HIWAY The Bridge Edition

THE BRIDGE EDITION

PATROON ISLAND NYS BEST VALUE PROJECT P.20

ALEXANDER HAMILTON NERVES OF STEEL P.6 OCTOBER 2014

I287 CROSS WESTCHESTER PIONEERS OF ABC P.28 HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 1

ABOUT

HIWAY A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On behalf of the editorial team, we’re proud to welcome you to the first edition of Halmar’s newsletter, HIWay. It’s been a painstaking road, but one that mirrors our team’s consistent contribution to creating high-quality finished products through similarly high caliber efforts. We hope you enjoy the countless features we’ve compiled for this premier edition, showcasing our myriad bridge projects. Each one has built upon the last and ensured a rich legacy of top-tier construction work that we can now look back upon with pride.

Ultimately, however, this newsletter is ours. And it will only blossom with the continued input of the entire Halmar family. If you have any feedback, suggestions, questions or comments pertaining to the newsletter, please reach out to our editorial team, Mike mvasilev@halmarinternational. com and/or Miranda msouthwell@ halmarinternational.com and we’ll be sure to address your issues in a timely manner.

This is your HI-Way, so make it a smooth ride!

Sincerely, Mike Vasilev Editor-in-Chief EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mike Vasilev ASSOCIATE EDITOR Miranda Southwell DESIGN EDITOR Mike Vasilev TOP CONTRIBUTORS Gary Dinmore, Donal Curley, Julian Paz

© 2014

04

06 20 28 30 31 32 34 36 37 38

CURRENT PROJECT UPDATES Curious about the latest word on any of our current projects?

Check the “Current Project Updates” section out and see what’s developing.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: ALEXANDER HAMILTON BRIDGE

Our first featured project for this month’s installment of the Halmar HIway is the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, an epic revamping of the timeless structure Gov. Cuomo called a ‘vital connection.’

PROJECT: PATROON ISLAND BRIDGE Our second featured project is the Patroon Island Bridge. Six lanes of stunning craftsmanship are highlighted, accompanied by photo captures.

FLASHBACK: I287 Cross Westchester HIway takes you back in history with a look at Halmar’s projects of yesteryear. Our first glimpse back takes you to 1999 with the I-287 Cross Westchester Expressway.

A WORD ABOUT ENGINEERING

WELCOME TO THE HALMAR NEWSLETTER’S PREMIER ISSUE...HIWAY!

Sit down with us as we chat with one of our PE’s about engineered construction and what it means to us.

SAFETY, HEALTH & HALMAR Several of our team members have answered the Spartan call!

We sit down with Julian Paz and get some insider info on the obstacle course to end all obstacle courses.

WHAT’S GOING ON AT HALMAR A look into the people inside Halmar International, who’s new, what we’re doing, and what we will be doing in the future.

THE FOUNDATION Take a closer look at the Halmar Team with profiles of this issue’s contributors.

HALMAR AT THE RACES Rev up your engines with the latest updates on Halmar Racing featuring Champion Racer, Willy Auchmoody.

HALMAR HELPING We at Halmar realize that in order for a company to get good results it has to give good things back to the community. Read on about how we’re doing just that in this first installment.

AT THE YARD In this section we’ll apprise you of the latest equipment at the yard.

DEAR EMPLOYEES

O

n behalf of the executive team & our marketing department, we are pleased to publish the first quarterly employee newsletter of Halmar Connect.

The newsletter is another medium to bring the employees together, providing access and communication. As our projects are dispersed, it is critical that our employees feel connected and united, and that information is consistently communicated to all our employees. The newsletter will focus on project updates, safety, important procedures to adhere to, updates from the executive team, achievements and personnel updates.

As we have many new employees since our 2013 Employee Meeting, it is important to reiterate one of the key messages from that meeting, “Being Relentless.”

For the employees of that meeting, it should be modus operandi every day what we have committed to as a relentless team, acceler-

ating to an unstoppable energy focused on getting work done, performing better, communicating, improving bottom line costs and promoting safety. For the new employees after that meeting, it is expected that you understand these bullet points and embrace the philosophy moving forward.

We are more than halfway through 2014.

We have had many project successes, and are busy responding to RFP’s where we are finalists; however, we still have a long way to go and need to stay on task and give 120% if we truly are serious about being unstoppable. Otherwise, we are fooling ourselves and each other, settling for mediocrity, stagnating and allowing our competition to improve at our expense. For those of us who have put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears, being complacent is not acceptable. Being leaders who are relentless IS the Halmar Way.

Sincerely, Chris Larsen & Paul Atkins

ABOUT

HIWAY A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On behalf of the editorial team, we’re proud to welcome you to the first edition of Halmar’s newsletter, HIWay. It’s been a painstaking road, but one that mirrors our team’s consistent contribution to creating high-quality finished products through similarly high caliber efforts. We hope you enjoy the countless features we’ve compiled for this premier edition, showcasing our myriad bridge projects. Each one has built upon the last and ensured a rich legacy of top-tier construction work that we can now look back upon with pride.

Ultimately, however, this newsletter is ours. And it will only blossom with the continued input of the entire Halmar family. If you have any feedback, suggestions, questions or comments pertaining to the newsletter, please reach out to our editorial team, Mike mvasilev@halmarinternational. com and/or Miranda msouthwell@ halmarinternational.com and we’ll be sure to address your issues in a timely manner.

This is your HI-Way, so make it a smooth ride!

Sincerely, Mike Vasilev Editor-in-Chief EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mike Vasilev ASSOCIATE EDITOR Miranda Southwell DESIGN EDITOR Mike Vasilev TOP CONTRIBUTORS Gary Dinmore, Donal Curley, Julian Paz

© 2014

04

06 20 28 30 31 32 34 36 37 38

CURRENT PROJECT UPDATES Curious about the latest word on any of our current projects?

Check the “Current Project Updates” section out and see what’s developing.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: ALEXANDER HAMILTON BRIDGE

Our first featured project for this month’s installment of the Halmar HIway is the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, an epic revamping of the timeless structure Gov. Cuomo called a ‘vital connection.’

PROJECT: PATROON ISLAND BRIDGE Our second featured project is the Patroon Island Bridge. Six lanes of stunning craftsmanship are highlighted, accompanied by photo captures.

FLASHBACK: I287 Cross Westchester HIway takes you back in history with a look at Halmar’s projects of yesteryear. Our first glimpse back takes you to 1999 with the I-287 Cross Westchester Expressway.

A WORD ABOUT ENGINEERING

WELCOME TO THE HALMAR NEWSLETTER’S PREMIER ISSUE...HIWAY!

Sit down with us as we chat with one of our PE’s about engineered construction and what it means to us.

SAFETY, HEALTH & HALMAR Several of our team members have answered the Spartan call!

We sit down with Julian Paz and get some insider info on the obstacle course to end all obstacle courses.

WHAT’S GOING ON AT HALMAR A look into the people inside Halmar International, who’s new, what we’re doing, and what we will be doing in the future.

THE FOUNDATION Take a closer look at the Halmar Team with profiles of this issue’s contributors.

HALMAR AT THE RACES Rev up your engines with the latest updates on Halmar Racing featuring Champion Racer, Willy Auchmoody.

HALMAR HELPING We at Halmar realize that in order for a company to get good results it has to give good things back to the community. Read on about how we’re doing just that in this first installment.

AT THE YARD In this section we’ll apprise you of the latest equipment at the yard.

DEAR EMPLOYEES

O

n behalf of the executive team & our marketing department, we are pleased to publish the first quarterly employee newsletter of Halmar Connect.

The newsletter is another medium to bring the employees together, providing access and communication. As our projects are dispersed, it is critical that our employees feel connected and united, and that information is consistently communicated to all our employees. The newsletter will focus on project updates, safety, important procedures to adhere to, updates from the executive team, achievements and personnel updates.

As we have many new employees since our 2013 Employee Meeting, it is important to reiterate one of the key messages from that meeting, “Being Relentless.”

For the employees of that meeting, it should be modus operandi every day what we have committed to as a relentless team, acceler-

ating to an unstoppable energy focused on getting work done, performing better, communicating, improving bottom line costs and promoting safety. For the new employees after that meeting, it is expected that you understand these bullet points and embrace the philosophy moving forward.

We are more than halfway through 2014.

We have had many project successes, and are busy responding to RFP’s where we are finalists; however, we still have a long way to go and need to stay on task and give 120% if we truly are serious about being unstoppable. Otherwise, we are fooling ourselves and each other, settling for mediocrity, stagnating and allowing our competition to improve at our expense. For those of us who have put in a lot of blood, sweat and tears, being complacent is not acceptable. Being leaders who are relentless IS the Halmar Way.

Sincerely, Chris Larsen & Paul Atkins

PROJECT PATH HARRISON STATION REPLACEMENT

Contract #: PAT-024.028A Owner: Port Authority of NY/NJ Project Manager: Terrence O’Connell

A

pproximately 15% of the overall project has been negotiated to date. The Port Authority completed the design of the project in December of 2013 and Halmar is currently in the process of negotiating the remainder of the project. The Port Authority is currently reviewing their funding to determine if they will install 4 new station houses or reduce the scope to the installation of just the 2 east headhouses.

The project schedule currently shows September 2018 completion should the Port Authority elect to install all 4 station headhouses. To date, Halmar has commenced work in all 4 quadrants of the site. Halmar has completed the removal of the existing asphalt parking lot (approx. 31,000SF) in the Southeast quadrant along with completing the installation of 49 drilled shafts adjacent to the track using a BG 224 Bauer Rig

LAGUARDIA CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM Contract #: PAT-024.028A

PATROON ISLAND BRIDGE REHABILITATION PROGRAM

Owner: Port Authority of NY/NJ Project Manager: John Cinguina

Contract #: D262091 Owner: NYSDOT Project Manager: Donal Curley

J

D

ohn Cinguina reports that work is currently being performed on 4 separate Work Orders with another 4 Work Orders in the process of bidding. The total value of the Contract is approximately $148,000,000. Scope of work includes: East and West Utility Trunk Line Relocations, 5KV Ductbank Infrastructure Upgrade, East Garage to Terminal C Pedestrian Walkway, East End Garage Exit Toll Plaza, Interim Reconfiguration of Parking Lot 10E and Development of Ingraham’s Mountain & Bowery Bay Extension, among several others which are currently underway.

onal Curley reports that the Patroon Team has been working days, nights and weekends and have completed all deck panel replacement on the EB Side of the Patroon Bridge. An additional two bridges at the stacked interchange are also near completion. To date, they have installed 479 of 1079 precast panels on the project. An LR1400 Crawler crane (440T) was used on land to free up deck area and to set panels where prior installation methods have called for two 170 T cranes doing tandem picks. A barge has been mobilized to the river and is setting up work platforms in preparation for Structural Steel installation to allow for the jacking of the bridge truss in the coming weeks.

Finally, the painting subcontractor is mobilizing equipment to begin blast and paint operations.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 4

UPDATES RAMP MQ

Contract #: RK-73 Owner: TBTA/MTA Project Manager: Brendan McLaughlin

B

rendan McLaughlin reports that Ramp MQ is almost complete. On August 29th, Halmar completed the milestone of re-opening the entire Ramp MQ to final traffic configuration which triggered the incentive bonus for the project. In September, the crews will complete punch-list items on the new roadway and also continue the remaining work underneath Ramp MQ including re-grading and paving the majority of parking lots for TBTA and NYPD vehicles. Additionally, the TBTA is presently negotiating 2 big change orders with Halmar. One is for Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) on the existing concrete pier caps and the other is for adding over 5,000 LF of fencing on the barrier at various locations on the RFK bridge. Projected completion for Ramp MQ is end of October 2014.

SHAFT 4

Contract #: DEL-359 Owner: NYCDEP Project Manager: Leo Dragone

T

he original contract 8 week shutdown in October 2013 of the Catskill Aqueduct was declined by DEP due to unknown field conditions and design changes. DEP, CM and Halmar worked together to work out of sequence and completed the core drilling for the 48” pipe that would connect the Delaware Aqueduct to the Catskill Aqueduct. The core drilling operation was completed in March 2014 with only a 5 day shutdown (Zero Flow) of the Catskill Aqueduct.

After the Shaft 4 Addition was completed during one of the worst winters, we installed and completed all the 48” pipe inside the existing Shaft 4 Building. The chambers inside the Shaft 4 Addition were filled with water and passed the three day leakage test in August 2014. In September 2014 we made the final connection of the 48” yard pipe to the Catskill Aqueduct within a 5 day partial shutdown (220MGD) of the Catskill Aqueduct.

ALEXANDER HAMILTON BRIDGE REHABILITATION Contract #: D260888 Owner: NYSDOT Project Manager: Jesse Jameson

J

esse Jameson tells us AHB is within a few days of demobilization and completion. Remaining on the project are JCJ, Pete Milano and two laborer crews - completing the punch list and removing office and yard trailers. All final inspections have been performed and punch list work is essentially complete.

The Project Team is now involved with final settlement of approximately $5 million of change order negotiations, while also awaiting $5 million of agreed change order to be processed by the NYS Comptroller’s Office.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 5

PROJECT PATH HARRISON STATION REPLACEMENT

Contract #: PAT-024.028A Owner: Port Authority of NY/NJ Project Manager: Terrence O’Connell

A

pproximately 15% of the overall project has been negotiated to date. The Port Authority completed the design of the project in December of 2013 and Halmar is currently in the process of negotiating the remainder of the project. The Port Authority is currently reviewing their funding to determine if they will install 4 new station houses or reduce the scope to the installation of just the 2 east headhouses.

The project schedule currently shows September 2018 completion should the Port Authority elect to install all 4 station headhouses. To date, Halmar has commenced work in all 4 quadrants of the site. Halmar has completed the removal of the existing asphalt parking lot (approx. 31,000SF) in the Southeast quadrant along with completing the installation of 49 drilled shafts adjacent to the track using a BG 224 Bauer Rig

LAGUARDIA CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM Contract #: PAT-024.028A

PATROON ISLAND BRIDGE REHABILITATION PROGRAM

Owner: Port Authority of NY/NJ Project Manager: John Cinguina

Contract #: D262091 Owner: NYSDOT Project Manager: Donal Curley

J

D

ohn Cinguina reports that work is currently being performed on 4 separate Work Orders with another 4 Work Orders in the process of bidding. The total value of the Contract is approximately $148,000,000. Scope of work includes: East and West Utility Trunk Line Relocations, 5KV Ductbank Infrastructure Upgrade, East Garage to Terminal C Pedestrian Walkway, East End Garage Exit Toll Plaza, Interim Reconfiguration of Parking Lot 10E and Development of Ingraham’s Mountain & Bowery Bay Extension, among several others which are currently underway.

onal Curley reports that the Patroon Team has been working days, nights and weekends and have completed all deck panel replacement on the EB Side of the Patroon Bridge. An additional two bridges at the stacked interchange are also near completion. To date, they have installed 479 of 1079 precast panels on the project. An LR1400 Crawler crane (440T) was used on land to free up deck area and to set panels where prior installation methods have called for two 170 T cranes doing tandem picks. A barge has been mobilized to the river and is setting up work platforms in preparation for Structural Steel installation to allow for the jacking of the bridge truss in the coming weeks.

Finally, the painting subcontractor is mobilizing equipment to begin blast and paint operations.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 4

UPDATES RAMP MQ

Contract #: RK-73 Owner: TBTA/MTA Project Manager: Brendan McLaughlin

B

rendan McLaughlin reports that Ramp MQ is almost complete. On August 29th, Halmar completed the milestone of re-opening the entire Ramp MQ to final traffic configuration which triggered the incentive bonus for the project. In September, the crews will complete punch-list items on the new roadway and also continue the remaining work underneath Ramp MQ including re-grading and paving the majority of parking lots for TBTA and NYPD vehicles. Additionally, the TBTA is presently negotiating 2 big change orders with Halmar. One is for Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) on the existing concrete pier caps and the other is for adding over 5,000 LF of fencing on the barrier at various locations on the RFK bridge. Projected completion for Ramp MQ is end of October 2014.

SHAFT 4

Contract #: DEL-359 Owner: NYCDEP Project Manager: Leo Dragone

T

he original contract 8 week shutdown in October 2013 of the Catskill Aqueduct was declined by DEP due to unknown field conditions and design changes. DEP, CM and Halmar worked together to work out of sequence and completed the core drilling for the 48” pipe that would connect the Delaware Aqueduct to the Catskill Aqueduct. The core drilling operation was completed in March 2014 with only a 5 day shutdown (Zero Flow) of the Catskill Aqueduct.

After the Shaft 4 Addition was completed during one of the worst winters, we installed and completed all the 48” pipe inside the existing Shaft 4 Building. The chambers inside the Shaft 4 Addition were filled with water and passed the three day leakage test in August 2014. In September 2014 we made the final connection of the 48” yard pipe to the Catskill Aqueduct within a 5 day partial shutdown (220MGD) of the Catskill Aqueduct.

ALEXANDER HAMILTON BRIDGE REHABILITATION Contract #: D260888 Owner: NYSDOT Project Manager: Jesse Jameson

J

esse Jameson tells us AHB is within a few days of demobilization and completion. Remaining on the project are JCJ, Pete Milano and two laborer crews - completing the punch list and removing office and yard trailers. All final inspections have been performed and punch list work is essentially complete.

The Project Team is now involved with final settlement of approximately $5 million of change order negotiations, while also awaiting $5 million of agreed change order to be processed by the NYS Comptroller’s Office.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 5

A great deal of planning went into fulfilling the long-range vision the NYSDOT had for AHB. This included reconstruction and widening of the two-way, eight-lane main bridge to a ten-lane bridge; replacement of the entire bridge deck including all ramps, and reconstruction and retrofitting of all support piers and foundations.

