Thanks to Flexcrete, the historic Holt Fleet Bridge near Worcester has been restored to its former glory as part of a £1.1 million project to repair and strengthen the structure.
Originally designed by Thomas Telford – one of Britain’s greatest engineers – and opened in 1828, this complex cast iron structure was strengthened some 100 years later when the upper and lower parts of each rib and some of the diagonal struts above them were encased in concrete. At the same time, the road deck was widened and rebuilt in reinforced concrete.
A further eight decades of use of the bridge had led to structural deterioration and reinforcement work, concrete repairs, masonry works and repainting were required as part of the restoration project funded by Worcestershire County Council. Flexcrete provided a complete range of concrete repair products for the project, namely Monolite – a lightweight mortar that easily achieves 100mm in a single application – and Cementitious Coating 851 – applied to the underside of the structure to reinstate concrete cover, provide structural waterproofing and protect against chloride ingress and carbonation. A decorative, waterproof and anti-carbonation finish was achieved with Monodex Smooth coating applied in Spruce Green to the struts and parapets, and Magnolia on the framework. The work was carried out within budget and the road was fully reopened a month earlier than anticipated.