inclined on
plan a t 30 degrees to the bridge centre-line and at about 10 degrees away
from the vertical. Twenty-one anchor rods were found to be required to
take the totaltension at the topof the main pier and carryit safely to the
anchorage below. It was decided to anchor twelve of these in the rock,
whilst the remaining nine were to be builtinto thefoundation block of frame
E. The length of the ties ranged from 120 feet to 135 feet from main
pier to rock and from 90 feet to 100 feet from the main pier to thefounda-
tion of frame E. The anchorage for the rock ties was continuous, and
was cutout as shown, in dovetail fashion. Shortanchor-bars grouted
into the back of the rock of the anchorage held continuous rails, from
which projected thestubbars of the anchor ties, eachwith screwed
end. These stub bars were positioned in the anchorage by means of tying
lines from the shackle points at the top of the main pier. The stub bars
were held rigidly in position during the concreting of the anchorage.
Stub bars for the nineanchorties into the foundation of frame E
were placed in a similar manner. These had, however, to be arranged SO
that when the nine anchor ties were eventually fixed from the main pier,
they would have to clear the structureof the intermediateframe D.
Hitherto all the anchor rods or ties had been of 14-inch diameter mild
steel bars, but for the twenty-one ties on the Bagrakote exterior side, bigh-
tensile steel bars l$-inch diameter, ultimately intended for reinforcing the
column groups over the arch, were used. These bars were in lengths of
up to 25 feet and five lengths were needed to build up one tie, each section
being joined to the next by means of unions or sleeve nuts during the
erection. Special attention had tobe given t o the pier end length of each
anchor tie, the screwing into the shackle being made 12 inches long in
order to take up thesag in the long ties when tightened ; the shackles on
the Bagrakote side were of extended design to accommodate this screwing.
For the erection of the anchor ties guyed derrick poles were used.
AS the construction of the approach spans was proceeding a t the time
of the placing of the anchor ties, the latter had to be arranged to pass
between the framing members of the timber trusses supporting the false-
work of the span from the main pier t o frame D. Bacility had also to
be provided for these timber trusses to be taken out from the span and
moved forward to the next span from frame D to frame E while the
anchor ties still remallled in position.
The tensioning of the anchorties was effected by means of &foot
long spanners and pipe levers, four men being required on each tie.
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 OVER THE TISTA RIVER, NORTH BENGAL, INDIA. 393
As the maximum variation of temperature at the sitewas about 60' F.
the anchor ties were insulated by lagging, consisting of local thatch grass
filled into cement-bags placed loosely round the anchor ties end to end
and stitched together to form a continuous lagging from shackle to anchor.

CLOSURE OF THE ARCHSPAN.

It was practicable to use the cantilever method of construction for the
arch only up to a certain point of the arch ring from each abutment, and
it was therefore decided to span the centralgap of 120 feet by means of a
steel-framed Melan arch built in the depth of the arch rib, and springing
from seatings constructed at the end of the cantilevers. Details of the
seating8 constructed at the ends of the cantilevers for the Melan arch are
given in Fig. 5, Plate 2.
The steel trusses were designed on the box frame principle. The whole
arrangement is made up of ten trusses, the eight inner ones of which were
braced in pairs to form four box frames. The depth of the trusses varies
to suit the depthof the arch ring and toallow for 44 inches of cover to the
concrcte above the truss plates. The top and bottom chord of each truss
consisted of a 3B-inch by 3+-inch by #-inch angle, with a 4-inch by $-inch
plate. The vertical web bracing was of 2-inch by 2-inch by 4-inch angle
and the lateral bracing of 2-inch by &-inch 0at bar, whilst the whole
system was tied togetherlaterally by angle-iron cross bracing at the
diaphragm points.
Each truss was fabricated a t Calcutta in six sections of approximately
22 feet, and railed to the site for assembly. The bracing connexions were
riveted, whilst the top plates were bolted to facilitate removal for weight
reduction during erection. Field splices were made with fitted bolts.
The erection of the trusses into the arch gapprovided an unusual
problem. The obvious method of dropping the trusses into position was
by means of the ropeway ; but the rope had its limits, and load, position,
and sag were factors demanding careful consideration.
Owing to the ropeway being 9 feet downstream of the bridge centre,
the inside downstream truss, which obviously hadto be erectedfirst,
would have to be pulled upstream before lowering it into position, and
this entailed a stress on the rope additional to that of the dead load acting
on t,he rOF2 in itsnormal position, resulting in a factor of safety which was
considered to be too low, as the main rope had spiked and worn rather
badly in certain places.
Each truss weighed 6 tonswithouttop plates, whereas the power
winches had been designed for only 2 tons.
Therefore, it was decided to reduce the truss load and to increase the
lifting capacity, by the introduction of a double sheave arrangement a t
Point of suspension. The main rope was considered capable of taking
25
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 394 SEXTON ON THE CONSTRUCTION O F THE CORONATION BRIDGE