T

he Alexander Hamilton Bridge (AHB) was planned in the mid-1950s to connect Robert Moses’ proposed Trans-Manhattan and Cross-Bronx Expressways and to accommodate the additional traffic resulting from the addition of the six-lane lower level to the George Washington Bridge. It officially opened in January of 1963. The original bridge design was a set of twin open spandrel steel arches breaching the river with twin double girder approach structures on either end of the main river span and included a set of spiraling ramps to connect to and from the Major Deegan Expressway (completed in 1964) and a viaduct ramp connecting to the Harlem River Drive, both of which are over 100 feet below the level of the Bridge, and provide access to Amsterdam Avenue.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT:

ALEXANDER HAMILTON BRIDGE REHABILITATION

This steel arch structure serves to funnel all traffic that enters upper Manhattan via the George Washington Bridge from New Jersey along the Cross Bronx Expressway to the Bronx and to surrounding points throughout New England.

Carrying eight lanes of traffic with an average daily traffic of approximately 190,000 vehicles, it is a vital hub of transportation with the Interstate 95 corridor traveling directly through it.

Its revitalization was the largest project awarded by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to date at the time of its letting. Construction efforts began in March of 2009 shortly after the award date, commencing with the removal of the median barrier replaced by temporary precast slabs in conjunction with structural steel modifications designed to connect the twin structures monolithically for seismic reasons. This work was performed along the entire length of the structure, approximately 2,375 feet, which facilitated the staged construction and traffic shifts required to maintain traffic without disruption throughout the duration of the project.

Upon completion of the initial stage of work in the median area, the stage was set to move outboard in order to widen the structure which would ultimately result in highway shoulders in both directions to allow for stalled vehicles.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 6

THE AWARDS OF

ALEXANDER HAMILTON

2014 Construction Achievement Project of the Year Award

2013 Excellence in Partnering Award

2013 TOP 10 Bridges

2014 Top Project Merit Award

2014 Bridge Merit Award

THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE...

307,174

Daily traffic in both directions with no major incidents, delays or accidents.

8500 462.5 370

225

8,500 TONS

of permanent, temporary steel and stainless steel-Arminox.

10 MILLION Dollars saved on cost saving engineering and advanced planning.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 7

A great deal of planning went into fulfilling the long-range vision the NYSDOT had for AHB. This included reconstruction and widening of the two-way, eight-lane main bridge to a ten-lane bridge; replacement of the entire bridge deck including all ramps, and reconstruction and retrofitting of all support piers and foundations.

T

he Alexander Hamilton Bridge (AHB) was planned in the mid-1950s to connect Robert Moses’ proposed Trans-Manhattan and Cross-Bronx Expressways and to accommodate the additional traffic resulting from the addition of the six-lane lower level to the George Washington Bridge. It officially opened in January of 1963. The original bridge design was a set of twin open spandrel steel arches breaching the river with twin double girder approach structures on either end of the main river span and included a set of spiraling ramps to connect to and from the Major Deegan Expressway (completed in 1964) and a viaduct ramp connecting to the Harlem River Drive, both of which are over 100 feet below the level of the Bridge, and provide access to Amsterdam Avenue.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT:

ALEXANDER HAMILTON BRIDGE REHABILITATION

This steel arch structure serves to funnel all traffic that enters upper Manhattan via the George Washington Bridge from New Jersey along the Cross Bronx Expressway to the Bronx and to surrounding points throughout New England.

Carrying eight lanes of traffic with an average daily traffic of approximately 190,000 vehicles, it is a vital hub of transportation with the Interstate 95 corridor traveling directly through it.

Its revitalization was the largest project awarded by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to date at the time of its letting. Construction efforts began in March of 2009 shortly after the award date, commencing with the removal of the median barrier replaced by temporary precast slabs in conjunction with structural steel modifications designed to connect the twin structures monolithically for seismic reasons. This work was performed along the entire length of the structure, approximately 2,375 feet, which facilitated the staged construction and traffic shifts required to maintain traffic without disruption throughout the duration of the project.

Upon completion of the initial stage of work in the median area, the stage was set to move outboard in order to widen the structure which would ultimately result in highway shoulders in both directions to allow for stalled vehicles.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 6

THE AWARDS OF

ALEXANDER HAMILTON

2014 Construction Achievement Project of the Year Award

2013 Excellence in Partnering Award

2013 TOP 10 Bridges

2014 Top Project Merit Award

2014 Bridge Merit Award

THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE...

307,174

Daily traffic in both directions with no major incidents, delays or accidents.

8500 462.5 370

225

8,500 TONS

of permanent, temporary steel and stainless steel-Arminox.

10 MILLION Dollars saved on cost saving engineering and advanced planning.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 7

The project, by design, eliminated every other transverse joint in the approach structure’s bridge deck by providing continuity splices in the existing girders over every other pier, changing the structure’s makeup from simply supported to two-span continuous. Corresponding with the change in fixity as a result of the introduction of the continuity splices, all new bearings were installed. Drainage components, overhead sign structure and highway lighting were all removed and newly replaced.

The final stages of construction would move inboard utilizing a gantry crane on rails which allowed work to progress during daytime hours with the major component being the installation of an additional girder to bisect each previous existing twin girder structure resulting in an eight (8) girder bridge when complete on both sides with the new exterior girders, one on the northside and one on the southside, previously installed for widening are added into the equation. These two (2) bisecting girders were denoted as girder trusses in the original design but were changed through a Value Engineering (VE) proposal submitted by CCA/Halmar to replace with simple plate girders; the only catch was that rather than stick build around the existing floorbeams, the existing floorbeams would need to be cut and the proposed plate girder dropped into place which was easily facilitated utilizing the gantry. This VE resulted in approximately a three (3) million dollar savings by reducing steel tonnage significantly with lighter sections, and labor costs associated with piece work was reduced by erecting a large steel section. The work would finish in the median where the work started by removing the temporary precast slabs and remaining existing deck on each side with new concrete cast-in-place deck with stainless steel reinforcement to match the rest of the new construction.

of the temporary ramp sections between Sedgwick Avenue and the Major Deegan Expressway to be supported on Geosynthetic Reinforced Earth System (GRES) walls and abutments. This resulted in opening the site up to large amounts of work early on in the construction process, during the most productive time of the year, the summer, which benefited the project in both time and cost savings; moreover, the perception of the public and the owner was a good one, the contractor was hard at work spread out over the entire project site.

All temporary ramps incorporated GRES walls and/or abutments into the design of each which inherently reduced lateral bracing in addition to lowering overall temporary steel tonnage. Temporary steel towers supplemented GRES walls and were designed in modules ranging from seven (7) to thirty-nine (39) feet in height with 800 kip vertical load capacity. The typical temporary ramp superstructure consisted of a two (2) girder system with floorbeams spaced at seven (7) foot center-to-center and corresponding seven (7) foot wide battledeck section span from floorbeam-to-floorbeam. The riding surface of the battle deck was a ¾ inch thick steel plate. In order to achieve a perfect fit, every temporary structure span was preassembled in the shop and dismantled before shipping stateside, top-ofdeck evaluations were provided at every girder/floor beam intersection and along the curb lines. A high-performance, anti-skid surfacing was applied to the steel riding surface to provide adequate friction for vehicles; the steel surface was prepared and the material applied in-situ after the structure was completely erected as a quality control measure since it was imperative that the surface hold for the life of the project, which it did.

As we’ll see, however, the long list of changes necessary to revamp this behemoth of a bridge required extraordinary measures, 3-D modeling was used in areas identified as potential hot spots to assure proper fit-up in the field and the innovative use of some Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques were incorporated into the work despite the fact that this wasn’t technically an ABC project.

Each ramp, although different in geometry, was designed to maintain homogenous details as much as possible in order to facilitate the design process along with both fabrication and construction. For example, the battledeck design was based upon a single submittal, utilizing boundary conditions and loads from a worst case scenario plugged into a finite element analysis that NYSDOT approved for all temporary structures. Similarly, tower modules were submitted in a single package and approved for all temporary structures, provided forces were proved out in each separate ramp submission to be within the allowable stresses.

THE SCOPE OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT WAS VAST

A

great deal of planning went into fulfilling the long-range vision the NYSDOT had for AHB. This included reconstruction and widening of the two-way, eight-lane main bridge to a tenlane bridge with shoulders; replacement of the entire bridge deck including the main bridge and all ramps, reconstruction and retrofitting of all support piers and the reconstruction of the riverside’s park areas around the bridge. In order to comply with the requirement of maintaining traffic on the crossing and interconnectors for the duration of the multi-year construction schedule, highly complex traffic staging and the erection of four temporary ramps (7A, 3A, 5A, & 6A), to divert heavy traffic were necessary, along with jacking and temporary support of the entire main river bridge and approach structures.

Temporary ramp 7A, located on the northside, was deemed to be in the critical path of construction driven by the contract staging of the main river bridge; temporary ramp 3A was next in line, located on the southside. Both these structures required significant lateral support due to the height of the structures from the ground; temporary ramp 7A primarily utilized tie-downs drilled through the temporary footings and into the strata to resist overturning forces while ramp 3A was able to brace back to the existing column piers. Initially, both structures were designed to use tie-downs but during the construction of ramp 7A, the cost of the drilling operation was more than expected, so the design was revised accordingly to utilize the existing columns to resist the lateral loads.

The joint venture of CCA/Halmar chose to construct a portion HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 8

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 9

The project, by design, eliminated every other transverse joint in the approach structure’s bridge deck by providing continuity splices in the existing girders over every other pier, changing the structure’s makeup from simply supported to two-span continuous. Corresponding with the change in fixity as a result of the introduction of the continuity splices, all new bearings were installed. Drainage components, overhead sign structure and highway lighting were all removed and newly replaced.

The final stages of construction would move inboard utilizing a gantry crane on rails which allowed work to progress during daytime hours with the major component being the installation of an additional girder to bisect each previous existing twin girder structure resulting in an eight (8) girder bridge when complete on both sides with the new exterior girders, one on the northside and one on the southside, previously installed for widening are added into the equation. These two (2) bisecting girders were denoted as girder trusses in the original design but were changed through a Value Engineering (VE) proposal submitted by CCA/Halmar to replace with simple plate girders; the only catch was that rather than stick build around the existing floorbeams, the existing floorbeams would need to be cut and the proposed plate girder dropped into place which was easily facilitated utilizing the gantry. This VE resulted in approximately a three (3) million dollar savings by reducing steel tonnage significantly with lighter sections, and labor costs associated with piece work was reduced by erecting a large steel section. The work would finish in the median where the work started by removing the temporary precast slabs and remaining existing deck on each side with new concrete cast-in-place deck with stainless steel reinforcement to match the rest of the new construction.

of the temporary ramp sections between Sedgwick Avenue and the Major Deegan Expressway to be supported on Geosynthetic Reinforced Earth System (GRES) walls and abutments. This resulted in opening the site up to large amounts of work early on in the construction process, during the most productive time of the year, the summer, which benefited the project in both time and cost savings; moreover, the perception of the public and the owner was a good one, the contractor was hard at work spread out over the entire project site.

All temporary ramps incorporated GRES walls and/or abutments into the design of each which inherently reduced lateral bracing in addition to lowering overall temporary steel tonnage. Temporary steel towers supplemented GRES walls and were designed in modules ranging from seven (7) to thirty-nine (39) feet in height with 800 kip vertical load capacity. The typical temporary ramp superstructure consisted of a two (2) girder system with floorbeams spaced at seven (7) foot center-to-center and corresponding seven (7) foot wide battledeck section span from floorbeam-to-floorbeam. The riding surface of the battle deck was a ¾ inch thick steel plate. In order to achieve a perfect fit, every temporary structure span was preassembled in the shop and dismantled before shipping stateside, top-ofdeck evaluations were provided at every girder/floor beam intersection and along the curb lines. A high-performance, anti-skid surfacing was applied to the steel riding surface to provide adequate friction for vehicles; the steel surface was prepared and the material applied in-situ after the structure was completely erected as a quality control measure since it was imperative that the surface hold for the life of the project, which it did.

As we’ll see, however, the long list of changes necessary to revamp this behemoth of a bridge required extraordinary measures, 3-D modeling was used in areas identified as potential hot spots to assure proper fit-up in the field and the innovative use of some Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques were incorporated into the work despite the fact that this wasn’t technically an ABC project.

Each ramp, although different in geometry, was designed to maintain homogenous details as much as possible in order to facilitate the design process along with both fabrication and construction. For example, the battledeck design was based upon a single submittal, utilizing boundary conditions and loads from a worst case scenario plugged into a finite element analysis that NYSDOT approved for all temporary structures. Similarly, tower modules were submitted in a single package and approved for all temporary structures, provided forces were proved out in each separate ramp submission to be within the allowable stresses.

THE SCOPE OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT WAS VAST

A

great deal of planning went into fulfilling the long-range vision the NYSDOT had for AHB. This included reconstruction and widening of the two-way, eight-lane main bridge to a tenlane bridge with shoulders; replacement of the entire bridge deck including the main bridge and all ramps, reconstruction and retrofitting of all support piers and the reconstruction of the riverside’s park areas around the bridge. In order to comply with the requirement of maintaining traffic on the crossing and interconnectors for the duration of the multi-year construction schedule, highly complex traffic staging and the erection of four temporary ramps (7A, 3A, 5A, & 6A), to divert heavy traffic were necessary, along with jacking and temporary support of the entire main river bridge and approach structures.

Temporary ramp 7A, located on the northside, was deemed to be in the critical path of construction driven by the contract staging of the main river bridge; temporary ramp 3A was next in line, located on the southside. Both these structures required significant lateral support due to the height of the structures from the ground; temporary ramp 7A primarily utilized tie-downs drilled through the temporary footings and into the strata to resist overturning forces while ramp 3A was able to brace back to the existing column piers. Initially, both structures were designed to use tie-downs but during the construction of ramp 7A, the cost of the drilling operation was more than expected, so the design was revised accordingly to utilize the existing columns to resist the lateral loads.

The joint venture of CCA/Halmar chose to construct a portion HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 8

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 9

The AHB required removal and replacement of the entire Ramp TE structure, with exception of several of the lower portions. This made it necessary to erect a horizontal and vertical shield over the interstate before demolition of that portion of the structure.

The original design used a temporary truss system which was replaced by a girder support system designed by the contractor.

The entire demolition scheme was completely redesigned by the contractor at a significant savings in both time and cost.

Innovative techniques were used to demolish the existing Ramp TE structure; the first technique mimicked balanced cantilever construction typically used in segmental bridge construction but in reverse sequence. Rather than using a gantry system to support the segments as they were erected; a strongback system centered over the single columns was used to support the spans while they were demolished in a sequence which maintained a balanced condition.

RAMP TE MERIT AWARD | 2014 PRIZE BRIDGE AWARDS COMPETITION

The engineering marvel that is the steel bridge short or long, vehicular or pedestrian, venerable or brand new showed an array of winning faces. The biennial awards, presented by the National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA), recognize innovative design and engineering achievements on structural steel bridge projects nationwide.

Temporary Ramp 5A was denoted, during the redesign phase, for the entire ramp which crossed over the Major Deegan Expressway and Sedgwick Ave; however, in the original contract drawings, the section over Sedgwick was indicated as Ramp 4A. This ramp was one of the last temporary ramps to be constructed, however, the construction of the ramp had to be accomplished quickly to facilitate redirection of traffic onto the temporary ramp from the existing Ramp D with minimum interruptions. Traffic lanes on I-287 were narrowed during construction to obtain more work areas behind barriers for the construction of the footings and installation of the temporary towers. Since this construction was behind barriers, there were no impacts to traffic. This allowed the temporary towers at Spans 2, 3 and 4 to be installed over a few weekends. Similarly, the fabrication and erection of superstructure elements were completed in a rapid fashion to progress the overall construction on schedule. The transitions at both ends of Ramp 5A, between the temporary ramp and the existing Ramp D roadway were of cast-in-place concrete deck, with stay-in-place forms, designed as such for constructibility.

Temporary Ramp 6A was not in the critical path of construction whatsoever; therefore, this ramp was constructed lastly utilizing components from previously constructed temporary steel. The initial design was based upon reusing components from temporary ramp 7A; however, temporary ramp 7A was required to stay in service longer than anticipated due to deteriorated conditions unexpectedly found during the staged construction at the end floorbeams of the arch span. The redesign utilized towers from ramp TE supports and header beams from the temporary supports of the main river bridge; inverset type panels were used for the superstructure with exception of the 100 foot span

over Sedwick Avenue. A 100-foot-long ACROW bridge was used to breach this span due to excessive deflections in other type of structures looked at, such as, the inverset type panels and prestressed box beams.

The second technique used span-to-span type support similar to that used in segmental bridge construction, except instead of support from the bottom with a truss, strongbacks were launched across the span and the structure was hung from the top to provide stability during demolition. This process continued until the structure reached mid-span on either side of the pier and was duplicated on each adjacent pier, at which time, the gap between the virtual see-saws was filled with concrete and continuity cables were run through the structure from endto-end and post-tensioned.

At the same time as the temporary tower erection, WT12x185 strongbacks were bonded to the deck with 1 1/8” diameter A490 high strength bolts at 16” staggered on center and proof loaded to 80k tension minimum for full development of the shear friction between the concrete of the existing deck and the flange steel of the strongback. Prior to the installation of the stability systems, the asphalt deck overlay was peeled up with an excavator and the outer flanges, or wings, of the existing box girder were hammered from the top side and allowed to drop in protected zones in the park area located directly beneath and around their structure.

Stage I of the reinforced concrete box removal commenced at mid-span between ends of opposing strongback support assemblies. Stage II of the removals required the portion of the strongback over the next cell to be cut and removed prior to the concrete box removal; Stage III is basically a repeat of Stage II until the box section over the column was the only section left to demolish. Stage IV would remove the box section over the pier columns along with the portion of the strongback leftover rendered useless.

