Client: Buckinghamshire council
Contractor: MMC Diving Services
Duration: 1 week
Date posted: 23-05-2025
Overview
MMC Diving Services was appointed to conduct a comprehensive principal inspection and dive survey of six bridge structures. The scope of the project required coordination between qualified engineers, a team of divers, and support crew to ensure a thorough examination of both above-water and underwater elements.
Objective
To enable a full structural assessment of the bridges, focusing on the soffits, piers, abutments, scour areas, and overall condition.
Approach
Deployment Setup:
Divers assisted with the launch, assembly, and recovery of the support tender, pontoons, and tower scaffolding, which provided access for engineers to inspect the bridge soffits.
Diving Operations:
- A five-man dive team was deployed using surface-supplied diving equipment.
- Different portable dive systems were utilized for each bridge due to structural and access variances.
- Access was made via floating plant and trailer-mounted dive spreads.
Inspection Process:
- Full inspection conducted by certified structural engineers.
- Dive surveys included visual and tactile assessments of underwater components such as piers, abutments, and scour zones.
- All findings were documented with detailed notes and photographic evidence.
- Measured images of defects were captured for engineering review and maintenance planning.
Outcome
The project was completed successfully x3 days ahead of schedule with all six bridge structures fully assessed. The compiled inspection reports, supported by photographic documentation, provided the client with a clear understanding of each structure's condition and informed future maintenance strategies.