4 tons dead load pulledto therequired upstream position, with a reasonable

factor of safety.
The trusses were each stripped to 4 tons, consisting of the central four
sections, 88 feet in length, complete with bottom plates (Fig. 6, Plate 2).
The springing sections of 22 feet each side of the trusswere to be erected on
to the arch seatings by cantilevering them out and tying back from their
endswith wire ropes over derricks erected on the arch extrados. The
cantilever sections were positioned by means of hand winches fixed on the
nearby frame pedestal.
The 22-foot springing sections for the downstream trusses were taken
out by ropeway, lowered into position, and braced together in order to
give lateral stability against wind pressure. As the width of these canti-
levers was insufficient to offer suitable anchorage, braced timber structures
were built across level with the extrados; they projected both up and down-
stream from the arch faces, the downstream frame havipg twice the pro-
jection of the upstream one, so that their extremities were equidistant for
bracing the steel cantilevers ; the timberframes were supported by raking
struts off the arch intrados. Prom the ends of the timber frames, to which
pulleys were fixed, guy ropes passed to the ends of the steel springing
sections and back to the hand winches on the arch, where the guys were
anchored. These timber frames proved valuable in lining up the erected
trusses before bracing.
Details of the anchorage of the steel end sections at the seatings are
shown in Pig. 5, Plate 2.
At theend of the springing sections timber platforms were built, so that
the erectors could work easily and quickly when called upon to fix the bolts
in the top and bottom boom connexions, between the springing section and
the central truss section, when lowered by the rope.
The central truss sections were erected on the Bagrakoteapproach
decking ready for lifting, and the sling was designed for a three-point lift,
&inch steel cable and 17-inch pulleys being used.
For pulling the rope and truss upstream when in suspension, 400 feet
of 3-inch steel rope was anchored at the upstream end of the Bagrakote
main pier at approximately deck-level, and passed up to thecarriage of the
ropeway skip, where a fixed pulley was attached, round which the rope
passed across and down to the upstream end of the Sevoke main pier,
whence it passed round another pulley fixed a t deck-level and on to a
hand winch, anchored down to the deck slab, by the operation of which
the main rope could be pulled upstream as desired (Fig. 6, Plate 2).
Experiments carried out with trial loads before lifting the trusses proved
satisfactory.
The inside downstream truss was lifted, taken out, andfixed in position
without much difficulty.
Up to the time of completing the concrete arch cantilevers up to the
scatings, no direct check had been made on the span between the seatings.
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 OVER THE TISTA RlVER, NORTH
BENGAL, INDIA. 395
Each side had been built independently to give 120 feet clear between the
seatings, and when the check was made by direct measurement across the
gap, the variation was found to be + Q inch on the downstream side of
the arch and 4 inch on the upstreamside.
The outside downstream truss was next lifted and carried out by rope-
way ; and, as this truss was close up against the one already erected, tracer
ropes were fixed to theends in suspension and operated from each main pier
to avoid fouling. When the second truss was positioned and completed
the two were fixed and braced together laterally, after which the outerface
truss was fixed downstream to complete half the steel Melan arch.
At this juncture it had been planned to fix the ends of the steel arch
across half its width a t once by concreting it in, so that the archcould take
part of its own load and thus relieve to some extent the anchor ties. This
concreting of a 6-foot length along the arch on each side was done before
any more steel trusses were fixed.
The inner and outer upstreamtrusses were then brought out section by
section, and dropped on to the trusses already fixed, by ropeway. The
sections were positioned and fixed from a derrick pole and tackle super-
imposed on the steel trusses. The concreting of the end of the remaining
halves of the archwas then carried out, theconcrete being placed over the
full depth in one operation by a method similar to that employed on the
cantilever portions.
It was now no longer practicable to concrete the arch in thismanner
across the central remaining portion, and accordingly the intrados slab
was first concreted throughout the closing span, leaving two key gaps
12 inches wide for the full width of the arch on each side, 30 feet from the
seatings.
Round bar reinforcement was fixed in the depth of the intrados slab
andtiedtothe steel truss booms. Timber centering in sections was
suspended from the truss boom angles by means of hook bolts, which were
withdrawn, after concreting, for moving forward.
After completion of the intrados slab the longitudinal ribs of the arch
were steeled up and shuttered to the underside of the splays of the extrados
slab ; the cross diaphragm walls were also prepared to complete the internal
system. The trusses were designed so that the longitudinal bracings came
within the longitudinal walls and the cross bracings within the diaphragm
walls, all walls being 9 inches thick.
The longitudinal walls were concreted so that key gapswere left exactly
over those in the intrados slab. The concreting of these key gaps was
carried out as one, for both the intrados slab and the longitudinal walls,
after the latterwere 10 days old.
Meanwhile the centering of the extradosslab was proceeding. The
cross walls and longitudinal walls formed closed boxes inside the arch and,
in order to retrieve the centering, when used, a strip 1 foot 6 inches wide
was left open across the full width of the arch and near the end of each box.
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 396 SEXTON ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CORONATION BRIDGE
OVJClt THE TCSTA RTVER, NORTH BENCAT,, INDIA.