The I-95 corridor runs directly under spans 5 & 6 of Ramp TE, which wouldn’t allow a “chop & drop” type demolition operation without protection of the traffic below. In lieu of a complete redesign, a decision was made to maintain the original horizontal shield design but to redesign its support. The original horizontal shield design required a 400PSF design load criteria

Using pre-assembled modules, the substructure and superstructure erection for all temporary ramps were completed rapidly and seamlessly. Significant budget savings were achieved.

The selected method of construction was well-suited for this congested location and very limited laydown/storage areas. All towers and most of the floor beam/battle deck sections were assembled off-site and erected directly from delivery trucks.

This project illustrates the effective use of ABC techniques for the installation and demolition of any bridge structure.

RAMP TE: A PROJECT UNTO ITSELF

T

he Highbridge Interchange is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, just West of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge.

The interchange was designed primarily to route traffic to and from the George Washington Bridge; with the construction of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, the interchange was modified, at which time the high-level viaduct, namely the Highbridge Viaduct, was designated as Ramp TE. The vertical clear distance above the deck of the AHB is 34 feet with an overall length of 660 feet. Its replacement is a steel tub girder consisting of only 5 spans maintaining the same geometric profile and overall length with the work being performed under a full-detoured closure.

Ramp TE was a Hollow Box Girder Viaduct made of reinforced concrete, which was innovative at the time of its construction.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 10

“

This renovation will come a long way in ensuring the safety of all who use the bridge.

New York City Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 11

The AHB required removal and replacement of the entire Ramp TE structure, with exception of several of the lower portions. This made it necessary to erect a horizontal and vertical shield over the interstate before demolition of that portion of the structure.

The original design used a temporary truss system which was replaced by a girder support system designed by the contractor.

The entire demolition scheme was completely redesigned by the contractor at a significant savings in both time and cost.

Innovative techniques were used to demolish the existing Ramp TE structure; the first technique mimicked balanced cantilever construction typically used in segmental bridge construction but in reverse sequence. Rather than using a gantry system to support the segments as they were erected; a strongback system centered over the single columns was used to support the spans while they were demolished in a sequence which maintained a balanced condition.

RAMP TE MERIT AWARD | 2014 PRIZE BRIDGE AWARDS COMPETITION

The engineering marvel that is the steel bridge short or long, vehicular or pedestrian, venerable or brand new showed an array of winning faces. The biennial awards, presented by the National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA), recognize innovative design and engineering achievements on structural steel bridge projects nationwide.

Temporary Ramp 5A was denoted, during the redesign phase, for the entire ramp which crossed over the Major Deegan Expressway and Sedgwick Ave; however, in the original contract drawings, the section over Sedgwick was indicated as Ramp 4A. This ramp was one of the last temporary ramps to be constructed, however, the construction of the ramp had to be accomplished quickly to facilitate redirection of traffic onto the temporary ramp from the existing Ramp D with minimum interruptions. Traffic lanes on I-287 were narrowed during construction to obtain more work areas behind barriers for the construction of the footings and installation of the temporary towers. Since this construction was behind barriers, there were no impacts to traffic. This allowed the temporary towers at Spans 2, 3 and 4 to be installed over a few weekends. Similarly, the fabrication and erection of superstructure elements were completed in a rapid fashion to progress the overall construction on schedule. The transitions at both ends of Ramp 5A, between the temporary ramp and the existing Ramp D roadway were of cast-in-place concrete deck, with stay-in-place forms, designed as such for constructibility.

Temporary Ramp 6A was not in the critical path of construction whatsoever; therefore, this ramp was constructed lastly utilizing components from previously constructed temporary steel. The initial design was based upon reusing components from temporary ramp 7A; however, temporary ramp 7A was required to stay in service longer than anticipated due to deteriorated conditions unexpectedly found during the staged construction at the end floorbeams of the arch span. The redesign utilized towers from ramp TE supports and header beams from the temporary supports of the main river bridge; inverset type panels were used for the superstructure with exception of the 100 foot span

over Sedwick Avenue. A 100-foot-long ACROW bridge was used to breach this span due to excessive deflections in other type of structures looked at, such as, the inverset type panels and prestressed box beams.

The second technique used span-to-span type support similar to that used in segmental bridge construction, except instead of support from the bottom with a truss, strongbacks were launched across the span and the structure was hung from the top to provide stability during demolition. This process continued until the structure reached mid-span on either side of the pier and was duplicated on each adjacent pier, at which time, the gap between the virtual see-saws was filled with concrete and continuity cables were run through the structure from endto-end and post-tensioned.

At the same time as the temporary tower erection, WT12x185 strongbacks were bonded to the deck with 1 1/8” diameter A490 high strength bolts at 16” staggered on center and proof loaded to 80k tension minimum for full development of the shear friction between the concrete of the existing deck and the flange steel of the strongback. Prior to the installation of the stability systems, the asphalt deck overlay was peeled up with an excavator and the outer flanges, or wings, of the existing box girder were hammered from the top side and allowed to drop in protected zones in the park area located directly beneath and around their structure.

Stage I of the reinforced concrete box removal commenced at mid-span between ends of opposing strongback support assemblies. Stage II of the removals required the portion of the strongback over the next cell to be cut and removed prior to the concrete box removal; Stage III is basically a repeat of Stage II until the box section over the column was the only section left to demolish. Stage IV would remove the box section over the pier columns along with the portion of the strongback leftover rendered useless.

The I-95 corridor runs directly under spans 5 & 6 of Ramp TE, which wouldn’t allow a “chop & drop” type demolition operation without protection of the traffic below. In lieu of a complete redesign, a decision was made to maintain the original horizontal shield design but to redesign its support. The original horizontal shield design required a 400PSF design load criteria

Using pre-assembled modules, the substructure and superstructure erection for all temporary ramps were completed rapidly and seamlessly. Significant budget savings were achieved.

The selected method of construction was well-suited for this congested location and very limited laydown/storage areas. All towers and most of the floor beam/battle deck sections were assembled off-site and erected directly from delivery trucks.

This project illustrates the effective use of ABC techniques for the installation and demolition of any bridge structure.

RAMP TE: A PROJECT UNTO ITSELF

T

he Highbridge Interchange is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, just West of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge.

The interchange was designed primarily to route traffic to and from the George Washington Bridge; with the construction of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, the interchange was modified, at which time the high-level viaduct, namely the Highbridge Viaduct, was designated as Ramp TE. The vertical clear distance above the deck of the AHB is 34 feet with an overall length of 660 feet. Its replacement is a steel tub girder consisting of only 5 spans maintaining the same geometric profile and overall length with the work being performed under a full-detoured closure.

Ramp TE was a Hollow Box Girder Viaduct made of reinforced concrete, which was innovative at the time of its construction.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 10

“

This renovation will come a long way in ensuring the safety of all who use the bridge.

New York City Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 11

PROJECT TEAM Sean Burke | Project Manager Jesse Jameson | John O’Connor | Project Manager Donal Curley | Temp. Ramps Project Manager Pete Milano | General Superintendent Paul Fehringer | Surveyor Martino Restelli Matt Vanagas Phil Landry | Structural Steel Superintendent Dawn Bottone Tom Catherall Nick Hanson Nick Vanier | Scheduler Stefano Pappalardo |Safety Manager Gus Urrea Rob Joyce Bill Gonzalez Al Placito | Field Engineer Gabe Ebanks | Field Engineer Bridget Logozzo | Executive Assistant Keri Ballassone | Office Manager Lee Trogisch Gary Dinmore | Lead Engineer

to account for demolition debris on top of the shield; a temporary truss support system was part of the original design scheme which could span completely over I-95, both northbound and southbound lanes. In order to save money on the support system but not chance a delay in the schedule, the support system for the horizontal shield was redesigned using double built-up plate girders to support the demolition loads as a two-span continuous; however, the support system was also analyzed as a single span based upon erection loads which were 62% less than the demolition loads, assuming the middle support towers that projected through the median area of the I-95 corridor on either side of the critical pier were removed and the pier itself was removed, and found to be sufficient for both load conditions based upon the respective boundary conditions.

Most of span 4, up to the full-depth expansion joint, was demolished by conventional chop and drop demolition during Span 5 & 6 demolition operations with exception of a single cell. The full depth expansion joint provided a clean break in demolition operations similar to that on the north side of I-95. Spans 2 and 3 were built on top of the roof of a vaulted structure, an extension of the viaduct from the original interchange, while Span 1 ran over a steep embankment that dropped down from the stub abutment to the west to the base of the exterior wall of the vault.

For Spans 7-10, a set of strongbacks, that were designed and previously used to jack load into new pile systems on the mainline existing foundations, was used to hang the existing reinforced concrete hollow box sections from span to span. The trick was not so much how to take down the structure once supported, but rather the sequencing of moving the strongbacks from span to span since the weight of the strongback coupled with the inaccessible location over the high vault made it unfeasible to use a land-based crane for erection.

The general concept for demolition originated from balanced cantilever construction used for post-tensioned segmental box girder bridges but in reverse sequence. Typical balance cantilever construction starts with a single box girder erected on top of a pier location in a conventional manner; additional segments are attached to the main box or table top segment by means of post-tensioned tendons or cables which run through ducts or conduits interior or exterior to the box.

The innovative techniques ultimately saved time and money for both the contractor and the owner; however, it took communication and cooperation from a number of parties to allow this out-of-the-box type thinking to come to fruition. The suggested erection of the steel tub girder per the original design documents required the entire length of the existing structure to be shored and the new steel tub girder sections to be rolled in from opposite ends; this was revised to more conventional methods by using a land crane to pick and place pieces in order to facilitate the non-conventional methods used for demolition for the cost savings to be realized in the end.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 12

Similar to the temporary structures to avoid fit-up issues in the field, extensive geometry control was instituted at the fabricators shop with four (4) pieces preassembled at a time followed by survey and one (1) piece dismantled and subsequently shipped for erection in the field and another piece assembled to the three (3) preassembled remaining pieces and the process repeated to assure fit-up and camber were within acceptable tolerances before any piece got to the hook. As a result of the aforementioned quality control/assurance measures, no issues were encountered in the field.

HOW DID WE SUPPORT A COLOSSAL PROJECT? SUPPORT JACKING

A

n integrated jacking and shoring support system was developed to not only act as temporary support for jacking the existing girders but to also act as the shoring for the pier cap concrete. This new system includes three integrated parts: the vertical steel pipes, the horizontal self-balanced tie-rods collar system, and the tie-rod suspended platform. The steel pipes functioned as the supports to the platform and the temporary bearings. The self-balanced tie rods collar system was used to provide stability to the 92 feet high support steel pipe to avoid the use of massive shoring towers. In addition, the tie-rod suspended platform is developed not only to support the pier cap pouring but also to provide the added lateral stability to the support pipes.

In order to accomplish contract construction work while maintaining the flow of traffic, instead of using the traditional massive shoring towers, an integrated jacking and shoring support system was developed to not only act as temporary support for jacking but also act as the shoring for support of the pier cap concrete pours. This new system includes three integrated parts: the vertical steel pipes, the horizontal self-balanced tierods collar system, and the tie-rod suspended platform girders.

The pier shoring system is composed of two horizontal steel support girders travelling transversely near the top of the piers.

These girders support the combination work platform/formwork/shield. The pipe columns were located under the existing bridge girders at an offset from the existing bearings of approximately 5 feet. During the lifting operations, the existing girders were lifted using locknut jacks located on the pipe column top plate; thus ensuring the bridge dead and live loads, as well as the work platform/formwork/shield loads, would be transferred through the pipes to the existing footings.

“

I know my constituents greatly appreciate the investment of time and resources that has been made to ensure that the Alexander Hamilton Bridge is now safer NYC Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson

The commercial software used for analysis of the shoring system was SAP2000. Modified load cases and combinations stipulated in the specifications were analyzed. The structural analysis results ensured that the shoring system had sufficient structural integrity, strength and stability. After analysis, the process was quickly underway. First, the jacking system was used to lift the deck steel girder and transfer the superstructure

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 13

PROJECT TEAM Sean Burke | Project Manager Jesse Jameson | John O’Connor | Project Manager Donal Curley | Temp. Ramps Project Manager Pete Milano | General Superintendent Paul Fehringer | Surveyor Martino Restelli Matt Vanagas Phil Landry | Structural Steel Superintendent Dawn Bottone Tom Catherall Nick Hanson Nick Vanier | Scheduler Stefano Pappalardo |Safety Manager Gus Urrea Rob Joyce Bill Gonzalez Al Placito | Field Engineer Gabe Ebanks | Field Engineer Bridget Logozzo | Executive Assistant Keri Ballassone | Office Manager Lee Trogisch Gary Dinmore | Lead Engineer

to account for demolition debris on top of the shield; a temporary truss support system was part of the original design scheme which could span completely over I-95, both northbound and southbound lanes. In order to save money on the support system but not chance a delay in the schedule, the support system for the horizontal shield was redesigned using double built-up plate girders to support the demolition loads as a two-span continuous; however, the support system was also analyzed as a single span based upon erection loads which were 62% less than the demolition loads, assuming the middle support towers that projected through the median area of the I-95 corridor on either side of the critical pier were removed and the pier itself was removed, and found to be sufficient for both load conditions based upon the respective boundary conditions.

Most of span 4, up to the full-depth expansion joint, was demolished by conventional chop and drop demolition during Span 5 & 6 demolition operations with exception of a single cell. The full depth expansion joint provided a clean break in demolition operations similar to that on the north side of I-95. Spans 2 and 3 were built on top of the roof of a vaulted structure, an extension of the viaduct from the original interchange, while Span 1 ran over a steep embankment that dropped down from the stub abutment to the west to the base of the exterior wall of the vault.

For Spans 7-10, a set of strongbacks, that were designed and previously used to jack load into new pile systems on the mainline existing foundations, was used to hang the existing reinforced concrete hollow box sections from span to span. The trick was not so much how to take down the structure once supported, but rather the sequencing of moving the strongbacks from span to span since the weight of the strongback coupled with the inaccessible location over the high vault made it unfeasible to use a land-based crane for erection.

The general concept for demolition originated from balanced cantilever construction used for post-tensioned segmental box girder bridges but in reverse sequence. Typical balance cantilever construction starts with a single box girder erected on top of a pier location in a conventional manner; additional segments are attached to the main box or table top segment by means of post-tensioned tendons or cables which run through ducts or conduits interior or exterior to the box.

The innovative techniques ultimately saved time and money for both the contractor and the owner; however, it took communication and cooperation from a number of parties to allow this out-of-the-box type thinking to come to fruition. The suggested erection of the steel tub girder per the original design documents required the entire length of the existing structure to be shored and the new steel tub girder sections to be rolled in from opposite ends; this was revised to more conventional methods by using a land crane to pick and place pieces in order to facilitate the non-conventional methods used for demolition for the cost savings to be realized in the end.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 12

Similar to the temporary structures to avoid fit-up issues in the field, extensive geometry control was instituted at the fabricators shop with four (4) pieces preassembled at a time followed by survey and one (1) piece dismantled and subsequently shipped for erection in the field and another piece assembled to the three (3) preassembled remaining pieces and the process repeated to assure fit-up and camber were within acceptable tolerances before any piece got to the hook. As a result of the aforementioned quality control/assurance measures, no issues were encountered in the field.

HOW DID WE SUPPORT A COLOSSAL PROJECT? SUPPORT JACKING

A

n integrated jacking and shoring support system was developed to not only act as temporary support for jacking the existing girders but to also act as the shoring for the pier cap concrete. This new system includes three integrated parts: the vertical steel pipes, the horizontal self-balanced tie-rods collar system, and the tie-rod suspended platform. The steel pipes functioned as the supports to the platform and the temporary bearings. The self-balanced tie rods collar system was used to provide stability to the 92 feet high support steel pipe to avoid the use of massive shoring towers. In addition, the tie-rod suspended platform is developed not only to support the pier cap pouring but also to provide the added lateral stability to the support pipes.

In order to accomplish contract construction work while maintaining the flow of traffic, instead of using the traditional massive shoring towers, an integrated jacking and shoring support system was developed to not only act as temporary support for jacking but also act as the shoring for support of the pier cap concrete pours. This new system includes three integrated parts: the vertical steel pipes, the horizontal self-balanced tierods collar system, and the tie-rod suspended platform girders.

The pier shoring system is composed of two horizontal steel support girders travelling transversely near the top of the piers.

These girders support the combination work platform/formwork/shield. The pipe columns were located under the existing bridge girders at an offset from the existing bearings of approximately 5 feet. During the lifting operations, the existing girders were lifted using locknut jacks located on the pipe column top plate; thus ensuring the bridge dead and live loads, as well as the work platform/formwork/shield loads, would be transferred through the pipes to the existing footings.

“

I know my constituents greatly appreciate the investment of time and resources that has been made to ensure that the Alexander Hamilton Bridge is now safer NYC Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson

The commercial software used for analysis of the shoring system was SAP2000. Modified load cases and combinations stipulated in the specifications were analyzed. The structural analysis results ensured that the shoring system had sufficient structural integrity, strength and stability. After analysis, the process was quickly underway. First, the jacking system was used to lift the deck steel girder and transfer the superstructure

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 13

loads from the existing bearings to the temporary supports.

Second, while maintaining traffic flow, the existing pier cap was widened and strengthened by using the shoring system as the platform to pour the concrete for the pier cap. The originally simply supported girders were also spliced together to become the continuous girder. Finally, the girders were lifted again by using the jacking system and the temporary supports replaced by the new permanent bearings. This integrated jacking and shoring support system has been successfully conducted in the field with significant construction cost savings for the AHB project and can be used for other similar bridge construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation projects in the future.

load on live load and the wind loads to the bridge structure. It’s clear that the tie-roads collar system was needed to provide the lateral bracing to the slender steel columns for structural stability. The constraints in the longitudinal and transverse direction will reduce the effective length of the steel pipe column and in turn will increase the steel pipe column axial load capacity due to the Euler effect.

