A Precast Substructure Design For Standard Bridge Systems

A Precast Substructure Design for Standard Bridge Systems

The proposed substructure system described in this report has been developed to improve the aesthetics and reduce the construction time of the support structures for standard bridges. The form of the proposed substructures is highly attractive, and is a distinct improvement over many traditional short- and medium-span bridge substructures. The substructure system developed is particularly well-suited for precasting, although the geometric form could be cast-in-situ. Precasting would result in the increased use of high performance concrete in the substructures. The use of such concrete will bring improved durability since the high performance concrete is greatly resistant to ingress of moisture and chlorides. In addition, the greater compressive strength of the high performance concretes is utilized for reducing the handling weight and dead load of the substructure units. The bent cap units are more complex than traditional cast-in-place bent caps but appear feasible for plant production or large-scale, cast-on-site projects.

Rapid Bridge Construction Technology, Precast Elements for Substructures

Accelerated Bridge Construction

The traveling public has no patience for prolonged, high cost construction projects. This puts highway construction contractors under intense pressure to minimize traffic disruptions and construction cost. Actively promoted by the Federal Highway Administration, there are hundreds of accelerated bridge construction (ABC) construction programs in the United States, Europe and Japan. Accelerated Bridge Construction: Best Practices and Techniques provides a wide range of construction techniques, processes and technologies designed to maximize bridge construction or reconstruction operations while minimizing project delays and community disruption. - Describes design methods for accelerated bridge substructure construction; reducing foundation construction time and methods by using pile bents - Explains applications to steel bridges, temporary bridges in place of detours using quick erection and demolition - Covers design-build systems' boon to ABC; development of software; use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) - Includes applications to glulam and sawn lumber bridges, precast concrete bridges, precast joints details; use of lightweight aggregate concrete, aluminum and high-performance steel