These gaps were concreted after a period of 10 days,with the minimum of

centering left inside the arch.

REMOVAL
OF ARCHANCHOR
TIES
Ten days after thefinal concreting of the arch rib thefirst set of seven
anchor ties each side of thearch was released and removed, and the
remaining groups were released a t 5-day intervals thereafter ; within
30 days of final concreting the arch was completely free from suspension.
The steel bars, holding the main beams of the Sevoke shore span a t the
head of the main abutment pier, were cut through in the2-inch roller gap,
and all shackle-ends projecting from the face of the piers were burned off
flush by means of oxy-acetylene plant.
The fixed portion of the decking over the arch on either side of the
crowD, with rocker bearings and seatings a t each end, was then constructed.
Levels recorded at thistime showed a variation of only $-inch in from the
height of the arch crown as designed. The erection of the column groups
and the decking over the archfollowed, the load on the archbeing balanced
as far as practicable.
The whole of the work of erecting in position the arch steel trusses,
and the concreting of the arch rib central 120-foot span was carried out
during the monsoon period of 1940.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
The bridge was designed by Mr. John Chambers, O.B.E., A.M.I.C.E.,
bridge designer to theGovernment of Bengal.
The contractors for the bridge and approach spans were Messrs. J. c.
Gammon, Ltd., of Bombay, for whom the Author actedas Resident
Engineer.
Acknowledgements are due to the Chief Engineer, Bridges and Roads,
Government of Bengal, for permission to publish this Paper, andto Messrs.
J. C. Gammon, Ltd., Engineers and Contractors, Bombay, for their help
towards its preparation.

The Paper isaccompanied by eight sheets of drawings and eight photo-

graphs, from which the folding Plates have been prepared.

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 THE C O N S T R U C T I O N OF THE CORONATION BRIDGE OVER THE TISTA RIVER, NORTH BENGAL, INDIA. PLATE i.
FIG. 3
FIG. I
I
tI iSprn of rope 800'-0'.