For the structural lifting operations, the ENRPAC CLL-6006 lock nut cylinder jacking system was selected and provided the balanced structural stability. In addition, the platform support beam was rigidly connected to the steel pipe columns above and below by means of the through bolts. The through bolts will rigidly tie the upper and lower pipe column base plates and the support beam together, the stiffener plates between the top and bottom flanges of the support beam act as the short column to transfer the axial force. The structural lifting operation includes three major steps. First step is the pre-loading of the jack to make sure all lifting equipment was correctly connected and functioning well. Second step is to use the jack to weight the force transferred from the superstructure through the cylinders to the substructure at the supports. The third step was to slowly and accurately lift the girder to the desired final position.

This system not only acted as the temporary support for jacking existing girders and switching out bearings, but also acted as the shoring for the pier cap concrete pours. The suspended platform system provided the supporting structure for the pier cap concrete pouring and the added stability to the overall jacking structure. Since the jacking and shoring system is supported by the existing footing, a temporary footing system design as well as its corresponding construction cost and construction time were saved. All these tasks were successfully done while the traffic was maintained. Because of the integrated and effective design, the goal to reduce the construction cost and the construction time has also been successfully reached.

This system includes the steel pipe columns which take all the vertical loads coming from the superstructure; the self-balanced tie rod collar system between the existing pier columns provide the lateral stability; and the tie rod supported platform which will not only be used for the concrete pouring of the cap beam but also will provide additional lateral bracing to the whole system. The self-balanced tie-rods collar system is used to provide lateral stability to the slender steel support columns. Although the steel columns used for this project were relatively large in section, 30” (762mm) to 36” (914mm) outside diameter with column pipe wall thickness of 7/8” (22mm), the steel columns were still too slender to handle the jacking loads, which in some cases exceeded 700 kips, considering the unsupported length of the column would have been as much as 92 feet without bracing; therefore, the lateral bracing was necessary in order to provide the stability to the support columns to prevent backing.

Each steel support column was supported directly on the existing concrete pier footing through the base plate via a leveling plate and anchor bolt assembly. The assembly was installed before the pipe column for ease of erection and to prevent the base of the column from being accidently displaced; once properly positioned, the column base was welded to the leveling plate. After the erection of the steel column, the washer and the first nut will be installed. The first nut will be purposely backed off one turn before the installation of the second lock nut. Since the base of the steel pipe column is designed as pinned support, the moment capacity is not required. Therefore, this connection is set to be a hinged connection in the structural modeling.

BEYOND THE BRIDGE The Alexander Hamilton Bridge is, needless to say, an extremely impressive exercise in engineering and construction and we’ve already begun to see the fruits of our team’s labor. This has come in the form of numerous awards, including: the Top 10 Bridges in “Roads and Bridges” Magazine, the AGC NYS Partnering Award, the ASCE Construction Achievement Award and the Bridge Merit Award for ENR’s Top Regional Projects. We at Halmar are incredibly proud of all the hard work and ingenuity that went into the rehabilitation of this time-honored bridge, and are glad to do our part in maintaining a legacy of helping motorists reach their destinations quickly and safely.

The steel pipe columns take all the loads transferred through the jacks from the bridge superstructure during the jacking of the main girders, the replacement of the existing bearings, and the reconstruction and strengthening of the existing concrete cap beams. These external forces include all the superstructure dead load, the live load, impact, longitudinal force, the wind

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 14

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 15

loads from the existing bearings to the temporary supports.

Second, while maintaining traffic flow, the existing pier cap was widened and strengthened by using the shoring system as the platform to pour the concrete for the pier cap. The originally simply supported girders were also spliced together to become the continuous girder. Finally, the girders were lifted again by using the jacking system and the temporary supports replaced by the new permanent bearings. This integrated jacking and shoring support system has been successfully conducted in the field with significant construction cost savings for the AHB project and can be used for other similar bridge construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation projects in the future.

load on live load and the wind loads to the bridge structure. It’s clear that the tie-roads collar system was needed to provide the lateral bracing to the slender steel columns for structural stability. The constraints in the longitudinal and transverse direction will reduce the effective length of the steel pipe column and in turn will increase the steel pipe column axial load capacity due to the Euler effect.

For the structural lifting operations, the ENRPAC CLL-6006 lock nut cylinder jacking system was selected and provided the balanced structural stability. In addition, the platform support beam was rigidly connected to the steel pipe columns above and below by means of the through bolts. The through bolts will rigidly tie the upper and lower pipe column base plates and the support beam together, the stiffener plates between the top and bottom flanges of the support beam act as the short column to transfer the axial force. The structural lifting operation includes three major steps. First step is the pre-loading of the jack to make sure all lifting equipment was correctly connected and functioning well. Second step is to use the jack to weight the force transferred from the superstructure through the cylinders to the substructure at the supports. The third step was to slowly and accurately lift the girder to the desired final position.

This system not only acted as the temporary support for jacking existing girders and switching out bearings, but also acted as the shoring for the pier cap concrete pours. The suspended platform system provided the supporting structure for the pier cap concrete pouring and the added stability to the overall jacking structure. Since the jacking and shoring system is supported by the existing footing, a temporary footing system design as well as its corresponding construction cost and construction time were saved. All these tasks were successfully done while the traffic was maintained. Because of the integrated and effective design, the goal to reduce the construction cost and the construction time has also been successfully reached.

This system includes the steel pipe columns which take all the vertical loads coming from the superstructure; the self-balanced tie rod collar system between the existing pier columns provide the lateral stability; and the tie rod supported platform which will not only be used for the concrete pouring of the cap beam but also will provide additional lateral bracing to the whole system. The self-balanced tie-rods collar system is used to provide lateral stability to the slender steel support columns. Although the steel columns used for this project were relatively large in section, 30” (762mm) to 36” (914mm) outside diameter with column pipe wall thickness of 7/8” (22mm), the steel columns were still too slender to handle the jacking loads, which in some cases exceeded 700 kips, considering the unsupported length of the column would have been as much as 92 feet without bracing; therefore, the lateral bracing was necessary in order to provide the stability to the support columns to prevent backing.

Each steel support column was supported directly on the existing concrete pier footing through the base plate via a leveling plate and anchor bolt assembly. The assembly was installed before the pipe column for ease of erection and to prevent the base of the column from being accidently displaced; once properly positioned, the column base was welded to the leveling plate. After the erection of the steel column, the washer and the first nut will be installed. The first nut will be purposely backed off one turn before the installation of the second lock nut. Since the base of the steel pipe column is designed as pinned support, the moment capacity is not required. Therefore, this connection is set to be a hinged connection in the structural modeling.

BEYOND THE BRIDGE The Alexander Hamilton Bridge is, needless to say, an extremely impressive exercise in engineering and construction and we’ve already begun to see the fruits of our team’s labor. This has come in the form of numerous awards, including: the Top 10 Bridges in “Roads and Bridges” Magazine, the AGC NYS Partnering Award, the ASCE Construction Achievement Award and the Bridge Merit Award for ENR’s Top Regional Projects. We at Halmar are incredibly proud of all the hard work and ingenuity that went into the rehabilitation of this time-honored bridge, and are glad to do our part in maintaining a legacy of helping motorists reach their destinations quickly and safely.

The steel pipe columns take all the loads transferred through the jacks from the bridge superstructure during the jacking of the main girders, the replacement of the existing bearings, and the reconstruction and strengthening of the existing concrete cap beams. These external forces include all the superstructure dead load, the live load, impact, longitudinal force, the wind

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 14

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 15

FABRICATION OF TEMPORARY STRUCTURES IN CHINA:

All temporary steel for the AHB project was fabricated in China; this would prove to be a very difficult task but well worth the challenge monetarily speaking. Labor cost in China is a fraction of that in the states and China has virtually no wasted materials due to their process; in general, fabrication in China is approximately half the cost of fabrication in the United States of America.

The plate steel inventory in a typical Chinese fabrication shop is so vast that it requires acres upon acres of lay down area covered by gantry cranes to handle efficiently. However, most of the stock plate is not in accordance with ASTM standards as required by the contract; therefore, tracking the material required for AHB was of utmost importance to assure the material used from the start was up to the contract standards. Many components of the temporary structures required fracture critical material, ‘F’ type, but China only stockpiles ‘T’ type material; therefore, it was necessary to perform additional tests on plate at the mill before shipping to the fabrication plate. Once plate was delivered to the plant, it was necessary to put a hold on the plate for inspection before it was deemed acceptable to put into fabrication.

In addition to inventory & geometry controls, the quality assurance plan included hold points on plate, mill-to-bear, camber, deck flatness, and visual weld inspections; all of which were tracked by means of a traveler for every piece that required signoffs by both the fabricator’s quality personnel and CCA/Halmar inspectors before moving on to the next step of the fabrication process. Also, non-destructive testing (NDT) was performed in accordance with New York State Steel Construction Manual (NYSSCM) and AWS D1.1 Welding Code on all partial and full penetration weldments. NDT included ultrasonic testing (UT), xrays (RT), dye penetrant (DT) and magnetic particle (MT).

H

almar was very precise in its application of innovative quality control and assurance measures. Upon inspection of the Chinese fabricated steel, the quality control team utilized wet magnetic particle testing and dye penetrant testing to ensure the steel’s quality was up to industry standards. The steel subsequently underwent ultrasonic testing and radiograph film interpretation, during which quality assurance was measured in a plethora of different methods, each one designed to detect any potential internal flaws in the steel. Some of the methods used included: plate inspection, mill to bear inspection, camber inspection, geometry control, and visual weld inspection.

Additional hold points were established by CCA/Halmar over the course of this project on an as-needed basis as the learning curve diminished; CCA/Halmar needed to hire additional certified welding inspectors (CWI) as production increased to assure quality control as it was clear early on that fabrication in China was production driven, not quality driven. In the beginning, four (4) different fabrication plants in China were working on AHB at one time but this would prove too hard to manage to maintain the quality required by the contract; therefore, the fabrication was condensed down to a single plant and eventually condensed down even further to a couple shops within the plant as a quality control measure.

The Weather Channel original series, “Iron Men” spanned two seasons and followed a team of iron workers, from Local 40 and Local 361, as they carried out construction efforts on the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, the World Trade Center and the Barclays Center.

Throughout the documentation of their efforts, viewers were presented with an insider look at the numerous hazards facing members of the construction industry as they toil each day at various on-site locations.

The program’s format followed several crews each episode, alternating between the distinct job sites. The rehabilitation of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge was featured in several episodes, most notably, “The Heat Is On,” where Signalman Jimmy Robbins and his crew must work through the night to set up two enormous steel pieces in a 24-hour time frame all while contending with irate New York City motorists, “Blame it on the Rain,” where tempers flare as the crew must replace a rusty steel beam with a 52-ton steel assembly during a thunderstorm and “Graduation Day,” which sees the crew rushing to build a new Gantry Crane.

At the heart of the show was one underlying principle, the bond that formed between ironworkers, who continually faced the elements, time limits, traffic clusters and temperamental crowds together was as strong as some of the edifices they helped to construct. An unbreakable bond, fastened by a united desire to connect the world with their creations.

The most important and daunting quality control measure was the requirement CCA/Halmar imposed on the Chinese fabricator, namely ZPMC, that all structures required complete shop assembly before acceptance would be given. Upon final acceptance, structures would be disassembled and placed in forty (40) foot open top containers and shipped stateside to the Port of Newark. Additional measures were necessary to assure the fabrication and delivery was coordinated properly with the construction schedule back in the States; in addition to the various controls put in place, scheduling meetings between the fabricator and CCA/Halmar became a daily event.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 16

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 17

FABRICATION OF TEMPORARY STRUCTURES IN CHINA:

All temporary steel for the AHB project was fabricated in China; this would prove to be a very difficult task but well worth the challenge monetarily speaking. Labor cost in China is a fraction of that in the states and China has virtually no wasted materials due to their process; in general, fabrication in China is approximately half the cost of fabrication in the United States of America.

The plate steel inventory in a typical Chinese fabrication shop is so vast that it requires acres upon acres of lay down area covered by gantry cranes to handle efficiently. However, most of the stock plate is not in accordance with ASTM standards as required by the contract; therefore, tracking the material required for AHB was of utmost importance to assure the material used from the start was up to the contract standards. Many components of the temporary structures required fracture critical material, ‘F’ type, but China only stockpiles ‘T’ type material; therefore, it was necessary to perform additional tests on plate at the mill before shipping to the fabrication plate. Once plate was delivered to the plant, it was necessary to put a hold on the plate for inspection before it was deemed acceptable to put into fabrication.

In addition to inventory & geometry controls, the quality assurance plan included hold points on plate, mill-to-bear, camber, deck flatness, and visual weld inspections; all of which were tracked by means of a traveler for every piece that required signoffs by both the fabricator’s quality personnel and CCA/Halmar inspectors before moving on to the next step of the fabrication process. Also, non-destructive testing (NDT) was performed in accordance with New York State Steel Construction Manual (NYSSCM) and AWS D1.1 Welding Code on all partial and full penetration weldments. NDT included ultrasonic testing (UT), xrays (RT), dye penetrant (DT) and magnetic particle (MT).

H

almar was very precise in its application of innovative quality control and assurance measures. Upon inspection of the Chinese fabricated steel, the quality control team utilized wet magnetic particle testing and dye penetrant testing to ensure the steel’s quality was up to industry standards. The steel subsequently underwent ultrasonic testing and radiograph film interpretation, during which quality assurance was measured in a plethora of different methods, each one designed to detect any potential internal flaws in the steel. Some of the methods used included: plate inspection, mill to bear inspection, camber inspection, geometry control, and visual weld inspection.

Additional hold points were established by CCA/Halmar over the course of this project on an as-needed basis as the learning curve diminished; CCA/Halmar needed to hire additional certified welding inspectors (CWI) as production increased to assure quality control as it was clear early on that fabrication in China was production driven, not quality driven. In the beginning, four (4) different fabrication plants in China were working on AHB at one time but this would prove too hard to manage to maintain the quality required by the contract; therefore, the fabrication was condensed down to a single plant and eventually condensed down even further to a couple shops within the plant as a quality control measure.

The Weather Channel original series, “Iron Men” spanned two seasons and followed a team of iron workers, from Local 40 and Local 361, as they carried out construction efforts on the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, the World Trade Center and the Barclays Center.

Throughout the documentation of their efforts, viewers were presented with an insider look at the numerous hazards facing members of the construction industry as they toil each day at various on-site locations.

The program’s format followed several crews each episode, alternating between the distinct job sites. The rehabilitation of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge was featured in several episodes, most notably, “The Heat Is On,” where Signalman Jimmy Robbins and his crew must work through the night to set up two enormous steel pieces in a 24-hour time frame all while contending with irate New York City motorists, “Blame it on the Rain,” where tempers flare as the crew must replace a rusty steel beam with a 52-ton steel assembly during a thunderstorm and “Graduation Day,” which sees the crew rushing to build a new Gantry Crane.

At the heart of the show was one underlying principle, the bond that formed between ironworkers, who continually faced the elements, time limits, traffic clusters and temperamental crowds together was as strong as some of the edifices they helped to construct. An unbreakable bond, fastened by a united desire to connect the world with their creations.

The most important and daunting quality control measure was the requirement CCA/Halmar imposed on the Chinese fabricator, namely ZPMC, that all structures required complete shop assembly before acceptance would be given. Upon final acceptance, structures would be disassembled and placed in forty (40) foot open top containers and shipped stateside to the Port of Newark. Additional measures were necessary to assure the fabrication and delivery was coordinated properly with the construction schedule back in the States; in addition to the various controls put in place, scheduling meetings between the fabricator and CCA/Halmar became a daily event.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 16

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 17

A BIRD’S EYE VIEW ON THE SCOPE OF WORK Total demolition and replacement of Ramp TE took place under live traffic conditions, utilizing massive amounts of shielding and balancing cantilever construction in reverse sequence along with strongback systems centered over the single columns.

The approach was connected, joining the two roadways into a single road that widened it by 22 feet. This also helped alleviate the ADT of 189,598 (in 2008).

Redesign of “as-planned” temporary structure, per plan use of “off the shelf” temporary bridge elements. Redesigned with custom towers, headers, girders and steel decking.

660’

135’ The entire deck was built with stainless steel

As the work area was too tight to fit a traditional gantry crane with rubber tires, steel wheels were used along with a rail system.

This lowered the risk of error while also allowing larger, heavier girder picks.

Ramp TE over Cross Bronx Expressway required temp support during demolition of existing bridge and temp support of new “tub” girders. One temporary support was designed to accomplish both requirements.

2 IDEAS SAVE A SOLID $3 MILLION

I

t’s amazing how two simple replacements could save such a vast amount of money, but that’s exactly what happened thanks to our very own Gary Dinmore.

He suggested replacing the truss girders with plate girders and eliminating the existing lower lateral bracing on the bridge. Material cost of approximately $3 million was saved and the suggestions made by Dinmore turned out to be improvements, with the introduction of the Value Engineering plate girder offering several advantages over the originally proposed truss girder.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 18

HalmarInternational.com HalmarInternational.comHIWAY HIWAY| | 19

A BIRD’S EYE VIEW ON THE SCOPE OF WORK Total demolition and replacement of Ramp TE took place under live traffic conditions, utilizing massive amounts of shielding and balancing cantilever construction in reverse sequence along with strongback systems centered over the single columns.

The approach was connected, joining the two roadways into a single road that widened it by 22 feet. This also helped alleviate the ADT of 189,598 (in 2008).

Redesign of “as-planned” temporary structure, per plan use of “off the shelf” temporary bridge elements. Redesigned with custom towers, headers, girders and steel decking.

