Nova Tie Anchors have been developed to control potential uplift of bridge decks caused by:
- The tendency of a bridge deck to float when it is overtopped during flooding.
- Live loads acting on bridge decks of a specific geometry, for example decks with short jack spans.
They are generally used in conjunction with conventional steel or elastomeric bearings. The lower end of the Tie Anchor is cast into the support while the upper end is cast into the deck. Each Tie Anchor is designed for each specific bridge taking into account the thickness of the bridge deck, the gap between the underside of the deck and the support, the uplift load that it is required to resist, and movement and preset requirements.
Conventional uplift control devices that are integral with the bearing have the serious disadvantage that they cannot be released to allow the bridge deck to be raised for maintenance or bearing removal purposes. The design of the Nova Tie Anchor allows access to the tension member by way of a top access cover which is set level with the top concrete surface of the deck. This allows the tension member to be released, allowing the deck to be jacked up if required. Once work on the deck has been completed the tension member can be retightened allowing the Tie Anchor to resist upward loads again. In the case of settlement or ground movements the tension member can be tightened to remove any slack that may have developed over time.
Download Tie Anchor Brochure.