90 80
OHIO STATE EDITION
6
A Supplement to:
422
6 80 24
6
4
71
76
199 30 30 75
68
30 77
71 23 22 68
4
70 70
70
22 71
75
77
27
October 12 2013
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50
50 25
Vol. XVIII • No. 21
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“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded in 1957.” Your Ohio Connection: Ed Bryden, Strongsville, OH • 1-800-810-7640
Ruhlin Starts Prep Work on Multi-Year I-77 Bridge Deck Job By Irwin Rapoport CEG CORRESPONDENT
Pre-construction prep work began in late July on the 20132016 (August completion date) project to replace the concrete deck on the 3,100-ft. (945 m) long bridge on Interstate 77 (also linked to the I-480) in south Cleveland that links the counties of Cayahoga (Cleveland) and Independence. The $27.4 million Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) project also includes structure repairs, concrete patching work, and other infrastructure for the bridge built in 1976. The bridge spans the Cayahoga River Valley, with the river only covering five percent of the terrain covered by the span. The Ruhlin Company, based in Sharon Center, Ohio (40 mi. south of Cleveland), was awarded the contract in April 2013. The north-south bridge consists of two decks with three lanes each and each deck being separated by a gap of about 4 in. (10 cm). The south side widens out due to the location of several on/off ramps. There are several major challenges for Ruhlin, including traffic — 150,000 vehicles cross the bridge daily, the tight period for construction — mid-March to the end of October, and access to the work site for equipment and materials. “Traffic switches are relatively complex,” said Jim Ruhlin Jr., superintendent of the Ruhlin Company and superintendent of the project. “You don’t get to do the bridge’s full width. The traffic patterns only allow you to divert traffic over to the northbound structure, but there will still be traffic on the southbound side.
case on one August weekend (18 to 19), between 20 and 25 people are on site. “Next year, when we start removing the deck, there will be anywhere between 60 and 90 on the bridge at any given time,” said Ruhlin Jr. “It’s a fastpaced job and we’re replacing the deck on the southbound side first. With a narrow construction window, you have to work multiple shifts with pretty sizable crews and sizable amounts of equipment and materials.” Safety will be a crucial concern via traffic and the The principal work is the tight working area which removal of the 11-in. (28 cm) con- will be crowded. crete decking, which will be done In addition to Ruhlin in phases via the removal of personnel, there also will slabs that will be saw-cut and be employees and equipremoved by 330 and 336 ment from the following The excavators also will be used to separate the rebar from the con- Caterpillar excavators and Ivy crete. The new concrete will be pored in, with carpenters setting up the loaded out using four Volvo 120 subcontractors: Development Company loaders. wooden form work rapidly after the old decking is removed. for rebar installation, Tech Ready Mix for concrete, “Access is definitely limited and that will be saw-cut and removed some local companies in the there will be phases when you are by 330 and 336 Caterpillar excava- Independence area such as the 360 Construction for painting and working on the outside portion of tors (around five or six) and loaded Kurtz Brothers, a big materials sealing, Thompson Electric for the bridge where you can get mate- out using four Volvo 120 loaders. handler that will take all the rub- electrical, A & A Safety for mainterial up and down by crane easily The excavators will also be used to blized concrete and crush it for use nance of traffic, M.P. Dory for perenough,” he added, “but the phases separate the rebar from the con- in local building projects. The manent signs, Turn Key Tunneling on the interior portions will pretty crete. The new concrete will be rebar will be separated through a for the jack and bores, and On-site much have us landlocked with traf- pored in, with carpenters setting up rubblizing process using NPK for the stud welding. Currently, Ruhlin work crews fic on either side of us. This is the wooden form work rapidly E216 hoe rams and material where getting people, equipment after the old decking is removed. processors. The rebar will be sold are employing a Komatsu 228 and material will become a chalThe concrete, based on ODOT to local scap companies. This is a excavator, a Volvo 90 loader, a John Deere 650 bulldozer, a lenge.” specifications, should have a 50- very sustainable project.” The valley floor provides suffi- year lifespan, which includes overOn weekdays Ruhlin has eight Bobcat skid steer and a Caterpillar cient space for the cranes that will lays in the future. The last overlay or nine people on site to prepare mini-hoe. When the main work be brought in — 80-ton (72.6 t) on the deck was done in the 1990s. the crossovers for traffic diversion begins, possibly two 80-ton (72.6 Link-Belt cranes and 60-ton (54 t) Approximately 13,000 cu. yds. for the main work that begins in t) Link-Belt 138 cranes will be Grove 760E all-terrain cranes. (9,939 cu m) of concrete will be 2014, as well as preparation for brought in, as well as one RT760E, The principal work is the removed. A similar amount of con- some shoulder rebuilding and all-terrain forklift and support removal of the 11-in. (28 cm) con- crete and rebar will be installed. widening work. On weekends vehicles such as the Komatsu 228S crete decking, which will be done “We’re planning on recycling all when lanes can be closed for a and a Caterpillar D5 bulldozer. in phases via the removal of slabs of it,” said Ruhlin Jr. “There are longer period of time, as was the see RUHLIN page 7