660’

135’ The entire deck was built with stainless steel

As the work area was too tight to fit a traditional gantry crane with rubber tires, steel wheels were used along with a rail system.

This lowered the risk of error while also allowing larger, heavier girder picks.

Ramp TE over Cross Bronx Expressway required temp support during demolition of existing bridge and temp support of new “tub” girders. One temporary support was designed to accomplish both requirements.

2 IDEAS SAVE A SOLID $3 MILLION

I

t’s amazing how two simple replacements could save such a vast amount of money, but that’s exactly what happened thanks to our very own Gary Dinmore.

He suggested replacing the truss girders with plate girders and eliminating the existing lower lateral bracing on the bridge. Material cost of approximately $3 million was saved and the suggestions made by Dinmore turned out to be improvements, with the introduction of the Value Engineering plate girder offering several advantages over the originally proposed truss girder.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 18

HalmarInternational.com HalmarInternational.comHIWAY HIWAY| | 19

PATROON ISLAND BRIDGE Halmar was chosen for the Patroon project using the “Best Value” procurement method. As part of the best value process, a bid package is evaluated both for cost and a set of value criteria, such as impact to the traveling public, speed of construction, and a contractor’s ability to perform the work. Our ability to perform both on time and within budget is unparalleled and Patroon stands as a testament to that.

P

atroon Island Bridge represents more than a modern-day engineering triumph, it’s also symbolic of the technical foundation established by the I-287 Cross Westchester Expressway project coming full circle. Those first, nascent elements of Advanced Bridge Construction have evolved throughout years of fine-tuning and implementation on a plethora of projects.

Now they’ve been applied in their most refined form yet and have dramatically impacted the efficiency and expediency with which this project was performed. Additionally, elements of past projects can be seen in the layout of the bridge, most notably, the stack which has been compared to a miniature version of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge.

An average of 70,000 people travel over the Patroon Island Bridge every day. The bridge, which crosses over the Hudson River between New York’s Albany and Rensselaer counties, is a heavily-used commuter route that carries Interstate 90.

It also is an important connection to Interstate 787 and two other connections via the 6A interchange bridges crisscrossing beneath the Patroon Island Bridge.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says keeping the “bridge and interchange safe and in a state of good repair for those who rely on it every day” is vital to the community. Last year, the state contracted Halmar International and A. Servidone-B. Anthony Construction Corp. as the joint-venture contractors responsible

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 20

for rehabilitating the Patroon Island Bridge and its associated interchanges.

The project involves rehabilitation of the 1,700 linear feet girder and truss span bridge. Halmar/A Servidone-B. Anthony have also been tasked with completing the rehabilitation of six bridges at the intersection of I-90 interchange and I-787 where there are three levels stacked on top of each other, with two bridges on each level. The construction team will build temporary support structures in order to demolish existing structural columns and construct new ones. They will also replace all of the existing bearings on the project totaling more than 400.

The construction team will remove the existing concrete decks

and replace them with new lightweight precast concrete panels. A total of 1,079 precast panels will be used for this project.

Not only is the joint-venture team tasked with keeping traffic flowing smoothly, they must also perform structural lifting operations for bearing replacements at all locations, on both the interchange structures and the main river bridge, with the most challenging location on two piers that are in the Hudson River.

For this, the joint-venture team designed a heavy structural lifting frame that will be floated out by barge and assembled in place. They will then jack up the existing bridge and replace the existing bearings with multi-rotational bearings with a 2,700 kip capacity. In addition, the construction team will perform more than 450,000 pounds of steel repairs, complete sand blasting

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 21

PATROON ISLAND BRIDGE Halmar was chosen for the Patroon project using the “Best Value” procurement method. As part of the best value process, a bid package is evaluated both for cost and a set of value criteria, such as impact to the traveling public, speed of construction, and a contractor’s ability to perform the work. Our ability to perform both on time and within budget is unparalleled and Patroon stands as a testament to that.

P

atroon Island Bridge represents more than a modern-day engineering triumph, it’s also symbolic of the technical foundation established by the I-287 Cross Westchester Expressway project coming full circle. Those first, nascent elements of Advanced Bridge Construction have evolved throughout years of fine-tuning and implementation on a plethora of projects.

Now they’ve been applied in their most refined form yet and have dramatically impacted the efficiency and expediency with which this project was performed. Additionally, elements of past projects can be seen in the layout of the bridge, most notably, the stack which has been compared to a miniature version of the Alexander Hamilton Bridge.

An average of 70,000 people travel over the Patroon Island Bridge every day. The bridge, which crosses over the Hudson River between New York’s Albany and Rensselaer counties, is a heavily-used commuter route that carries Interstate 90.

It also is an important connection to Interstate 787 and two other connections via the 6A interchange bridges crisscrossing beneath the Patroon Island Bridge.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says keeping the “bridge and interchange safe and in a state of good repair for those who rely on it every day” is vital to the community. Last year, the state contracted Halmar International and A. Servidone-B. Anthony Construction Corp. as the joint-venture contractors responsible

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 20

for rehabilitating the Patroon Island Bridge and its associated interchanges.

The project involves rehabilitation of the 1,700 linear feet girder and truss span bridge. Halmar/A Servidone-B. Anthony have also been tasked with completing the rehabilitation of six bridges at the intersection of I-90 interchange and I-787 where there are three levels stacked on top of each other, with two bridges on each level. The construction team will build temporary support structures in order to demolish existing structural columns and construct new ones. They will also replace all of the existing bearings on the project totaling more than 400.

The construction team will remove the existing concrete decks

and replace them with new lightweight precast concrete panels. A total of 1,079 precast panels will be used for this project.

Not only is the joint-venture team tasked with keeping traffic flowing smoothly, they must also perform structural lifting operations for bearing replacements at all locations, on both the interchange structures and the main river bridge, with the most challenging location on two piers that are in the Hudson River.

For this, the joint-venture team designed a heavy structural lifting frame that will be floated out by barge and assembled in place. They will then jack up the existing bridge and replace the existing bearings with multi-rotational bearings with a 2,700 kip capacity. In addition, the construction team will perform more than 450,000 pounds of steel repairs, complete sand blasting

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 21

other bridges so when one gets closed, the other gets closed and can be worked under the same closure. This approach will allow the team to complete most if not all of the deck replacement in one construction season rather than two, greatly reducing the disruption to the traveling public. This is a win-win situation for all.”

and painting of all bridges totaling 763,000 square feet along with electrical work, drainage work, pipelining, slope protection, landscaping and concrete repairs and existing column seismic retrofit. The state says the project is being built to meet new seismic requirements.

“The purpose of the project really had to do with the structural rating of the bridge,” says Donal Curley, Project Manager at Halmar. “The New York Department of Transportation wants to increase the service life of the bridge and provide for the safe transit of the traffic through a very busy corridor for the anticipated 50-year service life of the bridge.”

“The coordination of the structural lifting operations, column replacement, bearing replacement and the panel replacement operations, combined with maintaining the Drivers First point and closures within that bid for the contract and the expedited deck schedule makes this one of the most challenging projects the team has worked,” Curley continues.

Construction began last May and should be wrapped up by the end of 2015. Now that more than a year of construction has passed, Curley says the team is working on finishing up the eastbound I-90 side and is completing the first phase of panel replacement. In a month, the team will switch over to working on the westbound side along with ancillary ramps.

The consequences of missing each morning’s opening deadline, were a $10,000 fine every 5 minutes for the first 30 minutes and then $250,000 plus $10,000 for every five minutes thereafter. An additional challenge became apparent when two of the piers the team were working on were discovered to lie directly in the path of the Atlantic Sturgeon’s domain (an endangered species of fish). In order to safeguard the endangered species, no work would be performed during its spawning season from April to June. The last trial came in the form of multiple bearings replacements, 400 to be exact, the most difficult of which were located in the Hudson River. According to Curley, “We are working over the water 80 or 90 feet in the air with very heavy loads.” One doesn’t have to be an expert on physics to realize the extensive risk this presents teams with. Patroon was indeed a task that required both surgical steel precision and an iron will, around the clock. Fortunately for us, though, our team possesses both.

MAINTAINING FLOW While work is ongoing, NYSDOT has stipulated that the construction team minimize disruption to traffic flow as outlined in its Drivers First initiative. The contracting team was chosen using a Best-Value procurement method. As part of this project, bid packages are evaluated for cost and a set of value criteria, such as impact to the traveling public, speed of construction and a contractor’s ability to perform the work.

“It is imperative that major construction projects such as this do not place an undue burden on drivers, and this project reflects our priority to ensure the least inconvenience to motorists,” Gov. Cuomo says.

To minimize impact to drivers, the contractors are using the two-lane/two-way method, in which two lanes are open in one direction and one lane is open in the other direction on the westbound side of I-90. Once work is finished on the eastbound side, the contractors will switch traffic over and work on the westbound side. Most closures occur at night but single lane closures that are not expected to impact traffic can occur during the daytime hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“

The construction team is also minimizing driver impact by expediting the project. “We utilize multiple crews operating at the same time,” Curley says. “We have three crews doing demo and replacement in one direction. Certain bridges are linked to

Patroon was a challenge that had to be met head-on. Upon preliminary inspection of the bridge, the NYSDOT realized that its design was very similar in scope to that of the fallen I-35W Bridge. They also realized that although there’d been some minor structural re-working done in 1992, the bridge had been in operation since 1968. And with approximately 80,000 vehicles crossing it daily, “wear-and-tear” was an understatement. To prevent an eventual collapse, the NYSDOT immediately sprang to action, awarding a Halmar-led joint venture team the Design/Build of the Patroon Island Bridge and Interchanges along with A. Servidone-B. Anthony. Decks, bearings and other bridge structures will be repaired and structural updates will ensure optimal performance for years to come.

We utilize multiple crews operating at the same time

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 22

Construction of the Patroon Island Bridge is expected to be complete by Summer of 2016.

DONAL CURLEY HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 23

other bridges so when one gets closed, the other gets closed and can be worked under the same closure. This approach will allow the team to complete most if not all of the deck replacement in one construction season rather than two, greatly reducing the disruption to the traveling public. This is a win-win situation for all.”

and painting of all bridges totaling 763,000 square feet along with electrical work, drainage work, pipelining, slope protection, landscaping and concrete repairs and existing column seismic retrofit. The state says the project is being built to meet new seismic requirements.

“The purpose of the project really had to do with the structural rating of the bridge,” says Donal Curley, Project Manager at Halmar. “The New York Department of Transportation wants to increase the service life of the bridge and provide for the safe transit of the traffic through a very busy corridor for the anticipated 50-year service life of the bridge.”

“The coordination of the structural lifting operations, column replacement, bearing replacement and the panel replacement operations, combined with maintaining the Drivers First point and closures within that bid for the contract and the expedited deck schedule makes this one of the most challenging projects the team has worked,” Curley continues.

Construction began last May and should be wrapped up by the end of 2015. Now that more than a year of construction has passed, Curley says the team is working on finishing up the eastbound I-90 side and is completing the first phase of panel replacement. In a month, the team will switch over to working on the westbound side along with ancillary ramps.

The consequences of missing each morning’s opening deadline, were a $10,000 fine every 5 minutes for the first 30 minutes and then $250,000 plus $10,000 for every five minutes thereafter. An additional challenge became apparent when two of the piers the team were working on were discovered to lie directly in the path of the Atlantic Sturgeon’s domain (an endangered species of fish). In order to safeguard the endangered species, no work would be performed during its spawning season from April to June. The last trial came in the form of multiple bearings replacements, 400 to be exact, the most difficult of which were located in the Hudson River. According to Curley, “We are working over the water 80 or 90 feet in the air with very heavy loads.” One doesn’t have to be an expert on physics to realize the extensive risk this presents teams with. Patroon was indeed a task that required both surgical steel precision and an iron will, around the clock. Fortunately for us, though, our team possesses both.

MAINTAINING FLOW While work is ongoing, NYSDOT has stipulated that the construction team minimize disruption to traffic flow as outlined in its Drivers First initiative. The contracting team was chosen using a Best-Value procurement method. As part of this project, bid packages are evaluated for cost and a set of value criteria, such as impact to the traveling public, speed of construction and a contractor’s ability to perform the work.

“It is imperative that major construction projects such as this do not place an undue burden on drivers, and this project reflects our priority to ensure the least inconvenience to motorists,” Gov. Cuomo says.

To minimize impact to drivers, the contractors are using the two-lane/two-way method, in which two lanes are open in one direction and one lane is open in the other direction on the westbound side of I-90. Once work is finished on the eastbound side, the contractors will switch traffic over and work on the westbound side. Most closures occur at night but single lane closures that are not expected to impact traffic can occur during the daytime hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“

The construction team is also minimizing driver impact by expediting the project. “We utilize multiple crews operating at the same time,” Curley says. “We have three crews doing demo and replacement in one direction. Certain bridges are linked to

Patroon was a challenge that had to be met head-on. Upon preliminary inspection of the bridge, the NYSDOT realized that its design was very similar in scope to that of the fallen I-35W Bridge. They also realized that although there’d been some minor structural re-working done in 1992, the bridge had been in operation since 1968. And with approximately 80,000 vehicles crossing it daily, “wear-and-tear” was an understatement. To prevent an eventual collapse, the NYSDOT immediately sprang to action, awarding a Halmar-led joint venture team the Design/Build of the Patroon Island Bridge and Interchanges along with A. Servidone-B. Anthony. Decks, bearings and other bridge structures will be repaired and structural updates will ensure optimal performance for years to come.

We utilize multiple crews operating at the same time

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 22

Construction of the Patroon Island Bridge is expected to be complete by Summer of 2016.

DONAL CURLEY HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 23

A

more detailed look at the center stacks of the Patroon Island Bridge with Project Manager Donal Curley reveal a complicated, innovative process which has been likened to a miniature Alexander Hamilton Bridge.

The center stack bridges on the Patroon Island Project are comprised of three levels over I-787 North and South with each level consisting of two bridges funneling traffic to and from the I-90 interstate Highway to I-787. At Patroon, each on and off bridge ramp in the “Stacks” has its own table for allowable closures which must be considered when planning the work in addition to the closure restrictions on I-90 East and West. Work on the upper-level bridges is only allowed with full closure of the bridges and 787 interstate below and the work is restricted to weekends only from 11PM to 8AM. Placement of bridge deck panels on the lower bridges is challenging because of the inability to use conventional crane methods due to the overhead bridges and low clearance between bridges.

H.S.A. devised a construction method to use a 120T forklift that walked the panels into place on steel mats in the low clearance areas and also rolled panels into position on Hillman Rollers, where the forklift option was not feasible due to panel configuration.

With tight lane closure restrictions and huge penalties for opening the interchange late ($800,000) for 1 hour and Drivers First Point considerations, the Patroon team must perform a balancing act of maximizing production, minimizing risk and utilizing Drivers First Point as efficiently as possible. The Stacked Bridges Interchange at Patroon could be summed up as “A spaghetti junction, a Rubik’s cube and a chess game rolled into one.”

Many elements from past projects in Halmar’s bridge-building catalogue, most notably, the precast aspects utilized so innovatively during the I-287 Cross-Westchester Expressway project back in 1998, have been carried over into the Patroon project, which is part of the ABC Program. Now a formalized system to accelerate bridge construction, many of these techniques were originated by Halmar. In a way, Patroon is symbolic of our coming full circle from the barest beginnings of ABC to a detailed system of protocols which manages to help execute the most demanding construction jobs quickly and effectively. Additionally, Patroon is a project that places an emphasis on the impact of the construction work on the traveling public. This is the first NYSDOT project to be implemented under the “Drivers’ First Program,” where the contract award is evaluated not only on price but also on the ability of the contractor to limit inconvenience to the traveling public. Each bridge closure is assigned a point rating based on the evaluated impact on the public if closed and the J.V. had to submit the number of closures/points anticipated to complete the work.

To accelerate the bridge construction at Patroon, lightweight, pre-cast panels are being used to replace the old deck on a nightly basis, which then have the joints filled with a High Early Strength concrete that H.S.A. specifically developed to meet the rigorous strength requirements to open the roadway in time. The concrete has to reach 2600 PSI to open the roadway and typically H.S.A. only has 1 to 1 ½ hours to achieve strength. H.S.A. is minimizing construction time by utilizing 3 deck replacement crews and by working on multiple bridges and areas, typically, on weekend closures.

PROJECT TEAM Sean Burke | Project Executive Lee Trogicsh | Equipment Manager Stefano Pappalardo | Safety Director Dan Peters | Safety Director Donal Curley | Project Manager Bill Loftus | Design Engineer Phil Landry | Steel / Panel / Misc. Assistant Terry Reinl | Administrative

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 24

“

At Patroon, each on and off bridge ramp in the “Stacks” has its own table for allowable closures which must be considered when planning the work in addition to the closure restrictions on I-90 East and West.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 25

A

more detailed look at the center stacks of the Patroon Island Bridge with Project Manager Donal Curley reveal a complicated, innovative process which has been likened to a miniature Alexander Hamilton Bridge.

The center stack bridges on the Patroon Island Project are comprised of three levels over I-787 North and South with each level consisting of two bridges funneling traffic to and from the I-90 interstate Highway to I-787. At Patroon, each on and off bridge ramp in the “Stacks” has its own table for allowable closures which must be considered when planning the work in addition to the closure restrictions on I-90 East and West. Work on the upper-level bridges is only allowed with full closure of the bridges and 787 interstate below and the work is restricted to weekends only from 11PM to 8AM. Placement of bridge deck panels on the lower bridges is challenging because of the inability to use conventional crane methods due to the overhead bridges and low clearance between bridges.

H.S.A. devised a construction method to use a 120T forklift that walked the panels into place on steel mats in the low clearance areas and also rolled panels into position on Hillman Rollers, where the forklift option was not feasible due to panel configuration.

