Novi Sad Friendship Bridge, Norwich

Client
Norwich City Council

Engineers
Buro Happold

Contractors
May Gurney

Construction Cost
£800,000

Novi Sad Friendship Bridge is an asymmetric cable stayed swing footbridge which spans the River Wensum in Norwich to provide access to a new commercial development and help regenerate a historic but run-down part of the city. The structure is named in recognition of the twinning ties between Norwich and Novi Sad in Serbia.

The bridge carries a footway/cycleway and comprises two approach spans of 5m and 14m on the eastern bank, a 28m central span which swings about the main tower and a 5m span on the western bank. The main bridge is cable stayed and it is also supported through a steel shroud, beneath which the rotating machinery is housed. The deck cross section is made of two main 400mm by 400mm rolled sections, rotated at 45 degrees to give a diamond shaped beam. The deck consists of a 10mm plate spanning between the main beams, with transverse ribs at 2m centres and with longitudinal stiffeners to reduce the local deflections.

The asymmetric layout of the cable stayed spans required kentledge on the shorter (back) span to counteract the overturning moment arising from the self weight of the main span.