Totally Precast Concrete Bridges

Totally Precast Totally Precast Concrete Concrete BridgesBridges

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Is it possible to Is it possible to

design an “Instant design an “Instant

Bridge?” Almost! Bridge?” Almost!

There are many There are many

ways to put a ways to put a

bridge together bridge together

quickly with quickly with

precast concrete precast concrete

products. products.

TOTALLY PRECAST BRIDGES -- CASE STUDIES

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The speed and The speed and

variety of precast variety of precast

prestressed prestressed

products and products and

methods give methods give

designers many designers many

options. Consider options. Consider

these advantages these advantages

of an of an

all-precast all-precast

bridge…bridge…


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Fast constructionFast construction benefits benefits owner agenciesowner agencies by reducing by reducing the duration of the work zone. the duration of the work zone. Fast construction reduces Fast construction reduces traffic handling costs and traffic handling costs and accident exposure risks. accident exposure risks. There’s less inconvenience to There’s less inconvenience to the traveling public, fewer the traveling public, fewer delays, and fewer motorist delays, and fewer motorist complaints. According to a complaints. According to a report by the Texas report by the Texas Transportation Institute, costs Transportation Institute, costs incurred by drivers passing incurred by drivers passing through a work zone (along through a work zone (along with engineering costs) can be with engineering costs) can be $10,000 to $20,000 per day. A $10,000 to $20,000 per day. A recent Federal report indicates recent Federal report indicates user costs of $50,000 per day user costs of $50,000 per day for work zones in urban areas. for work zones in urban areas.

Benefits to Owner Agencies:Benefits to Owner Agencies:

Reduction in the duration ofReduction in the duration ofwork zoneswork zones

Reduced traffic handling costsReduced traffic handling costs

Reduced accident exposure risksReduced accident exposure risks

Less inconvenience to theLess inconvenience to thetraveling publictraveling public

Fewer motorist complaintsFewer motorist complaints


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Contractors benefitContractors benefit

from reduced exposure from reduced exposure

to traffic hazards. to traffic hazards.

More work can be More work can be

accomplished in less accomplished in less

time, with fewer time, with fewer

weather delays. weather delays.

Costs are lower for Costs are lower for

forms, skilled field forms, skilled field

labor, scaffolding and labor, scaffolding and

shoring, and cranes.shoring, and cranes.

Benefits to Contractors:Benefits to Contractors:

Reduced exposure to hazardsReduced exposure to hazards

More work -- less timeMore work -- less time

Fewer weather delaysFewer weather delays

Lower costsLower costs

Less skilled laborLess skilled labor


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After foundations have After foundations have

been completed, been completed,

scheduling can be scheduling can be

controlledcontrolled by a single by a single

contractor working contractor working

with a familiar with a familiar

material. material.

Scheduling Control


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Precast concrete Precast concrete

structural elements structural elements

should always be plant should always be plant

produced under produced under

carefully controlled carefully controlled

conditions…by plants conditions…by plants

that are Certified by that are Certified by

PCI.PCI.

Plant-produced Elements


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… … so all structural so all structural

elements benefit from elements benefit from

the excellent the excellent quality quality

and corrosion and corrosion

resistanceresistance of of

prestressed concrete. prestressed concrete.

Quality and Corrosion Resistance


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Fully-cured precast Fully-cured precast

concrete structural concrete structural

elements can be elements can be

stockpiled in stockpiled in

advance of needadvance of need… …

Stockpiled in Advance


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……and can be and can be

scheduled for “just-in-scheduled for “just-in-

time”time” delivery and delivery and

erectionerection… …

Immediate Delivery and Erection


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There’s There’s no curing no curing

time time required at the required at the

jobsite, as with cast-in-jobsite, as with cast-in-

place concrete. Bridge place concrete. Bridge

piers can be erected in piers can be erected in

a day, and beams can a day, and beams can

follow immediately. follow immediately.

No Curing Time


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The following photos The following photos

illustrate the many illustrate the many

products and products and

construction methods construction methods

that enable very rapid that enable very rapid

project completion. In project completion. In

addition to the often-addition to the often-

used superstructure used superstructure

elements of girders elements of girders

and deck slabs, and deck slabs,

substructure substructure

components such as components such as

these piers can also be these piers can also be

precast. precast.


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Precast concrete piles Precast concrete piles

are quite popular in are quite popular in

much of the country. much of the country.

They come in different They come in different

sizes and shapes, sizes and shapes,

ranging from 10-inch ranging from 10-inch

square piles to 66-inch square piles to 66-inch

diameter hollow diameter hollow

cylinder piles. cylinder piles.