With tight lane closure restrictions and huge penalties for opening the interchange late ($800,000) for 1 hour and Drivers First Point considerations, the Patroon team must perform a balancing act of maximizing production, minimizing risk and utilizing Drivers First Point as efficiently as possible. The Stacked Bridges Interchange at Patroon could be summed up as “A spaghetti junction, a Rubik’s cube and a chess game rolled into one.”

Many elements from past projects in Halmar’s bridge-building catalogue, most notably, the precast aspects utilized so innovatively during the I-287 Cross-Westchester Expressway project back in 1998, have been carried over into the Patroon project, which is part of the ABC Program. Now a formalized system to accelerate bridge construction, many of these techniques were originated by Halmar. In a way, Patroon is symbolic of our coming full circle from the barest beginnings of ABC to a detailed system of protocols which manages to help execute the most demanding construction jobs quickly and effectively. Additionally, Patroon is a project that places an emphasis on the impact of the construction work on the traveling public. This is the first NYSDOT project to be implemented under the “Drivers’ First Program,” where the contract award is evaluated not only on price but also on the ability of the contractor to limit inconvenience to the traveling public. Each bridge closure is assigned a point rating based on the evaluated impact on the public if closed and the J.V. had to submit the number of closures/points anticipated to complete the work.

To accelerate the bridge construction at Patroon, lightweight, pre-cast panels are being used to replace the old deck on a nightly basis, which then have the joints filled with a High Early Strength concrete that H.S.A. specifically developed to meet the rigorous strength requirements to open the roadway in time. The concrete has to reach 2600 PSI to open the roadway and typically H.S.A. only has 1 to 1 ½ hours to achieve strength. H.S.A. is minimizing construction time by utilizing 3 deck replacement crews and by working on multiple bridges and areas, typically, on weekend closures.

PROJECT TEAM Sean Burke | Project Executive Lee Trogicsh | Equipment Manager Stefano Pappalardo | Safety Director Dan Peters | Safety Director Donal Curley | Project Manager Bill Loftus | Design Engineer Phil Landry | Steel / Panel / Misc. Assistant Terry Reinl | Administrative

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 24

“

At Patroon, each on and off bridge ramp in the “Stacks” has its own table for allowable closures which must be considered when planning the work in addition to the closure restrictions on I-90 East and West.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 25

THE

I-287 CROSSWESTCHESTER EXPRESSWAY The forefather of ABC. Halmar International pioneered techniques other companies would later implement.

ABC OF BRIDGE BUILDING A LOOK AT

FORT MILLER BELT PARKWAY OVER OCEAN PARKWAY Because of ABC techniques Halmar completed this project 9 months early and won countless awards.

ROUTE 42 Halmar completed this emergency project, which would have taken almost a year if not for ABC practices, in just 4 months.

PATROON ISLAND BRIDGE ABC has come full circle with the Patroon Island Project. With over 15 years of ABC experience, it is one of Halmar’s staple projects.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 26

Accelerated Bridge Construction (or ABC) represents a paradigm shift in the project planning and procurement approach where the need to minimize mobility impacts which occur due to onsite construction activities are elevated to a higher priority. Intrinsic benefits of the ABC approach include improvements in safety, quality, durability, social costs and environmental impacts. ABC is bridge construction that uses innovative planning, design, materials and construction methods in a safe and cost-effective manner to reduce the onsite construction time that occurs when building new bridges or replacing and rehabilitating existing bridges. It’s been shown to improve site constructability, total project delivery time and work-zone safety for the traveling public, while simultaneously reducing traffic impacts, onsite construction time and weather-related time delays.

In Halmar’s own project annals, ABC has a rich and varied history of use. Its origins can be seen as far back as the I-287 project, in which Halmar implemented numerous time and cost-saving techniques that broke ground and set the tone for future projects both within its own catalogue and in those of many other construction firms. One of its other significant uses

was during the Belt Parkway over Ocean Parkway project, which made extensive use of precast inverse deck units and the innovative delivery of a jointless bridge to shave off a significant amount of savings from the project’s final cost. On the Route 42 Project, ABC techniques helped reduce overall construction time by 6 months.

From these previous projects, Patroon has come full circle as the sum of all our knowledge and serves as a sterling culmination of years’ worth of innovative construction methods.

Patroon is just one of several new projects being completed under the NY Works ABC Program, which includes bridge deck and structural replacement/rehabilitation of 121 bridges, as well as preservation and treatment of more than 2,000 miles of roadway. A major part of the program’s “acceleration” comes from NY Works, which established a $1.2-billion infrastructure bank that fuels the ABC program. The funding, which is on top of the agency’s $1.6-bilion annual capital construction budget, makes way for bridge fixes to begin in 2012, 2013 or 2014 that were originally scheduled for 2014, 2015 and 2016.

I

n Halmar’s ongoing commitment to delivering the speediest construction results at an accelerated pace without sacrificing quality, we’ve partnered with Fort Miller for many years and recognize their contribution to the Accelerated Bridge Construction movement. Their assistance has been a vital part of our bridge-building endeavors, helping us to shave off countless hours of combined construction time on numerous projects and simultaneously deliver the very best in top-tier construction. Fort Miller is notable as the most diversified structural precast concrete producer in the Northeast. It has continually exhibited a major commitment to the bridge market, adding a full range of bridge offerings to supplement standard and custom box culverts.

These additions included three-sided bridges, concrete-steel composite bridge systems, lightweight bridge deck replacement systems and many more. Fort Miller’s primary focus is to provide the market with a family of products within major product groupings. This marketing strategy allows the owner, designer, engineer and contractor a full range of products to address rapid, “overnight,” “over-theweekend,” and “Invisible Construction” infrastructure needs.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 27

THE

I-287 CROSSWESTCHESTER EXPRESSWAY The forefather of ABC. Halmar International pioneered techniques other companies would later implement.

ABC OF BRIDGE BUILDING A LOOK AT

FORT MILLER BELT PARKWAY OVER OCEAN PARKWAY Because of ABC techniques Halmar completed this project 9 months early and won countless awards.

ROUTE 42 Halmar completed this emergency project, which would have taken almost a year if not for ABC practices, in just 4 months.

PATROON ISLAND BRIDGE ABC has come full circle with the Patroon Island Project. With over 15 years of ABC experience, it is one of Halmar’s staple projects.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 26

Accelerated Bridge Construction (or ABC) represents a paradigm shift in the project planning and procurement approach where the need to minimize mobility impacts which occur due to onsite construction activities are elevated to a higher priority. Intrinsic benefits of the ABC approach include improvements in safety, quality, durability, social costs and environmental impacts. ABC is bridge construction that uses innovative planning, design, materials and construction methods in a safe and cost-effective manner to reduce the onsite construction time that occurs when building new bridges or replacing and rehabilitating existing bridges. It’s been shown to improve site constructability, total project delivery time and work-zone safety for the traveling public, while simultaneously reducing traffic impacts, onsite construction time and weather-related time delays.

In Halmar’s own project annals, ABC has a rich and varied history of use. Its origins can be seen as far back as the I-287 project, in which Halmar implemented numerous time and cost-saving techniques that broke ground and set the tone for future projects both within its own catalogue and in those of many other construction firms. One of its other significant uses

was during the Belt Parkway over Ocean Parkway project, which made extensive use of precast inverse deck units and the innovative delivery of a jointless bridge to shave off a significant amount of savings from the project’s final cost. On the Route 42 Project, ABC techniques helped reduce overall construction time by 6 months.

From these previous projects, Patroon has come full circle as the sum of all our knowledge and serves as a sterling culmination of years’ worth of innovative construction methods.

Patroon is just one of several new projects being completed under the NY Works ABC Program, which includes bridge deck and structural replacement/rehabilitation of 121 bridges, as well as preservation and treatment of more than 2,000 miles of roadway. A major part of the program’s “acceleration” comes from NY Works, which established a $1.2-billion infrastructure bank that fuels the ABC program. The funding, which is on top of the agency’s $1.6-bilion annual capital construction budget, makes way for bridge fixes to begin in 2012, 2013 or 2014 that were originally scheduled for 2014, 2015 and 2016.

I

n Halmar’s ongoing commitment to delivering the speediest construction results at an accelerated pace without sacrificing quality, we’ve partnered with Fort Miller for many years and recognize their contribution to the Accelerated Bridge Construction movement. Their assistance has been a vital part of our bridge-building endeavors, helping us to shave off countless hours of combined construction time on numerous projects and simultaneously deliver the very best in top-tier construction. Fort Miller is notable as the most diversified structural precast concrete producer in the Northeast. It has continually exhibited a major commitment to the bridge market, adding a full range of bridge offerings to supplement standard and custom box culverts.

These additions included three-sided bridges, concrete-steel composite bridge systems, lightweight bridge deck replacement systems and many more. Fort Miller’s primary focus is to provide the market with a family of products within major product groupings. This marketing strategy allows the owner, designer, engineer and contractor a full range of products to address rapid, “overnight,” “over-theweekend,” and “Invisible Construction” infrastructure needs.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 27

New York State Dept. of Transportation officials had a tough job to offer with I-287: replace two lengthy viaducts on the most heavily traveled corridor in the high-voume area, without disrupting traffic. They hoped to have it done in three years at best, but with Halmar at the helm, they ended up with not only a pair of new viaducts in just two years, but also a new awareness of the potential for segmental bridge work elsewhere in the state, thanks to the contractor’s value engineering initiative on its $67 million contract.

FLASHBACK PROJECT: THE GRANDFATHER OF ABC

I-287 CROSSWESTCHESTER EXPRESSWAY

A

ccelerated Bridge Consruction may seem to be a modern-day idea, but the principles behind this method have been around for at least as long as the renovation of the I-287 Cross Westchester Expressway. It’s considered by many to be the “grandfather” of ABC. We took the time to catch up with Sean Burke, the last remaining active member of the original team that worked on I-287 back in 1999, which consisted of: Art Lusignan, Gordon Harcourt, Cosmo Baralone and Walter Archibald. Many of them have since retired, but Sean Burke gave us the insight of someone who’s witnessed the roots of the ABC process take hold and subsequently flourish into the great resource and time-saving standard that it is today.

In the few months after its December 1996 contract award to rebuild the Interstate 287 viaducts in Westchester County, Halmar saw a chance to try out a concept uncommon in the state. Instead of replacing the viaducts in kind as cast-in-place concrete piers with a concrete deck, it redesigned them as precast, post-tensioned concrete and steel structures. The value engineering proposal affected $25 million worth of work and ended up shaving off a year of construction time and adding 15 years to the structural lifespan.

PROJECT TEAM Sean Burke Art Lusignan Gordon Harcourt Cosmo Baralone Walter Archibald

Halmar retained Steinman, Boynton, Gronquist and Birdsall to design the new footings and precast piers while bridge designer J. Muller International, New York City, designed the deck. Halmar spent $700,000 over four months to redesign the original, doing it as an informal design-build process. The two six-lane viaducts are some 30 years old and carry 120,000 vehicles daily. The roadway work on each viaduct was broken into three stages so that three lanes out of six could be maintained at all times. Two of three east-bound lanes were demolished longitudinally, shifting traffic over to the other four lanes as the piers and footings were rebuilt for the demolished section.

The main innovation performed during this project came in the form of switching cast-in-place concrete decks with precast post-tension decks. This single, seemingly small change was responsible for shaving off a year of work from the project and resulted in an accelerated completion date. Ever since this pioneering idea’s inception, similar tactics have been employed in various construction projects over the years.

More recently, the process has been taken a step further and nowhere is this more clearly evidenced than in the construction of the Patroon Island Bridge. For this project, which is a part of the official ABC program, not only were proven methods from the past integrated into the acceleration process, new methods were also implemented, such as opting for a deck replacement schedule predominantly during weekends and nights instead of maintaining a staged construction project and shifting traffic throughout the day.

The first viaduct, a 150-ft-wide, 1,080-ftlong bridge deck supported by 13 piers, crosses the Saw Mill River Parkway. The second viaduct, crossing the Bronx River Parkway, has a 140-ft-wide, 1,280-ft-long deck supported by 18 piers. The Saw Mill replacement called for just six piers per rebuilt section. Halmar opted for precast panel decks for the new structures rather than cast-in-place decks with reinforcing steel because the placement would be faster and the method would eliminate longitudinal deck tension. The new piers were

As Sean Burke tells us, “Our innovation on that job is what spurred others to follow suit,” lending credence to Halmar’s status as a pioneering company, both then and now.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 28

hollow and more flexible than the old ones, providing for better seismic performance and ease in transporting to the site. They were built in 8-ft-tall segments with a hammerhead shape at the top through which they were post-tensioned vertically and transversely.

About 20 to 42 high-strength, post-tensioned rods were threaded into each pier. They were vertically jacked from the top and anchored into the foundations. Horizontal post-tensioning strands in the hammerhead tops reduced and put the pier tops in compression, but not in tension. That increased the durability of the pier. The vertical rods fit into the couplings at the pier bottoms. Grout was pumped into the space between the rods and the pipes containing them within the hollow piers. Matchcast off site, the pier segments were erected on site with epoxy-sealed joints between them.

The Saw Mill River Parkway Viaduct has seven spans, each 150 ft. wide and supported by six steel box girders. The Bronx River viaduct has nine spans ranging from 110 to 155 ft. long supported by six steel box girders. Cast-inplace sections exist at both ends because the viaduct lies on a 33 degree skew. Steel girders shaped like bathtubs, the first of their kind to be used in New York State, rest atop each pier.

The trapezoidal box girders, part of the original state DOT design were intended to provide a different look and lessen the amount of girders needed. They measure up to 150 ft. long, weigh up to 9,000 tons and were erected with a 300-ton crawler crane, a 250-ton truck crane and a 500-ton hydraulic crane. On each viaduct, precast panels are 47 to 50 ft. wide, 10 ft. long and 9 in. thick. The panels were set on shims, eight per panel. Stud pockets, or holes in the panels, were filled with shear studs welded through to the top flanges and grouted. The principal challenge was the time-dependent effects of the concrete, i.e., the shrinkage. To combat this, the fabricator precast and cured the panels two to three months before shipping to the site. Crews installed panels at an average rate of 17 per day using the 500 ton crane.

Quality control improvements associated with fabricating segments in the shop meant the viaducts should last 10 to 15 years longer than if they were cast in place. The precast aspects added a quality factor since the segments were built in a plant. As a result, the state began using the methods implemented by Halmar for work on future bridge projects.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 29

New York State Dept. of Transportation officials had a tough job to offer with I-287: replace two lengthy viaducts on the most heavily traveled corridor in the high-voume area, without disrupting traffic. They hoped to have it done in three years at best, but with Halmar at the helm, they ended up with not only a pair of new viaducts in just two years, but also a new awareness of the potential for segmental bridge work elsewhere in the state, thanks to the contractor’s value engineering initiative on its $67 million contract.

FLASHBACK PROJECT: THE GRANDFATHER OF ABC

I-287 CROSSWESTCHESTER EXPRESSWAY

A

ccelerated Bridge Consruction may seem to be a modern-day idea, but the principles behind this method have been around for at least as long as the renovation of the I-287 Cross Westchester Expressway. It’s considered by many to be the “grandfather” of ABC. We took the time to catch up with Sean Burke, the last remaining active member of the original team that worked on I-287 back in 1999, which consisted of: Art Lusignan, Gordon Harcourt, Cosmo Baralone and Walter Archibald. Many of them have since retired, but Sean Burke gave us the insight of someone who’s witnessed the roots of the ABC process take hold and subsequently flourish into the great resource and time-saving standard that it is today.

In the few months after its December 1996 contract award to rebuild the Interstate 287 viaducts in Westchester County, Halmar saw a chance to try out a concept uncommon in the state. Instead of replacing the viaducts in kind as cast-in-place concrete piers with a concrete deck, it redesigned them as precast, post-tensioned concrete and steel structures. The value engineering proposal affected $25 million worth of work and ended up shaving off a year of construction time and adding 15 years to the structural lifespan.

PROJECT TEAM Sean Burke Art Lusignan Gordon Harcourt Cosmo Baralone Walter Archibald

Halmar retained Steinman, Boynton, Gronquist and Birdsall to design the new footings and precast piers while bridge designer J. Muller International, New York City, designed the deck. Halmar spent $700,000 over four months to redesign the original, doing it as an informal design-build process. The two six-lane viaducts are some 30 years old and carry 120,000 vehicles daily. The roadway work on each viaduct was broken into three stages so that three lanes out of six could be maintained at all times. Two of three east-bound lanes were demolished longitudinally, shifting traffic over to the other four lanes as the piers and footings were rebuilt for the demolished section.

The main innovation performed during this project came in the form of switching cast-in-place concrete decks with precast post-tension decks. This single, seemingly small change was responsible for shaving off a year of work from the project and resulted in an accelerated completion date. Ever since this pioneering idea’s inception, similar tactics have been employed in various construction projects over the years.

More recently, the process has been taken a step further and nowhere is this more clearly evidenced than in the construction of the Patroon Island Bridge. For this project, which is a part of the official ABC program, not only were proven methods from the past integrated into the acceleration process, new methods were also implemented, such as opting for a deck replacement schedule predominantly during weekends and nights instead of maintaining a staged construction project and shifting traffic throughout the day.

The first viaduct, a 150-ft-wide, 1,080-ftlong bridge deck supported by 13 piers, crosses the Saw Mill River Parkway. The second viaduct, crossing the Bronx River Parkway, has a 140-ft-wide, 1,280-ft-long deck supported by 18 piers. The Saw Mill replacement called for just six piers per rebuilt section. Halmar opted for precast panel decks for the new structures rather than cast-in-place decks with reinforcing steel because the placement would be faster and the method would eliminate longitudinal deck tension. The new piers were

As Sean Burke tells us, “Our innovation on that job is what spurred others to follow suit,” lending credence to Halmar’s status as a pioneering company, both then and now.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 28

hollow and more flexible than the old ones, providing for better seismic performance and ease in transporting to the site. They were built in 8-ft-tall segments with a hammerhead shape at the top through which they were post-tensioned vertically and transversely.

