Bridges

[Stagecoach]

Looking for new projects to keep me amused I'm going to document the replacement of a local bridge I travel over each day. The existing bridge has been failing for some years, has had numerous repairs, reductions to one lane at times and weight restrictions, is on the main circular route around the Island and absolutely critical. It takes me 10 minutes to get over it and into the capital city of Suva each day, if it were not passable, to get to the same destination would take me between 5 and 10 hours depending on whether I go rough terrain or tar-seal

Here are four from today's shoot.

No 1 - On the right is the existing bridge in use and today was the first time I have ever stood on it. Leaning against the handrails to take these shots I was glad the lens had VR. To the left of it is some of another old bridge built back in Colonial days. To the far left is a temporary bridge that has been built just to support the cranes douring the project.



No 2


No 3


No 4


Minor work on all images was undertaken in ACR and I then used NIK Pro Contrast at 30% Dynamic Contrast to try and give them some punch as the light was so flat.

Comments and suggestions welcome as always.

Grahame

[Shadowman]

Nice series, looking forward to seeing the progress.

[Manfred M]

Based on what you have written and show, it would seem that you have a project that will keep you engaged for months if not for well over a year. You should end up with an interesting photo essay in the end...

[Geoff F]

Just one little change which I would make to the first two images. In both cases there is a crane hook just visible near the top edge which I would clone out. If there was more of the hooks showing I might leave them, particularly if they were connected to the main structure, as with the last image, but at the moment I find them to be a distraction. Otherwise, everything looks good to me.

[Stagecoach]

Nice series, looking forward to seeing the progress.

Thank you John.

[Stagecoach]

Based on what you have written and show, it would seem that you have a project that will keep you engaged for months if not for well over a year. You should end up with an interesting photo essay in the end...

Estimation at present is that it will be completed in 6 months, which surprises me.

[Stagecoach]

Just one little change which I would make to the first two images. In both cases there is a crane hook just visible near the top edge which I would clone out. If there was more of the hooks showing I might leave them, particularly if they were connected to the main structure, as with the last image, but at the moment I find them to be a distraction. Otherwise, everything looks good to me.

I overlooked them Geoff but they are easy to remove. Most of my PP time on them all was spent correcting verticals due to the major distortion caused by my shooting angles.

[William W]

. . . Comments and suggestions welcome as always. . .
Estimation at present is that it will be completed in 6 months, which surprises me. . .

One frame per day, at a similar time, from exactly the same viewpoint and at the same camera angle and FoV, could make a devastating video.

WW

[Stagecoach]

One frame per day, at a similar time, from exactly the same viewpoint and at the same camera angle and FoV, could make a devastating video.

WW

It certainly would Bill but I'm not keen enough to do that each day. But you have now given me the idea to undertake regular shots from exactly the same viewpoint each time, which I may try and make almost that position in No 1.

Here are the rest of yesterdays session https://fijitime.smugmug.com/Client-...idge/n-6LdXLk/

[William W]

. . . I'm not keen enough to do that each day. But you have now given me the idea to undertake regular shots from exactly the same viewpoint each time. . .

Yes it is a bloody big ask to make that type of video: one would have to be as keen as mustard or have it set up as an auto function probably with the camera in 'a hide': it is good that the comment gave you a spin-off idea.

I had a squizz at your SmugMug page, the "packet" of images look really good as they are set out there.

It's a good project to document.

Break a leg.

Bill

[Stagecoach]

Progress : Sunday 10th November 2019

I shot another set this weekend and in an attempt to explore the lighting variations shot these at about 10 minutes after sunrise. Tripod use is not possible but at these focal lengths I'm pleased with the results.

Progress this week has been the completion of a second pier head and the first set of span girders in place. I'm still curious what is going to happen to the steel tube pillars that although filled with concrete and re-inforcing bar will rust away in time.

No 1


No 2


No 3


Comments and suggestions welcome as always.

Grahame

[Manfred M]

I'm still curious what is going to happen to the steel tube pillars that although filled with concrete and re-inforcing bar will rust away in time.

Based on the third image, these "pillers" look like piles that are to be driven down to the "bedrock" to create a stable support for the concrete bridge, although I don't know enough about the geology of Fiji to know what that implies. The part below the bottom of the river(?)bed should be safe, but the areas exposed to the water (assuming salt water) could be problematic. On the other hand, the supports seen on the old bridge (I assume that is what we see in the first image of your first set), it looks like they might have built that into the design life of the bridge and anticipate a certain level of deterioration over the life of the bridge, before it too has to be replaced.