Innovative Bridge Designs for Rapid Renewal

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Innovative Bridge Designs for Rapid Renewal

• Transportation Research Board SHRP2 - Project R04

HNTB Corporation Iowa State University, Ames,
IA Structural Engineering Associates, San
Antonio, TX Nyleve Bridge, Emmaus, PA Walsh
Construction, Chicago, IL
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Major Questions

• How do we construct bridges quicker?
• How do we make them durable for 75 100 years?
• What technical issues are in the way?
• What deployment issues are in the way?

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Owner Initiatives
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Owner Initiatives

• R04 Findings Major Themes
• Strong impetus to use ABC
• Support (real or perceived) is strong at most
  levels
• Reluctant agencies list cost as the main
  impediment
• ABC, when used, has a remarkable satisfaction
  rate
• DB, AB and ID contracts most common

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Owner Initiatives

• Project Survey Main Themes
• Common reasons traffic and worker/public safety
• Few agencies have an ABC process
• Reasons for not employing ABC
• Requires more research
• Requires institutional change
• 5 agencies provided specifics on ABC projects
• User costs only considered to be real costs by 1
  in 5 DOTs
• Benefits considered to outweigh costs by all 5
  DOTs

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Owner Initiatives

• Many Flavors of ABC
• Florida
• Several SPMT projects completed more planned
• Some use of precast pier construction
• Texas
• Significant use of prefabricated substructures
• Use of U-beams for rapid superstructure erection
• Utah
• Developing a standard agency policy centered
  around rapid replacement
• North Carolina
• Creation of Alternative Delivery Unit

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Project Procurement and Contracting
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Innovative Contracting

• UDOT CMGC
• Owner hires the engineer and contractor,
  simultaneously, via separate contracts
• NC DOT Washington Bypass
• Design Build Best Value
• Ministry of Transportation Model (Clyde Avenue)
• Only selected pre-qualified general contractors
  invited to be bid
• GCs required to submit credentials of one or
  more heavy lifters for additional
  prequalification.

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Innovative Contracting

• European Model (reference Freyssinet / Hebetec)
• Owner mandates specialty methods of erection
• Owner hires the specialty contractor or lifter
• Engineers required to design a compatible
  solution
• GC is required to construct the chosen solution
• Much less fear about engineer / contractor
  interaction during design phases
• User costs are highly valued

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Innovative Contracting

• Contractor Concerns
• If ABC shifts to large scale prefabrication and
  use of specialty movers, what is the role of the
  GC?
• Has implications on profit and responsibility
• Current contracts involve expensive subs
• Lack of control of a large portion of the bid
  price
• Engineers should not dictate methods of
  construction

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Innovative Projects / Construction Technologies
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Washington Bypass
Pictures from Flatiron Construction
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TxDOTPre-Topped U Beams

• 115 ft span capability depth / span 36
• With 4 c.i.p. topping and exterior barriers,
  segment weight is 150 tons
• Contractor places 2 spans per night

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Gantry Beam Erection
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Gantry Beam Erection
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FreyssinetAutoripageSystem

• Structure built on raft foundation
• 35m bridge 2400ton movement time lt 5 hours
• Suitable for poor subgrade conditions
• Pressure lt 10 psi

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Westlink M7 Motorway

• Standard section designed by VSL
• Works in span by span, balanced cantilever and
  full span launching
• Segment size 15m x 3m x 90 metric tons
• Segments can be made in advance and stockpiled

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Full Span LaunchingSegment Delivery
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Full Span LaunchingSegment Placement
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Innovative Foundations Solutions
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ABC Bridge Foundations

• Relative to superstructures, much less work in
  this area
• FHWA 2002 Scan Tour identified some promising
  technologies
• Self-Drilling Piling (grouted or screw piles)
• Continuous Flight Auger piles w/ automated
  control
• Cased secant piles
• Hydro-Mill continuous walls

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GRS Bridge Abutments
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GRS Bridge Abutments
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Where to From Here?

• Continue data gathering and reviews
• Determine what methods have promise
• New bridge design concepts that better use
  innovative construction techniques
• New / refined construction techniques for
  existing / new bridge concepts
• Implement new research
• Coordinate with other SHRP2 projects
• R02 Foundations
• R07 Performance Specifications
• R19 100 yr service life

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Thank You

• Dr. Francesco M. Russo, P.E.
• FRUSSO_at_HNTB.COM