SINGAPORE - Changi Airport Group (CAG) is carrying out works to strengthen two massive aircraft bridges and two vehicle flyovers by the middle of 2024, to extend their lifespan by another 30 to 40 years.
This will be the first time these bridges are undergoing bridge bearing replacement works, said CAG in response to queries from The Straits Times. Of these four bridges, three were built in 1981 when Changi Airport first opened.
The bridges will be closed for maintenance one at a time, and traffic will be redirected to other routes during the closure, CAG said.
Bearings, like the suspension system in cars, help to even out the load and absorb movements on the bridge by allowing sliding movements between the bridge deck and supporting piers. This ensures the bridge remains stable and safe, said CAG in October’s issue of its e-magazine Changi Journeys.
Spanning the five-lane Airport Boulevard, the two affected aircraft taxiway bridges – which each measure 52m wide, 144m long and 5m above ground – function as a critical link for aircraft to move between the western and eastern halves of the airport.
Built in 1981 and 2002 respectively, these bridges are known to pilots as aircraft taxiway bridges “R” and “S”, and can withstand the weight of the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380, which can go up to 560 tonnes.
They are also fitted with special jet blast deflecting fins along their edges, which prevent motorists under these bridges from being affected by the strong jet blasts emitted by taxiing aircraft above.
Separately, the two vehicle flyovers undergoing strengthening works comprise one that connects the airport to the city via Airport Boulevard, and another that provides a link for airfield vehicles in the airport’s restricted zone.
Constructed in 1981, each of these two flyovers stands at 5m above ground, 14.5m wide and 144m long.
CAG appoints professional engineers to conduct annual checks on the structural integrity of these vehicle flyovers and aircraft taxiway bridges.
In 2021, the engineers flagged that the bridge bearings for these four bridges were due to be replaced.
CAG vice-president of engineering and systems planning Cindy Koh said the bridge strengthening work, which began in early 2023, requires meticulous planning to ensure that it is completed swiftly and safely, with minimal disruptions to traffic.
To replace the carbon steel bearings, CAG’s engineering team brought in specialised machinery that is designed to raise the bridge structures.
From Sept 13, the team began slowly jacking up segments of the bridge – at a speed of 1mm per minute – to remove the old, worn bearings and replace them with new ones, before lowering each part.
It takes about four weeks to replace the bearings for one vehicle bridge, said CAG. Its engineering team will also carry out other minor repair works if needed, and give the bridges a fresh coat of paint.
CAG said closures of the aircraft taxiway bridges and road lanes along Airport Boulevard will be kept to a minimum and limited to off-peak periods.
“At Changi, it is important that our infrastructure projects are planned and executed to reduce the impact to airport operations, and to travellers who are on the move to catch their flight,” Ms Koh said.
Correction note: An earlier version of this article said that one of the vehicle flyovers will be closed from Oct 25 to Nov 8 for maintenance. CAG has updated that the bridge closure dates have changed and the new dates have not been confirmed. The article also stated that one of the aircraft taxiway bridges was built in 2022. It was built in 2002. We are sorry for the error.
