INSIDE/OUT ISSUE 58
SUMMER
NEWSLETTER
JULY 2015
A Safe—and Sound— Crossing: The New Boeing North Bridge Embracing new technologies is the key to success behind the world’s largest aerospace company. When Boeing identified structural and potential seismic issues on its North Bridge at its Renton, Washington facility, the company supported the idea of using new technologies to replace the aging structure. As part of the design team, BergerABAM suggested the innovative Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) design. The North Bridge is used to move airplanes over the Cedar River to the Renton Municipal Airport to ready them for delivery to clients and serves as Boeing’s only access to the airport. Since World War II, when the Renton site was first established and the original bridge was built, 15,000 Boeing airplanes have been carried from the Renton facility to the airport via the bridge. By 2013, Boeing anticipated increased production of its airplanes and had to prepare for the incorporation of the 737 Max into its production system by January 2015. The project faced construction challenges: a relatively short time line to tear down the old and construct the new bridge due to in-water work restrictions imparted by the regulatory agencies, minimal effect on current production and delivery, noise constraints, bridge replacement final before the 2015 737 MAX rollout, and minimal disruptions to the airport.
The completed Boeing North Bridge in service
The ABC technique for use in high-seismic regions turned out to be a good fit for this project. Based on the prior experimental work of BergerABAM’s President and Chief Executive Officer Lee Marsh, PhD, in conjunction with Bijan Khaleghi and Eric Schultz of the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT); Stephen Seguirant of Concrete Technology Corporation (CTC); and Olafur Haraldsson, Marc Eberhard, and John Stanton of the University of Washington, the ABC technique used prefabricated bents especially designed for highearthquake-prone areas to help shorten construction time, as well as increase on-site safety and risk. Prior to its use on the North Bridge, the ABC technology was experimentally tested at the University of Washington. It was then applied during a demonstration project for a bridge replacement crossing between Interstate 5 in Washington State for the Washington State Department of Transportation, the first (continued on page 2)
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The concentrically prestressed full-depth precast deck panels being erected on top of the steel plate girders.
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in the United States in a high seismic region. The successful North Bridge implementation is the first commercial use of this technique in Washington State. As a result, the BergerABAM team closely observed and documented the process and experience for lessons learned and improvements in the future. BergerABAM’s Greg Banks, PE, project engineer; Chuck Spry, PE, senior project manager; and Myles Parrish, PE, project engineer, documented the work and their findings in the article entitled “Replacing the Boeing North Bridge,” published in the May/June 2015 issue of the PCI Journal—the Precast/ Prestressed Concrete Institute’s chief publication. Following are the findings.
Project completion was in November 2014, before Boeing’s increased production deadline of January 2015.
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Conventional construction practices may need to be modified to better suit ABC; for example, it may take some work out of the general contractor’s control and require fewer workers.
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Consideration should be given to temporary works and equipment cost differentials between conventional cast-in-place concrete construction methods and the use of prefabricated bridge elements.
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Because the use of precast substructure elements, full-depth precast concrete deck panels, and ultra- high performance concrete is relatively new to the Pacific Northwest, a prebid meeting with the contractor should be held to discuss methods and tolerances
To learn more about the Boeing North Bridge Replacement project, the article in the PCI Journal can be found on PCI’s website at www.pci.org/Publications/PCI_Journal/2015/May/DOI/Replacing_the_Boeing_North_Bridge.
