Steel Bridge Structural Restoration
Full laser descaling and rust removal across 280m² of Victorian-era steel bridge steelwork, Tayside region.
Before & After
Drag the slider to compare — same structural steel section
The Challenge
A Victorian-era steel footbridge in the Tayside region had been subject to decades of weathering, with heavy rust and mill scale covering the majority of its structural steelwork. The bridge remained in active public use, meaning traditional sandblasting was ruled out due to dust contamination, noise, and the requirement to close the structure for extended periods.
The client — a regional infrastructure maintenance contractor — required a method that could be deployed from mobile access platforms without generating abrasive debris, and that could be paused and resumed around pedestrian access windows.
LSR technician laser cleaning structural steel at height
Our Solution
LSR deployed a 1000W fibre laser cleaning system mounted on a mobile elevated work platform. The laser was able to remove rust, mill scale, and old paint coatings down to bare metal without any abrasive media, eliminating the need for containment sheeting or extended closures.
Work was carried out in 3-hour morning windows before pedestrian peak times. The entire 280m² of steelwork — including box sections, flanges, and riveted joints — was completed across 11 working days. The clean surface was immediately primed on the same day as each section was completed, preventing flash rusting.
- Zero abrasive media — no containment required
- Selective removal: rust and old paint stripped without damaging base metal
- Riveted joints and complex profiles cleaned without masking
- Bridge remained open to pedestrians throughout
- Surface profile SA 2.5 achieved, ready for protective coating
Clean bare steel ready for protective coating application
The Results
The project was completed 4 days ahead of the original programme, saving the client significant preliminary costs. The laser-cleaned surface achieved a consistent SA 2.5 standard across all sections, with no pitting or surface damage to the original steelwork. The protective coating applied over the clean surface is expected to provide a 20+ year service life.
The infrastructure contractor has since engaged LSR on a 3-year rolling maintenance agreement for a further 6 bridges in the region.
"We'd been putting off this bridge for two years because we couldn't find a method that worked around the public access requirement. LSR solved that problem completely — no mess, no closures, and the finish was outstanding. We've now put them on our preferred supplier list."