Crewe Green Link Road Underbridge - Tackling complex foundation analysis using first principles

The Underbridge is a key feature of the Crewe Green Link Road South, which lies approximately 2km south-east of Crewe in Cheshire. The road is a 1.1km long standard two lane dual carriageway running south to north from the A500 roundabout towards the A5020 roundabout. It passes underneath the Kidsgrove to Crewe South Railway line, which is supported on a 4m high embankment, hence the need for the bridge. Project challenges and site constraints led to an innovative solution for the design of both the bridge and its foundations. This paper shows how first principles were used to form a robust but flexible concept design that struck a good balance between innovation and project risk. The methodology adopted facilitated the collaboration between all project stakeholders and led to the successful conclusion of the project in December 2015.