Boeing North Bridge Article: Additional Formats The Boeing North Bridge article was also presented by Greg Banks at the May 2014 Oregon Department of Transportation’ s Design Bridge Conference. The presentation can be found at the following location. ftp://ftp.odot.state.or.us/bridge 14_br_dsgn_conf_pdf/Session_2/2B_Boeing_N_Br_Lessons_Learned_in _ABC_G_Banks_M_Parrish_C_Spry.pdf Greg also conducted a webinar sponsored by Florida International University that can be viewed here. abc.-uti.fiu.edu/index.php/technology/monthly_webinar_archive/view/boeing-north-bridge-in-washingtonstate
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Inside/Out Newsletter
Shoreline Restoration a Boon for Salmon and Beachcombers The Seahurst Park Phase II Shoreline Restoration project has become the benchmark in an ongoing effort to rehabilitate the banks of Puget Sound. In the latest of several awards, the Seahurst Park Phase II Shoreline Restoration project received the 2015 Local Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award for Ports and Waterways by the American Society of Civil Engineers, Seattle Section on 10 June 2015. For the City of Burien, the Seahurst Park shoreline restoration represents renewal of one of its most treasured assets. For regional watershed groups, the project is a crucial part of a much greater effort to restore vital ecosystems along the Puget Sound. Building on success of an earlier restoration effort at the park’s south end, where more than 1,000 feet of seawall was removed in 2005, the City partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to restore all 2,800 feet of the shoreline. As a subconsultant to Anchor QEA, BergerABAM performed the feasibility study and developed alternatives for the removal of 1,800 feet of concrete armoring at the park’s north end, where
Seahurst Park before (top) and after (bottom)
the existing seawall had caused a cut off in the supply of sediment to the beach from the bluffs above, resulting in the loss of beach access and associated marine habitat. BergerABAM also provided structural design for Phase II that included seawall modifications, approximately 50 feet of new retaining walls, new picnic shelters, a fish holding pond and fish ladder for Puget Sound hatchery salmon, a pedestrian bridge over North Creek, and other park appurtenances. The beach was divided into units according to habitat type, potential uses, and restoration opportunities for natural nearshore ecological processes that benefit endangered Chinook salmon and forage fish. The existing bulkhead was constructed in the early 1970s and consisted of precast concrete wall and pilaster elements tied back to buried anchors 20 to 30 feet behind the wall. Removal was complicated because of the wall’s intricate geometry and some sections that had to remain in place to protect improvements. Other sections were only partially removed and incorporated into new improvements, such as enhanced beach access. BergerABAM engineers were able to develop transitions to remove sections of the wall and make modifications to other areas that ensured the remaining wall sections were stable and safe. Since Phase II construction was completed in August 2014, visitors to the 183-acre park have enjoyed extended public beach access, new picnic areas and playground equipment, a new and improved waterfront trail, and enhancements to the Marine Sciences Education Center. As the largest bulkhead removal and shoreline restoration project on Puget Sound to date, Seahurst Park was among the top 10 projects to receive 2013-2015 Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration funding. Removal of shoreline armoring is an important recovery target for the Puget Sound Action Agenda. By 2020, the goal is to be removing more seawall than what is being added. This restoration marks a significant step towards that goal.
Editors / Writers Renée Stiehl Lynn Enebrad Karen Harbaugh Lauren Hurst Dee Young Nora Bretaña Diann Scherer Design and Production Renée Stiehl To update your contact information, please e-mail newsletter@abam.com
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The Pendleton Multiway Boulevard Project Receives Award for Excellence Exceptional sustainable design practice garners special recognition. On 19 April 2015, the BergerABAM project team received the American Planning Association (APA) Excellence in Sustainability award for the Pendleton Multiway Boulevard project in the category of “green infrastructure” at the organization’s annual awards ceremony in Seattle, Washington. The Pendleton Multiway Boulevard project is located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. Each year, the Sustainability Communities Division of the APA presents the award to individuals, projects, and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional sustainability practices throughout the country. This particular award honors a Pendleton Multiway Boulevard “green” infrastructure and/or transportation infrastructure project that uses sustainable principles in its planning, implementation, and operation. BergerABAM led a multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists who converted the existing four-lane Pendleton Avenue into a seven-lane multiway boulevard from North 8th Street to 41st Division Drive. To learn more about APA’s Excellence in Sustainability Awards, visit www.planning.org/divisions/international/ awards.
