Hammersmith Bridge is wrapped in foil to keep it cool amid fears it will crack as temperatures rise
- The Grade I listed bridge in London was completely closed with fractures in August 2020
- Chains anchored in the riverbed must be kept below 13°C (55°F) in summer
- As temperatures rise, engineers say they will shut it down when the chains reach 18C (64F).
As temperatures rise and the nation smolders, Hammersmith Bridge needs to be kept cool amid fears of collapsing.
To do this yesterday, the chains of the 135-year-old bridge were wrapped in huge pieces of reflective insulating sheeting, which reflects the sun and prevents it from absorbing heat.
The chains are anchored in the river bed and regulated to keep them below 13 °C (55 °F) in summer. If any of them reach 18 °C (64 °F), safety engineers close the bridge.
As temperatures rise and the nation smolders, Hammersmith Bridge must be kept cool for fear of cracking. To achieve this, the 135-year-old bridge’s chains were wrapped yesterday in huge pieces of reflective insulating sheeting to block the sun and prevent it from absorbing heat
Pictured are parts of Hammersmith Bridge wrapped in foil to protect them from the scorching heat
The Grade I listed bridge in west London was completely closed in August 2020 when microcracks in its cast-iron bases spread during a heatwave. It reopened in 2021, but only for pedestrians and cyclists. Extensive repair work is currently underway, estimated to cost £140m.
Engineers installed a £420,000 temperature control system to keep the bridge at a safe temperature. But the current weather is so extreme that the additional measure of wrapping the bridge in foil was deemed necessary.
A spokesman for the council said: “As part of the work, the cast iron cladding was dismantled leaving the tracks exposed to the sun. The reflective insulation is a temporary measure before scaffolding is erected around each landing in the next phase of construction.”
The chains are anchored in the river bed and regulated to keep them below 13 °C (55 °F) in summer. If any of them reach 18°C (64°F), safety engineers will close Hammersmith Bridge
