The Sir Otto Beit Bridge is a regional priority bridge within the North-South Corridor as described in Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa providing connectivity by linking Zambia to Zimbabwe (and vice versa) across the Zambezi river at the Chriundu One stop Border Post. The Bridge was officially opened in 1939. The Governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe through their road agencies are jointly responsible for the maintenance of this bridge.
The Governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe have identified the following reasons to rehabilitate and preserve the bridge:
§ The use of the bridge for light traffic and buses has been effective in speeding the passage of vehicles through the new ‘one stop’ border facility at Chirundu and therefore reducing user costs so it is intended that the bridge should continue to fulfil this role.
§ The bridge provides a key strategic backup to the New Chirundu Bridge at this important frontier crossing.
§ The bridge is a historical monument to Zambia, Zimbabwe and the region and its preservation is therefore of national historical importance.
§ The bridge, as an early example of a long span suspension road bridge, represents a milestone in bridge technology and is therefore of international historical importance.
§ The governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe intend to make an application to the UNESCO to have the bridge designated as a World Heritage Site.
Therefore, the EU through its European Development fund decided to support the governments in the rehabilitation of the bridge.
The principal objective of the Services is to assess the condition of the Sir Otto Beit Bridge, analyze its rehabilitation options and prepare detailed engineering designs and tender documentation to ensure a further 30 to 40 year service life under the loading conditions given and a regime limited to routine inspection and maintenance.
The Specific Objective is the technical and economic assessment, and detailed design of the Sir Otto Beit Bridge rehabilitation works, in order to assess its load carrying capacity focusing on:
§ Assessing the current structural capacity of the bridge;
§ Defining the scope of Rehabilitation and costing the various rehabilitation options provided as well as recommending an option for rehabilitation focusing on the importance of the conservation aspects of the bridge to preserved as milestone of the technology of the time
§ Describing the economic benefits of the recommended rehabilitation option;
§ Preparing detailed engineering designs of the rehabilitation works;
§ Preparing a complete set of “as built” drawings of the bridge;
§ Indicating the maintenance requirements post rehabilitation;
§ Preparation of a complete set of tender documents including the results of the in-situ tests, the structural assessment and capacity bearing analysis results, a complete set of technical drawings, material specifications, bills of quantities and cost estimation, according to FIDIC contract conditions.
Develop a presentation panel illustrating the history and the main features of the bridge in accordance with the international and UNESCO standards for such items.
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