Excellence in Concrete: The Award Goes to 17th Street Dock Reconstruction Recognizing innovative projects on the leading edge of technology. The Oregon Concrete & Aggregate Producers Association (OCAPA) and American Concrete Institute, Oregon Chapter, presented the 2015 Excellence in Concrete Awards to recognize concrete design and construction projects that are on the leading edge of innovation and technology. The winners were acknowledged at the 35th annual awards ceremony held at the Salem Convention Center on 23 April 2015. The 17th Street Dock Reconstruction project in Astoria, Oregon, received the award in the Restoration category. BergerABAM led the consulting team that designed the replacement dock, and Bergerson 17th Street Dock following reconstruction Construction, Inc., was the general contractor. Knife River Prestress supplied the precast concrete deck panels and submitted the project for award. The multipurpose dock is homeport to two 210-foot-long U.S. Coast Guard medium-endurance cutters, the Steadfast and the Alert; the historic Lightship Columbia, an exhibit that is part of the adjacent Columbia River Maritime Museum; and sternwheeler-type Columbia River tour boats and small pleasure craft.
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Inside/Out Newsletter
Clearing the Way for the Washougal Waterfront Park When the former Hambleton Lumber Company sawmill was vacated, the Port saw opportunity. In November 2012, the Port of Camas-Washougal purchased 13 acres of the former Hambleton Lumber Company sawmill site from Killian Pacific, adding to 14 acres of adjacent Port-owned property along the Columbia River. While Killian Pacific retained 13 acres of the parcel, the company and Port redeveloped the entire 40-acre waterfront property into a community park, trail, and mixed-use marketplace, revitalizing downtown Washougal, Washington, into a place to live, work, and play. Washougal Waterfront Park The new 5.73-acre Washougal Waterfront Park includes a 12-foot-wide concrete trail that extends 0.7-mile east along the Columbia River and links to the regional trail system, connecting the Port with the cities of Camas and Washougal and the Columbia River Gorge. Plans for the park include trailhead parking, restrooms, a picnic shelter, an overlook, plazas, water access, and gathering spaces. With scenic views of the Columbia River and Mount Hood, a large open space provides seating with a stage area for concerts and festivals. Sustainable design elements include rain gardens, lowmaintenance native vegetation, and efficient irrigation shoreline restoration. Plans also incorporate pathway lighting, public art components, and interpretive signage with educational features that reflect the local cultural and natural history of the area. BergerABAM’s landscape architecture and urban design team assisted in development of the master plan and preparation of site construction documents for the new park and trail. Initially, the team worked with the Port on 50 percent design, land use planning, and environmental permitting and grant applications. Services provided by BergerABAM included project management, civil and structural engineering, landscape architecture, natural resources, and public involvement. The team is now finishing up final plans, specifications, and cost estimates. Preparing a former waterfront industrial site for redevelopment comes with a unique set of challenges. The project is located on a brownfield site, which requires thoughtful site design and consideration of past lumber processing and sawmill uses. An early environmental assessment found fuel and oil among other contaminants in the soil. Securing a $200,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology included a promise by the Port to clean up the property and restore its natural habitat prior to construction. In anticipation of the solicitation of bids, the Port began clearing invasive vegetation, a process that also revealed a lot of garbage and debris left behind by the mill.
In celebration of Earth Day 2015, the Port arranged a volunteer event, inviting project partners and community members to spend a day assisting with the clean up effort. BergerABAM team members, David Sacamano, Juanita Rogers, Earl Christian, and Michelle Talal, pitched in to help. Tires, cans, bottles, and plastic bags were among the items hauled away by volunteers. One distinctive feature of the historic mill that was not discarded is an old log ramp that was previously used to haul logs from the Columbia River to the shoreline. The log ramp will be repurposed as a non-motorized boat launch for kayaks and canoes. “One of the rewards of working on this project was helping the Port obtain $1.2 million in grant funding. The project was considered the top-ranked project in the state of Washington out of 15 applicants,” said Project Manager David Sacamano. “The Port has been a long-term client of BergerABAM, and we are honored to be involved with this exciting project.” Construction on the $2.1 million park and trail project will begin this summer and will be complete in May 2016. The park will begin hosting trail users, picnics, concerts, and other community events during the summer of 2016. Ultimately, Washougal Waterfront Park will be the foreground of a vibrant community hub teeming with residential, commercial, educational, and recreational amenities. For more information about the project, visit www.washougalwaterfront.com.
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