Penang Bridge widening: design and construction challenges

Abstract

The Penang Bridge is a 13·5 km long road crossing connecting Penang Island to peninsular Malaysia. In order to increase traffic capacity, approximately 6 km of low-level viaduct sections of the crossing were widened by the addition of a new lane and hard shoulder in each direction. This challenging project invovled the construction of new decks, piers and deep-piled foundations in close proximity to the existing structure, with extensive use of heavy plant and machinery mounted on marine barges. Key project objectives were to maintain an operational highway at all times and to safeguard the existing structure during the works. The latter invovled the development of a construction sequence designed to minimise the load transfer from the new works onto the existing structure, and the implementation of a rigorous monitoring regime during pile constrution.