About 20 to 42 high-strength, post-tensioned rods were threaded into each pier. They were vertically jacked from the top and anchored into the foundations. Horizontal post-tensioning strands in the hammerhead tops reduced and put the pier tops in compression, but not in tension. That increased the durability of the pier. The vertical rods fit into the couplings at the pier bottoms. Grout was pumped into the space between the rods and the pipes containing them within the hollow piers. Matchcast off site, the pier segments were erected on site with epoxy-sealed joints between them.

The Saw Mill River Parkway Viaduct has seven spans, each 150 ft. wide and supported by six steel box girders. The Bronx River viaduct has nine spans ranging from 110 to 155 ft. long supported by six steel box girders. Cast-inplace sections exist at both ends because the viaduct lies on a 33 degree skew. Steel girders shaped like bathtubs, the first of their kind to be used in New York State, rest atop each pier.

The trapezoidal box girders, part of the original state DOT design were intended to provide a different look and lessen the amount of girders needed. They measure up to 150 ft. long, weigh up to 9,000 tons and were erected with a 300-ton crawler crane, a 250-ton truck crane and a 500-ton hydraulic crane. On each viaduct, precast panels are 47 to 50 ft. wide, 10 ft. long and 9 in. thick. The panels were set on shims, eight per panel. Stud pockets, or holes in the panels, were filled with shear studs welded through to the top flanges and grouted. The principal challenge was the time-dependent effects of the concrete, i.e., the shrinkage. To combat this, the fabricator precast and cured the panels two to three months before shipping to the site. Crews installed panels at an average rate of 17 per day using the 500 ton crane.

Quality control improvements associated with fabricating segments in the shop meant the viaducts should last 10 to 15 years longer than if they were cast in place. The precast aspects added a quality factor since the segments were built in a plant. As a result, the state began using the methods implemented by Halmar for work on future bridge projects.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 29

THE BRIDGE BUILDERS

EVERY BRIDGE NEEDS A SOLID FOUNDATION BILL RODE Bill Rode lives in Syracuse, NY with his wife Debbie. They have 2 sons and a daughter. In his spare time, he enjoys visiting relatives in North Carolina and Kentucky, gardening and doing things around the house. In the future, as time permits, he’d like to get back into camping, fishing and hunting. He is a Masonic member with Master Mason standing.

Bill earned his Construction Engineering degree from Arizona State University. He is an experienced estimator, specializing in structural and miscellaneous steel for numerous major heavy civil infrastructure projects such as the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge Deck Replacement, Tappan Zee Deck Replacement Phase 1 & 2, NJTP Newark Bay Deck Replacement, NYSDOT Bridge Replacement Projects, East Side Access Harold Structures and the Metro North Hudson Line Station Rehabilitation.

JOHN O’CONNOR John O’Connor came to us from Ballyhaunis in Mayo County, Ireland. He lives with his wife, Siobhan and his two children Jack and Niamh. In his spare time, he enjoys rugby, golf, cycling and coaching children’s soccer and rugby.

He has over 20 years of major bridge, paving, mass transit facilities and building projects in the U.S. and Ireland. John has extensive expertise on bridge reconstruction projects and has an excellent track record with PANYNJ paving and terminal projects at JFK. He has been on many projects with demanding schedules that require close coordination with owners operations including movement of trains and passengers. John is one of the best at knowing how coordinate self-perform work with subcontractors and owners forces as well as the myriad of outside factors that can influence a project. He is first rate at understanding the logistics and getting men, material, and equipment into complicated and tight work areas. Despite usually working in difficult scenarios, John has an exemplarily safety record.

JESSE JAMESON Born into a bridge building family, Jesse Jameson started working on bridges at the tender age of 7 when his father would take him to jobsites during winters to “fuel-up” the heaters and keep the concrete warm on weekends. He and his wife have one son, Ben and three dogs: Jeeves, Cody and Toby. In his spare time, Jesse enjoys trap and skeet shooting, restoring vintage automobiles and sailing.

Jesse is an experienced leader with over 35 years’ in the heavy civil construction industry, with expertise in bridge, marine, structures, concrete, estimating, and business development areas. His technical knowledge, coupled with proven personnel development and sound business practices, allows the projects he manages to be completed ahead of schedule, and Owners’ to maximize their budget.

AL PLACITO Al Placito is originally from Albany. He received a Civil Engineering degree in 2009 from Manhattan College. In his spare time, Al enjoys traveling abroad (some of his favorite locales including: the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Austria, Italy and South Africa), following Florida state football and enjoying horse races.

Al came to Halmar in 2009 as a Field Engineer. Thus far, he’s been an integral part of the Engineering team: reviewing plans, schedule work and resources, in addition to conducting site inspections and serving as the point contact for various contractors during construction efforts. As a member of the team that worked on the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, Al had the distinction of being part of the approximately $400 million complete rehabilitation of the historic bridge. As construction of the AHB completed, Al was transferred to the Patroon Island project where he is now currently stationed.

PHIL LANDRY Phil Landry’s worked in construction since 1973. Born and raised in Florida, he’s since settled near Bangor, PA near the Delaware River, where he lives with his wife Geri. He has one son, Eric who recently graduated from Ironworkers Local 40 apprenticeship and is following in his footsteps as a journeyman ironworker. He is a muscle car enthusiast, having recently bought a Camaro ZL1 and in his spare time, enjoys fishing, golfing, and taking weekend road trips.

Phil specializes in managing the lifting and installation of structural steel safely and efficiently, and has expertise in field operations and logistics related to transportation facilities. His body of expertise includes: determining erection sequences, working with fabricators to schedule material deliveries, utilizing Auto Cad to determine crane locations and rigging for major picks, and scheduling and coordination of all work activities on-site to ensure safe operations. He also routinely works with the engineering staff as needed to generate erection procedures, and means and methods for constructability to perform the work.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 30

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 31

THE BRIDGE BUILDERS

EVERY BRIDGE NEEDS A SOLID FOUNDATION BILL RODE Bill Rode lives in Syracuse, NY with his wife Debbie. They have 2 sons and a daughter. In his spare time, he enjoys visiting relatives in North Carolina and Kentucky, gardening and doing things around the house. In the future, as time permits, he’d like to get back into camping, fishing and hunting. He is a Masonic member with Master Mason standing.

Bill earned his Construction Engineering degree from Arizona State University. He is an experienced estimator, specializing in structural and miscellaneous steel for numerous major heavy civil infrastructure projects such as the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge Deck Replacement, Tappan Zee Deck Replacement Phase 1 & 2, NJTP Newark Bay Deck Replacement, NYSDOT Bridge Replacement Projects, East Side Access Harold Structures and the Metro North Hudson Line Station Rehabilitation.

JOHN O’CONNOR John O’Connor came to us from Ballyhaunis in Mayo County, Ireland. He lives with his wife, Siobhan and his two children Jack and Niamh. In his spare time, he enjoys rugby, golf, cycling and coaching children’s soccer and rugby.

He has over 20 years of major bridge, paving, mass transit facilities and building projects in the U.S. and Ireland. John has extensive expertise on bridge reconstruction projects and has an excellent track record with PANYNJ paving and terminal projects at JFK. He has been on many projects with demanding schedules that require close coordination with owners operations including movement of trains and passengers. John is one of the best at knowing how coordinate self-perform work with subcontractors and owners forces as well as the myriad of outside factors that can influence a project. He is first rate at understanding the logistics and getting men, material, and equipment into complicated and tight work areas. Despite usually working in difficult scenarios, John has an exemplarily safety record.

JESSE JAMESON Born into a bridge building family, Jesse Jameson started working on bridges at the tender age of 7 when his father would take him to jobsites during winters to “fuel-up” the heaters and keep the concrete warm on weekends. He and his wife have one son, Ben and three dogs: Jeeves, Cody and Toby. In his spare time, Jesse enjoys trap and skeet shooting, restoring vintage automobiles and sailing.

Jesse is an experienced leader with over 35 years’ in the heavy civil construction industry, with expertise in bridge, marine, structures, concrete, estimating, and business development areas. His technical knowledge, coupled with proven personnel development and sound business practices, allows the projects he manages to be completed ahead of schedule, and Owners’ to maximize their budget.

AL PLACITO Al Placito is originally from Albany. He received a Civil Engineering degree in 2009 from Manhattan College. In his spare time, Al enjoys traveling abroad (some of his favorite locales including: the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Austria, Italy and South Africa), following Florida state football and enjoying horse races.

Al came to Halmar in 2009 as a Field Engineer. Thus far, he’s been an integral part of the Engineering team: reviewing plans, schedule work and resources, in addition to conducting site inspections and serving as the point contact for various contractors during construction efforts. As a member of the team that worked on the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, Al had the distinction of being part of the approximately $400 million complete rehabilitation of the historic bridge. As construction of the AHB completed, Al was transferred to the Patroon Island project where he is now currently stationed.

PHIL LANDRY Phil Landry’s worked in construction since 1973. Born and raised in Florida, he’s since settled near Bangor, PA near the Delaware River, where he lives with his wife Geri. He has one son, Eric who recently graduated from Ironworkers Local 40 apprenticeship and is following in his footsteps as a journeyman ironworker. He is a muscle car enthusiast, having recently bought a Camaro ZL1 and in his spare time, enjoys fishing, golfing, and taking weekend road trips.

Phil specializes in managing the lifting and installation of structural steel safely and efficiently, and has expertise in field operations and logistics related to transportation facilities. His body of expertise includes: determining erection sequences, working with fabricators to schedule material deliveries, utilizing Auto Cad to determine crane locations and rigging for major picks, and scheduling and coordination of all work activities on-site to ensure safe operations. He also routinely works with the engineering staff as needed to generate erection procedures, and means and methods for constructability to perform the work.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 30

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 31

SAFETY, HEALTH & HALMAR

DE-CONSTRUCTING THE IDEA OF

ENGINEERED CONSTRUCTION

TRAINING FOR THE SPARTAN RACE

L H

almar is credited with inventing the term, “Engineered Construction.” Our Engineers support both our Estimating and Operations and are integral to maintaining the high caliber of results we’re noted for. When we engineer a project, what we’re really doing is steering an idea from conception to conclusion and seeing that it’s absorbed the very best of our team’s collective input.

We currently have 15 PE’s on staff. These help form our foundation of vital de-

sign-build capabilities, which have come to include: deep foundations, excavation support, temporary shoring/jacking of structures, rigging, hoisting and steel/ precast erection. Still, the core of what really makes us shine isn’t just about what we can do, but what sets us apart.

To get to the crux of what makes us tick, we spoke with Bill Loftus, Professional Engineer on what he believes helps differentiate our way of doing things from our competitors’.

ooking for a true test of physical endurance and willpower?

Then the Spartan Race may be for you. Founded in 2001, the Spartan Race is a series of obstacle races of varying distance and difficulty ranging from 3 miles to marathon distances. Throughout the uphill race, contestants are faced with numerous trials requiring all the stamina, strength and speed of a veritable Spartan warrior.

We were fortunate enough to get an inside glimpse at what the Races are all about by sitting down with our very own Julian Paz, who’s participated in all three difficulty levels of the Spartan Races: the 5k Spartan Sprint, the 10k Spartan Super and the 15k Spartan Beast. He told us in vivid detail about some of the challenges participants face during the Races, including: scaling slippery 14 ft. walls, hurling a javelin gladiator-style, jumping over blazing fire pits and crawling under jagged rows of barbed wire. When asked what his favorite challenge was, Julian’s response was, “The rope swing where you swing across a bridge like Tarzan. Just the feeling from being able to do it, beating your own physical limits, that’s what it’s really about.”

An air of camaraderie and an emphasis on competition with one’s own physical goals, not with one’s fellow competitors, does seem to be the general motive behind the Spartan Races.

This is a test of character and internal fortitude, but it’s also a fun way of pushing yourself beyond your limits, while at the same time discovering that the only limits blocking your path are the ones you allow.

A sincere congratulations to Halmar team members Julian Paz and Santiago Salazar for embodying the Halmar creed of “being relentless” and taking on the challenge of the Spartan Races head-on. If you’re interested in competing yourself, or with a group, (they even have corporate team packages), you can sign up for the Races at their official website: http://www.spartan.com

“

Just the feeling from being able to do it, beating your own physical limits, that’s what it’s really about. ~JULIAN PAZ

In 2012, the Spartan Race was voted Outside Magazine’s “BEST OBSTACLE RACE.” Although held in the US, they are also franchised to 14 countries including Canada, Europe, South Korea, and Australia.

IS STRETCHING ACTUALLY BAD FOR YOU? “What really differentiates us here [at Halmar] is going beyond the minutiae and details of a drawing to the nature of the problem. Most engineers see the big picture first. We question what the problem is and how to solve it. That’s basically my approach to life as well, ‘Define the problem.’ Once you define the problem, you understand what it is the owner’s

trying to accomplish and can set out on coming up with an appropriate solution.

It’s really all about understanding what you’re doing.”

At Halmar, we do understand the needs of our clients and we seek to offer our talents and core competencies wherever we identify them as being most beneficial.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 32

Though we’ve all been told for years that stretching before a workout is integral to minimizing self-injury and maximizing your flexibility and speed, some recent studies may be turning that notion on its head. According to The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, if you stretch before you lift weights, you may find yourself feeling weaker and wobblier than you expect during your workout. Those findings join those of another new study from Croatia, in which volunteers stretched and then jumped, dunked, sprinted, lifted or otherwise had their muscular strength and power tested. For their purposes, the Croatian researchers wanted studies that used only static stretching as an exclusive warm-up; they excluded past experiments in which people stretched but also jogged or otherwise actively warmed up before their exercise session.

The scientists wound up with 104 past studies that met their criteria. Then they amalgamated those studies’ results and, using sophisticated statistical calculations, determined just how much stretching impeded subsequent performance.

The numbers, especially for competitive athletes, are sobering. According to their calculations, static stretching reduces strength in the stretched muscles by almost 5.5 percent, with the impact increasing in people who hold individual stretches for 90 seconds or more. While the effect is reduced somewhat when people’s stretches last less than 45 seconds, stretched muscles are, in general, substantially less strong.

So, before you start powering through your workout, make sure you aren’t stretching your strength to its limits beforehand.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 33

SAFETY, HEALTH & HALMAR

DE-CONSTRUCTING THE IDEA OF

ENGINEERED CONSTRUCTION

TRAINING FOR THE SPARTAN RACE

L H

almar is credited with inventing the term, “Engineered Construction.” Our Engineers support both our Estimating and Operations and are integral to maintaining the high caliber of results we’re noted for. When we engineer a project, what we’re really doing is steering an idea from conception to conclusion and seeing that it’s absorbed the very best of our team’s collective input.

We currently have 15 PE’s on staff. These help form our foundation of vital de-

sign-build capabilities, which have come to include: deep foundations, excavation support, temporary shoring/jacking of structures, rigging, hoisting and steel/ precast erection. Still, the core of what really makes us shine isn’t just about what we can do, but what sets us apart.

To get to the crux of what makes us tick, we spoke with Bill Loftus, Professional Engineer on what he believes helps differentiate our way of doing things from our competitors’.

ooking for a true test of physical endurance and willpower?

Then the Spartan Race may be for you. Founded in 2001, the Spartan Race is a series of obstacle races of varying distance and difficulty ranging from 3 miles to marathon distances. Throughout the uphill race, contestants are faced with numerous trials requiring all the stamina, strength and speed of a veritable Spartan warrior.

We were fortunate enough to get an inside glimpse at what the Races are all about by sitting down with our very own Julian Paz, who’s participated in all three difficulty levels of the Spartan Races: the 5k Spartan Sprint, the 10k Spartan Super and the 15k Spartan Beast. He told us in vivid detail about some of the challenges participants face during the Races, including: scaling slippery 14 ft. walls, hurling a javelin gladiator-style, jumping over blazing fire pits and crawling under jagged rows of barbed wire. When asked what his favorite challenge was, Julian’s response was, “The rope swing where you swing across a bridge like Tarzan. Just the feeling from being able to do it, beating your own physical limits, that’s what it’s really about.”

An air of camaraderie and an emphasis on competition with one’s own physical goals, not with one’s fellow competitors, does seem to be the general motive behind the Spartan Races.

This is a test of character and internal fortitude, but it’s also a fun way of pushing yourself beyond your limits, while at the same time discovering that the only limits blocking your path are the ones you allow.

A sincere congratulations to Halmar team members Julian Paz and Santiago Salazar for embodying the Halmar creed of “being relentless” and taking on the challenge of the Spartan Races head-on. If you’re interested in competing yourself, or with a group, (they even have corporate team packages), you can sign up for the Races at their official website: http://www.spartan.com

“

Just the feeling from being able to do it, beating your own physical limits, that’s what it’s really about. ~JULIAN PAZ

In 2012, the Spartan Race was voted Outside Magazine’s “BEST OBSTACLE RACE.” Although held in the US, they are also franchised to 14 countries including Canada, Europe, South Korea, and Australia.

IS STRETCHING ACTUALLY BAD FOR YOU? “What really differentiates us here [at Halmar] is going beyond the minutiae and details of a drawing to the nature of the problem. Most engineers see the big picture first. We question what the problem is and how to solve it. That’s basically my approach to life as well, ‘Define the problem.’ Once you define the problem, you understand what it is the owner’s

trying to accomplish and can set out on coming up with an appropriate solution.

It’s really all about understanding what you’re doing.”

