Case study:
Al Raha Beach Parapet System

The challenge

Laing O’Rourke and AECOM engineers issued tenders to Mediterranean Building Materials (MBM) detailing the requirements for the supply of 18,000 metres of a specially designed three-rail curved aluminium bridge parapet system.

The parapet needed to be tested in accordance with AASHTO 17th Edition & NCRHP350 TL4 as well as being aesthetically pleasing. Yet at this point in time there were no products available on the market to meet the clients’ specifications. Having worked with Laing O’Rourke and AECOM on many occasions in the UK, they approached MBM and Varley & Gulliver to assist with a brand new product design.

The solution

With a wealth of knowledge and expertise, not only in parapets but also with aluminium, Varley and Gulliver began the process of designing the new product. To do this, the company enlisted the help of Hydro Aluminium for the rail extrusions and the Texas Transport Institute for crash testing. Following successful crash tests in accordance with

NCRHP350 at the Texas Transport Institute, Varley and Gulliver’s popular VGAN300 aluminium bridge parapet was born.

The outcome

Based on the developers’ vision, Varley and Gulliver designed the VGAN300 with a curved aluminium post made from a gravity die casting and extruded oval rails. Being made from aluminium also meant the system was maintenance-free and will have a lifespan of over 60 years.

The VGAN300 was classified as a TL3/TL4 and placed on the Federal Highways approved products list. Varley and Gulliver supplied 8000 posts, over 5000 rails and all associated joints and fixings, which were all manufactured at the company’s UK factory.

The company’s experts visited the site on many occasions to provide technical assistance and site-specific training to local installation companies,
ensuring that the system was installed correctly. Stacy Willis, Sales & Estimating Manager at Varley and Gulliver, said: “Bridge parapets are only usually designed for one purpose – to contain an errant vehicle leaving a structure.

“But with a changing market, where aesthetics are becoming a more prominent requirement, Varley and Gulliver broke the mould with the VGAN300. The VGAN300 not only meets the crash-test criteria, but has the aesthetic features which were referred to as ‘beautiful’ by the developer at Al Raha Beach.”

Varley’s fact file:

• The Al Raha Beach development is one of the most prestigious projects in Abu Dhabi
• Varley’s VGAN300 aluminium bridge parapet was designed specially for the acclaimed development – and is now widely supplied world-wide
• Varley supplied 18,000 metres of VGAN300 for the project, including 8000 posts and over 5000 rails
• “With a changing market, where aesthetics are becoming a more prominent requirement, Varley and Gulliver broke the mould with the VGAN300.”