Comprehensive inspection, assessment, and refurbishment design of small structures across Northern Ireland’s railway network.
Translink, the public transport provider in Northern Ireland, engaged Design ID to bring their structural asset stock of small bridges into a steady state. The project aimed to inspect, assess, and refurbish 379 small structures across the railway network, ensuring compliance with the highest industry standards and addressing critical safety and maintenance needs.
Design ID’s scope of work included:
- Appointment as Principal Designer (PD)
- Preliminary Construction Information (PCI)
- Detailed inspection and assessment reports for 379 minor structures, including:
- Detailed Examination Reports
- Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment Reports
- Stage 1 Scour Assessment Reports
- Refurbishment designs for stone arch bridges, retaining structures, and riverside access.
Key Features and Benefits:
- Utilisation of iPad apps for surveys, enabling efficient and automated report generation.
- Compliance with Network Rail competency standards, with over 15nr examiners meeting STE4 Examiner Competence and 3nr STE2 Examination Manager’s.
- Assessments and Design solutions aligned with Translink & Network Rail standards and statutory approvals.
Design ID were appointed to deliver the comprehensive examination, assessment, and refurbishment of Translink's asset stock of small structures across Northern Ireland’s railway network. This ambitious project involved the inspection and assessment of 379 small structures, addressing critical safety and maintenance needs while ensuring compliance with the highest industry standards.
The project presented significant challenges due to the scale and diversity of the assets, as well as the need to meet stringent competency and compliance requirements. Each Design ID Bridge Examiner was STE4 assessed, meeting Network Rail’s competency standards to examine the condition of structures. Furthermore, the Examination Manager (2nr), Senior Asset Examiner (2nr) and Assessment Manager were STE2 assessed, enabling sign-off on all deliverables—a level of expertise recognised as the highest for bridge examination in the UK and comparable to the requirements of TII/Iarnród Éireann in Ireland.
To streamline processes and improve efficiency, the Design ID team utilised innovative digital tools, conducting surveys with iPad applications that enabled the automatic generation of detailed examination reports. This approach ensured consistency, accuracy, and significant time savings across the project when compared to conventional methods.
The scope of work encompassed the production of a comprehensive suite of reports, including Detailed Examination Reports, Qualitative Assessment Reports, Stage 1 Scour Assessment Reports, and Quantitative Assessment Reports, each tailored to address specific aspects of the project’s structural assessment and evaluation.
In addition to assessments, Design ID developed refurbishment designs to address structural deficiencies and enhance asset longevity. Specific services included stone arch bridge assessments and repairs, scour assessment and mitigation, retaining structure reconstruction, and the design of riverside stabilisation structures. All designs adhered to Network Rail standards, Eurocodes, and relevant legislation, securing all necessary statutory approvals.
Through meticulous planning and innovative methodologies, the Design ID team successfully addressed the technical and logistical challenges of the project. By combining expertise, advanced tools, and a commitment to quality, they delivered robust, sustainable, and compliant solutions that enhanced the safety and resilience of Northern Ireland's railway infrastructure.
Client: Translink NI