I
l >Holes to provide adiustrnent

FIG.2
Distance of traverie 480'-0"
1 I
l
l
Savoke side

r4
ISevoke end
A.
I

raversing rope t' dia.

eolarch

\
6"X3,.rnchor c h a n n e l V a r , e r ( r o m 2 9 ' - 0 ' ' t r o 2 3 ' - 4 ? '

ENLARGEC CROSS SECTION

I c
-2-a
Anchor /Winch I
of bridge-. - of
n I t rioprs
Barching f 'LRope SECTION A-A
pianr

I .

Scale 1 inch = 100 feet

SECTION OF GORGE AND ROPEWAY.

PLAN.

WILLIAMCLOWSS Br SONS, LIMITED,

LONDON. S c a l e 1 inch = 80 feet

M A I N A R C H RIB
The Institution of Civil Engineers. Journal. May 1946. scale L Inch = 1foot.

CANTILEVERED CENTERING FOR MAIN ARCH.

C. G. SEXTON.
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 PLATE 2. I
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CORONATIQN BRIDGE OVER THE TISTA RIVER, NOR rH BENGAL, INDIA.

---._._--
-._------- FIG. 5
--'I (---- -----
.. 'I 'on~.~i't-<
SpJCe leh for vertical round

r--,",16----=:'
rods to facilitate drlvln& of
ne.1 wed,es behind seatl",
--:-----
Steel Wire rurs
1 durl"l erection cemre sections 88'·0" long of

~~~
!7 11" d,•. rod. Sevoke
Inner downufum truss erected
molln pIer
on Bagnkote decklnl and brought

~~~
SOl"ng 612·18 Sld. out by rope way (see planJ 8agrlkote
111'-6"lromX uun main pIer
Frlme E End sections 22'·OR lon&:.o(
Inne'r and outer downstream
trusses c~ntllevered out .lnd
Sc.l. I Inch = 1 loo, SECTION OF ARCH AT C~OWN br.lced tOlether
SHOWING STEEL TRUSSES.

1'· dlill. round rods to provide

(ree movement of Irch from Top ~nd bottom chord plate\ removed
ENLARGEO OETAIL (rom all sections before POSitioning
wed&I"&: dunn& erection
OF ARCH SEATING ro n'llnlmiu flftlng wellht
Seal. ! Inch = 1Ioot

When the inner and outer downs.trtlm

Pillar over arch trusses had been positioned the two
were rigidly brued.together-Ind the arch
ends over half width immediately concreted

12',0- long sectlons Inner ~nd OUter upstre~m trunes

dropped (rom ropewOly erected off downstrum fixed
trusses piece by pltce

When m~jn rope and trun were

Sp"ngin~_S_O_I-_21
over correct position truss wu
lowered and boom conneklons
FIxed end er
_
r steel wire rope (or made from platforms).
Main rope with truss slung pulled upstream Htel Wire
(or pulling main rope
l.Intil trusi is e)(actly over correct position 2.

Outer downstream trusses et

.... Normll posltlon of of main
bro\Jght out and positloned rope and carnage 9'.0· o(f centre
Sale 1 inch;; 12 (eet PLAN SHOWING T 'P ANO 'OTTOM BRACING In a similar manner to inner line o( bridge downstream
Sule . inch:: 1 foot. downstream trUSS after the Inner downstream truss in this
ARCH SUSPENSION FROM MAIN PIER. PIERS D AND E AND ROCK BAGRACOT£ SIDE litter has been fixed , position 1
C;:, G. SEXTON, DETAILS OF MELAN ARCH-STEEL FRAME 120 FEET SPAN.
METHOD OF POSITIONING 120.FOQT SPAN M~LAN TRUSSES FROM ROPEWAY_
The Institution 0 Civil EA,ineer,. Journal. May 1946.
WmuAIlI CLowu "SoN' LIIlIIUD LONDON,

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