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Pile caps also can be Pile caps also can be

precast concrete, precast concrete,

reducing exposure, reducing exposure,

forming and curing informing and curing in

the field. the field.


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Piers can be made of Piers can be made of


pieces quickly pieces quickly

assembled inassembled in

the field. the field.


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Abutments can also be Abutments can also be

made of precast. made of precast.


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The The Sucker Creek Sucker Creek

BridgeBridge in Hague, New in Hague, New

York, consists of York, consists of

precast concrete box precast concrete box

beams supported on beams supported on


abutments assembled abutments assembled

into a jointless, rigid into a jointless, rigid

frame.frame.

Sucker Creek Bridge in Sucker Creek Bridge in

HagueHague


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In San Juan, Puerto In San Juan, Puerto

Rico, the totally Rico, the totally


Baldorioty de Castro Baldorioty de Castro

AvenueAvenue bridges bridges were were

built in record-setting built in record-setting

time, attractively, and time, attractively, and

economically.economically.

Puerto Rico


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Each of four bridges, Each of four bridges,

ranging in length from ranging in length from

700 to 900 feet, was 700 to 900 feet, was

erected in about 24 erected in about 24

hours. This was well hours. This was well

within the owner’s within the owner’s

construction allowance construction allowance

of 72 hours per bridge, of 72 hours per bridge,

a condition established a condition established

to minimize disruption to minimize disruption

to one of the city’s to one of the city’s

highly traveled highly traveled

corridors. corridors. Puerto Rico -A totallyprecast bridge


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In addition to speed, In addition to speed,

the bridges also met the bridges also met

the city’s budgetary the city’s budgetary

needs. The four box-needs. The four box-

beam bridges were beam bridges were

constructed for $2 constructed for $2

million less than the million less than the

next lowest bid for next lowest bid for

another material. another material.

Puerto Rico


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Totally precast bridge Totally precast bridge systems may be the only systems may be the only viable solution in harsh viable solution in harsh field conditions. field conditions.

The The Confederation BridgeConfederation Bridge connecting Canada’s connecting Canada’s Prince Edward Island to Prince Edward Island to mainland New Brunswick mainland New Brunswick is such is such an example. an example.

The bridge spanned the The bridge spanned the eight-mile-wide eight-mile-wide Northumberland strait, Northumberland strait, which experiences severe which experiences severe winters and is covered winters and is covered with ice floes for five with ice floes for five months of the year.months of the year.

Confederation BridgeNew Brunswick, Canada


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Even in such harsh Even in such harsh

conditions, precast conditions, precast

concrete was able to concrete was able to

meet the owner’s meet the owner’s

requirements of a requirements of a

100-year service life, 100-year service life,

a 3½-year construction a 3½-year construction

period, and period, and

attractiveness.attractiveness.

Confederation Bridge


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It just makes economic It just makes economic

sense to evaluate sense to evaluate

conversion of cast-in-conversion of cast-in-

place to precast place to precast

concrete. This was concrete. This was

done for the done for the Edison Edison

BridgeBridge in Florida. in Florida.

Precast piers and Precast piers and

beams were spliced to beams were spliced to

produce tall pier bents.produce tall pier bents.

Edison BridgeFlorida


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The state of Texas has The state of Texas has constructed several constructed several bridges with segmental bridges with segmental precast concrete piers. precast concrete piers. The attractive piers and The attractive piers and pier caps are hollow pier caps are hollow members. Some are members. Some are made of high-made of high-performance concrete. performance concrete. Such segments may be Such segments may be match-cast, similar to match-cast, similar to segmental box girder segmental box girder bridges, or separated bridges, or separated by a thin mortar bed, by a thin mortar bed, much like giant much like giant masonry units.masonry units.Texas - Precast Piers


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In Houston, the In Houston, the Louetta Louetta

Road OverpassRoad Overpass utilized utilized


match-cast piers, as match-cast piers, as

well as precast, well as precast,

prestressed U-beams prestressed U-beams

and stay-in-place deck and stay-in-place deck

panels.panels.

Louetta Road BridgeTexas


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Another famous bridge Another famous bridge

is the is the Sunshine Skyway Sunshine Skyway

BridgeBridge over Tampa Bay over Tampa Bay

in Florida. The piles, in Florida. The piles,

piers and pier caps piers and pier caps

were constructed of were constructed of


elements connected elements connected

together with post-together with post-

tensioning threadbars.tensioning threadbars.

Sunshine Skyway BridgeFlorida


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Totally Precast Concrete Bridges