Structural Design

Bundaberg Regional Council commissioned HIG to carry out detailed design of the new culvert structure following our initial review of the previously completed preliminary design of Smiths Creek crossing. 
Smiths creek is classified as a “Red Stream” and the new works were required to meet the DAF Waterway Barrier Works Codes including baffles, floor lowering and roughening.

The existing Bucca Road crossing of Smiths Creek, located north of Bundaberg, was via the 25m long single lane timber bridge.  Bucca Road has recently been upgraded to a two-lane roadway due to growing traffic volumes. This single lane bridge remained as the only constriction roadway and was considered a safety risk. Bundaberg Regional Council proposed that the existing single lane timber bridge be replaced with a concrete box culvert structure to allow two directional traffic flow and align with the rest of the roadway.

The preliminary design had adopted a non-standard culvert sizing to best match the existing creek floor and road levels. However, the new fisheries code had made some amendments to the requirements that led to HIG investigating a number of different box culvert arrangements and costings for Council to compare and decide which configuration to proceed with. HIG attempted to utilise standard culvert sizes where possible to reduce overall project costs.