At Halmar, we do understand the needs of our clients and we seek to offer our talents and core competencies wherever we identify them as being most beneficial.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 32

Though we’ve all been told for years that stretching before a workout is integral to minimizing self-injury and maximizing your flexibility and speed, some recent studies may be turning that notion on its head. According to The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, if you stretch before you lift weights, you may find yourself feeling weaker and wobblier than you expect during your workout. Those findings join those of another new study from Croatia, in which volunteers stretched and then jumped, dunked, sprinted, lifted or otherwise had their muscular strength and power tested. For their purposes, the Croatian researchers wanted studies that used only static stretching as an exclusive warm-up; they excluded past experiments in which people stretched but also jogged or otherwise actively warmed up before their exercise session.

The scientists wound up with 104 past studies that met their criteria. Then they amalgamated those studies’ results and, using sophisticated statistical calculations, determined just how much stretching impeded subsequent performance.

The numbers, especially for competitive athletes, are sobering. According to their calculations, static stretching reduces strength in the stretched muscles by almost 5.5 percent, with the impact increasing in people who hold individual stretches for 90 seconds or more. While the effect is reduced somewhat when people’s stretches last less than 45 seconds, stretched muscles are, in general, substantially less strong.

So, before you start powering through your workout, make sure you aren’t stretching your strength to its limits beforehand.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 33

THE NEW FACES...

Several new employees have recently entered the fray here at Halmar, so we would first like to be sure to bid them all a warm welcome!

HALMAR HAPPENINGS TYING THE KNOT

IN OTHER NEWS...

We want to take a moment to congratulate Anthony Manganiello who recently married fiancée, Julie in early 2014 and to wish Kevin Martin and Erin Roberts good luck on their forthcoming weddings, as well!

Our partnership with the Prudential Center has afforded us the opportunity to enjoy exclusive access to presales as well as specially priced tickets for games and concerts throughout the year. We will be receiving an exclusive email every other Wednesday with new games and shows being made available each time.

BABY BOOM! Congratulations are in order for Gabe Ebanks and his wife, Christine who welcomed their newborn daughter, Angelina on August 15th and also for James Rizzo and his fiancée Christine, who recently welcomed their new daughter Isabella!

CLIFF WEINER MANAGER, HALMAR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

SIMON GARCIA SUPERINTENDENT

MIRANDA SOUTHWELL MARKETING WRITING & ADMINISTRATIVE

Additionally, we’d like to congratulate Erik Acton on his promotion to Controller and welcome back Kim Begonja, who’ll be working with the Marketing Dept.

PAMELA LUCIANNA OFFICE MANAGER

ERIK ACTON CONTROLLER

COMPANY PICNIC EVENT

REBECCA OLIVEIRA ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

ERIN ROBERTS ASSISTANT CONTROLLER

CONSTANTINOS KOULOURIS PE/ESTIMATING

KEVIN ENG PE/ESTIMATING

Also new at Halmar....

Kent Findley | Superintendent

Stephan Gallagher | Estimator

Phillip Glessner | Superintendent

The Halmar Company Picnic was a wonderful time for all. It was fabulous having all of the Halmar team come together and enjoy the lush surroundings provided by the Crystal Springs Mineral Resort & Spa. Our Volleyball Tournament Champions of 2014 were the Desperate Housewives (Stefano Pappalardo, Leo Dragone, Brendan McLaughlin, Anthony Manganiello and Nick Hanson)! We want to congratulate them and bid a sincere ‘thank you’ to all of you awesome Halmar employees for coming out to join us in the festivities.

Special thanks to Diana Rodriguez for all her efforts in organizing a great time for all!

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 34

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 35

THE NEW FACES...

Several new employees have recently entered the fray here at Halmar, so we would first like to be sure to bid them all a warm welcome!

HALMAR HAPPENINGS TYING THE KNOT

IN OTHER NEWS...

We want to take a moment to congratulate Anthony Manganiello who recently married fiancée, Julie in early 2014 and to wish Kevin Martin and Erin Roberts good luck on their forthcoming weddings, as well!

Our partnership with the Prudential Center has afforded us the opportunity to enjoy exclusive access to presales as well as specially priced tickets for games and concerts throughout the year. We will be receiving an exclusive email every other Wednesday with new games and shows being made available each time.

BABY BOOM! Congratulations are in order for Gabe Ebanks and his wife, Christine who welcomed their newborn daughter, Angelina on August 15th and also for James Rizzo and his fiancée Christine, who recently welcomed their new daughter Isabella!

CLIFF WEINER MANAGER, HALMAR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS

SIMON GARCIA SUPERINTENDENT

MIRANDA SOUTHWELL MARKETING WRITING & ADMINISTRATIVE

Additionally, we’d like to congratulate Erik Acton on his promotion to Controller and welcome back Kim Begonja, who’ll be working with the Marketing Dept.

PAMELA LUCIANNA OFFICE MANAGER

ERIK ACTON CONTROLLER

COMPANY PICNIC EVENT

REBECCA OLIVEIRA ACCOUNTS PAYABLE

ERIN ROBERTS ASSISTANT CONTROLLER

CONSTANTINOS KOULOURIS PE/ESTIMATING

KEVIN ENG PE/ESTIMATING

Also new at Halmar....

Kent Findley | Superintendent

Stephan Gallagher | Estimator

Phillip Glessner | Superintendent

The Halmar Company Picnic was a wonderful time for all. It was fabulous having all of the Halmar team come together and enjoy the lush surroundings provided by the Crystal Springs Mineral Resort & Spa. Our Volleyball Tournament Champions of 2014 were the Desperate Housewives (Stefano Pappalardo, Leo Dragone, Brendan McLaughlin, Anthony Manganiello and Nick Hanson)! We want to congratulate them and bid a sincere ‘thank you’ to all of you awesome Halmar employees for coming out to join us in the festivities.

Special thanks to Diana Rodriguez for all her efforts in organizing a great time for all!

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 34

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 35

HALMAR HELPING TOWNS

LOSING BY A NOSE...

n conjunction with the Brooklyn Nets and the Rebuilding Together Organization, Halmar recently helped to paint some Brooklyn public school cafeterias and bring in a fresh new coat of good cheer all at once!

What’s the length of a horse’s nose? Just how close is close?

Twilight Eclipse knows. Twice now he’s lost by just a nose! But we know next time he’ll get the gold. After all, the nose knows!

I

Take a look at more before-and-after pictures on the PORTAL to witness our expert mural painting abilities firsthand. And an extra-special thanks to Halmar team member, Stephanie Jackson for volunteering her time to this wonderful cause. Halmar International and the Brooklyn Nets truly appreciate it.

HALMAR AT THE TRACKS

H

almar International isn’t just involved in construction, we’re also a high octane race team consisting of three cars with some of the most award winning and decorated drivers to rock the Orange County Speedway. With Willy Auchmoody, the 1998 Orange County Fair Speedway Pro Stock Champion and 2005 All-Star Truck Series Champion with over 30 career wins and Mike Ricci, the 5th all-time champion driver in the history of the Orange County Fair Speedway and multiple track championships

CHEER THE HALMAR CAR AT EASTERN STATE

totaling over 100 career wins.

While the Halmar “pit crew” was there supporting the race team, we could have used a few more people cheering them on. So be on the lookout for the next free, Halmar-sponsored event and hopefully we’ll bring home the gold next time.

Though we’re going to need a bigger table with all the awards we’ve been winning lately.

This year, the 53rd Annual festival of speed---the oldest consecutively-run championship event for dirt track Modified stock cars in the country. It’s three action-packed days of high speed racing excitement that culminates with the Eastern States 200, the “granddaddy” of all fall championship races and the Halmar Car will be leading the pack!

So join us in wishing Twilight Eclipse good luck at the Breeder’s Cup, and stay tuned for the latest exploits of Twilight along with the entire stable of Halmar Horses: Flashy Gray, Toasting, StarOfCountyDown and WinByANose.

“I jumped at the opportunity to work with the NBA as a part of the ‘Rebuilding Together NYC’ team. This was actually the first time I’d ever painted anything in my life. The entire event was such a wonderful, hands-on and heartfelt experience. I love giving back to the community in any way, shape or form and I’m glad that Halmar does too!”

HALMAR FANFEST

TAKE A LOAD OFF

I

H

n conjunction with the NJ Devils, Halmar was proud to display the Halmar Edition, fully-customized NJ Devils Truck, a Ford F150 STX, at the first official Fanfest of the hockey season.

M

arketing team members distributed over 400 pamphlets detailing information on the sweepstakes and how Devils fans (and Ford enthusiasts) can go about entering to win this red and black vehicular powerhouse, completely free! Pictures of the event are live on the company portal.

almar is proud to be a partner in the NJ Devils’ ‘My Town’ program, which highlights communities throughout New Jersey. Halmar is providing benches for fifteen of the ‘My Town’ communities.

As an added part of this partnership, Halmar will be showcased in an in-game feature in conjunction with the ‘My Town’ series.

Our good friends at Leisure Craft, Inc. fashioned these beautiful, customized benches. The bench situated in the main office building proudly bears our corporate logo in pristine white against a striking navy blue background. So next time you take five, be sure to give it a test-ride and let us know how you like it!

HALMAR INTERNATIONAL & HALMAR RACING HELPING CHILDREN IN NEED

What better way to show this off than with the Halmar Sponsored race night at the Orange County Speed Way, where we were all treated to a truly awesome night of racing, friends and food. And while Willy didn’t make first place (I say he was cheated), Halmar racing did come in first place with the St. Jude Children’s Hospital Charity Race, where Halmar International donated $5,000 bringing the total to $21,431.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 36

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 37

HALMAR HELPING TOWNS

LOSING BY A NOSE...

n conjunction with the Brooklyn Nets and the Rebuilding Together Organization, Halmar recently helped to paint some Brooklyn public school cafeterias and bring in a fresh new coat of good cheer all at once!

What’s the length of a horse’s nose? Just how close is close?

Twilight Eclipse knows. Twice now he’s lost by just a nose! But we know next time he’ll get the gold. After all, the nose knows!

I

Take a look at more before-and-after pictures on the PORTAL to witness our expert mural painting abilities firsthand. And an extra-special thanks to Halmar team member, Stephanie Jackson for volunteering her time to this wonderful cause. Halmar International and the Brooklyn Nets truly appreciate it.

HALMAR AT THE TRACKS

H

almar International isn’t just involved in construction, we’re also a high octane race team consisting of three cars with some of the most award winning and decorated drivers to rock the Orange County Speedway. With Willy Auchmoody, the 1998 Orange County Fair Speedway Pro Stock Champion and 2005 All-Star Truck Series Champion with over 30 career wins and Mike Ricci, the 5th all-time champion driver in the history of the Orange County Fair Speedway and multiple track championships

CHEER THE HALMAR CAR AT EASTERN STATE

totaling over 100 career wins.

While the Halmar “pit crew” was there supporting the race team, we could have used a few more people cheering them on. So be on the lookout for the next free, Halmar-sponsored event and hopefully we’ll bring home the gold next time.

Though we’re going to need a bigger table with all the awards we’ve been winning lately.

This year, the 53rd Annual festival of speed---the oldest consecutively-run championship event for dirt track Modified stock cars in the country. It’s three action-packed days of high speed racing excitement that culminates with the Eastern States 200, the “granddaddy” of all fall championship races and the Halmar Car will be leading the pack!

So join us in wishing Twilight Eclipse good luck at the Breeder’s Cup, and stay tuned for the latest exploits of Twilight along with the entire stable of Halmar Horses: Flashy Gray, Toasting, StarOfCountyDown and WinByANose.

“I jumped at the opportunity to work with the NBA as a part of the ‘Rebuilding Together NYC’ team. This was actually the first time I’d ever painted anything in my life. The entire event was such a wonderful, hands-on and heartfelt experience. I love giving back to the community in any way, shape or form and I’m glad that Halmar does too!”

HALMAR FANFEST

TAKE A LOAD OFF

I

H

n conjunction with the NJ Devils, Halmar was proud to display the Halmar Edition, fully-customized NJ Devils Truck, a Ford F150 STX, at the first official Fanfest of the hockey season.

M

arketing team members distributed over 400 pamphlets detailing information on the sweepstakes and how Devils fans (and Ford enthusiasts) can go about entering to win this red and black vehicular powerhouse, completely free! Pictures of the event are live on the company portal.

almar is proud to be a partner in the NJ Devils’ ‘My Town’ program, which highlights communities throughout New Jersey. Halmar is providing benches for fifteen of the ‘My Town’ communities.

As an added part of this partnership, Halmar will be showcased in an in-game feature in conjunction with the ‘My Town’ series.

Our good friends at Leisure Craft, Inc. fashioned these beautiful, customized benches. The bench situated in the main office building proudly bears our corporate logo in pristine white against a striking navy blue background. So next time you take five, be sure to give it a test-ride and let us know how you like it!

HALMAR INTERNATIONAL & HALMAR RACING HELPING CHILDREN IN NEED

What better way to show this off than with the Halmar Sponsored race night at the Orange County Speed Way, where we were all treated to a truly awesome night of racing, friends and food. And while Willy didn’t make first place (I say he was cheated), Halmar racing did come in first place with the St. Jude Children’s Hospital Charity Race, where Halmar International donated $5,000 bringing the total to $21,431.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 36

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 37

2014

AT THE YARD CRANE EDITION

L

ee Trogisch, at present, is supervising approximately 150 assorted vehicles down at the Yard in Maybrook, NY. The two latest articles of equipment at Lee’s yard are a 950K Cat Wheel Loader Power Package and an M322D Rubber Tired Wheel Excavator.

Oct.

MO

TU

WE

TH

FR

SA

SU MO

TU

WE

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

1 8 15 22 29

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24 31

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

2 4 11 18 25

3 5 12 19 26

AT LAGUARDIA The ultra-resilient Tadano TR-450XL Hydraulic Rough Terrain Crane that is designed for pick-and-carry operations and for off-road and “rough terrain” applications. Outriggers are used to level and stabilize the crane for hoisting. These cranes are single-engine machines, with the same engine powering the undercarriage and the crane, similar to a crawler crane. In a rough terrain crane, the engine is usually mounted in the undercarriage rather than in the upper, as with crawler cranes. Most have 4-wheel drive and 4-wheel steering which allows them to traverse tighter and slicker terrain than a standard truck crane with less site prep.

COMPANY EVENTS CALENDAR

MO

TU

WE

1 8 15 22 29

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24 31

Dec. TH

FR

SA

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 7 13 14 20 21 27 28

1 3 10 17 24

Nov. TH

FR

SA

SU

4 6 13 20 27

5 7 14 21 28

1 2 8 9 15 16 22 23 29 30

CONSTRUCTION SEARCH

SU

National Holidays / Events Nov. 27 | Thanksgiving Dev. 25 | Christmas Dec. 31 | New Years Eve * Subject to change

NAME THE BRIDGE

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

Our Tadano TR-450XL has the singular distinction of being Halmar’s only crane at present. It checks in at #722 on our official Equipment List and is currently stationed at our LaGuardia site under the watchful guidance of Project Manager, John Cinguina.

Thus far, the trusty Tadano has been hard at work, responsible for setting electrical manholes, rebar cages for pipe piles and concrete pours.

AT PATROON We are also utilizing a Rough Terrain fitted Manitowoc Crane at the Patroon Island site. The Grove RT’s feature rugged deep box section frames designed to handle the tough conditions found on job sites. Four steering modes allow easy maneuvering in tight quarters. Since pick and carry applications are typical for RT’s, Grove units feature excellent on-rubber operation to enhance productivity.

A BIT ABOUT CRANES

John O’Connor

Invented by the Ancient Greeks, cranes have been employed for thousands of years in all manner of construction projects. Cranes exist in an enormous variety of forms – each tailored to a specific use. Sometimes sizes range from the smallest jib cranes, used inside workshops, to the tallest tower cranes, used for constructing high buildings. Mini-cranes are also used for constructing high buildings, in order to facilitate constructions by reaching tight spaces. Finally, we can find larger floating cranes, generally used to build oil rigs and salvage sunken ships, in addition to completing work on some kinds of bridges.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 38

Williamsburg Bridge Queensboro Bridge

Walter White

John has over 20 years in major Bridge Construction

Walter has over 20 years of chemistry research

John has an exemplary safety record

Walter has put safety protocols to the test... Constantly

Brooklyn Bridge Triborough Bridge Throggs Neck Bridge HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 39

2014

AT THE YARD CRANE EDITION

L

ee Trogisch, at present, is supervising approximately 150 assorted vehicles down at the Yard in Maybrook, NY. The two latest articles of equipment at Lee’s yard are a 950K Cat Wheel Loader Power Package and an M322D Rubber Tired Wheel Excavator.

Oct.

MO

TU

WE

TH

FR

SA

SU MO

TU

WE

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

1 8 15 22 29

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24 31

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

2 4 11 18 25

3 5 12 19 26

AT LAGUARDIA The ultra-resilient Tadano TR-450XL Hydraulic Rough Terrain Crane that is designed for pick-and-carry operations and for off-road and “rough terrain” applications. Outriggers are used to level and stabilize the crane for hoisting. These cranes are single-engine machines, with the same engine powering the undercarriage and the crane, similar to a crawler crane. In a rough terrain crane, the engine is usually mounted in the undercarriage rather than in the upper, as with crawler cranes. Most have 4-wheel drive and 4-wheel steering which allows them to traverse tighter and slicker terrain than a standard truck crane with less site prep.

COMPANY EVENTS CALENDAR

MO

TU

WE

1 8 15 22 29

2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24 31

Dec. TH

FR

SA

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 7 13 14 20 21 27 28

1 3 10 17 24

Nov. TH

FR

SA

SU

4 6 13 20 27

5 7 14 21 28

1 2 8 9 15 16 22 23 29 30

CONSTRUCTION SEARCH

SU

National Holidays / Events Nov. 27 | Thanksgiving Dev. 25 | Christmas Dec. 31 | New Years Eve * Subject to change

NAME THE BRIDGE

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

Our Tadano TR-450XL has the singular distinction of being Halmar’s only crane at present. It checks in at #722 on our official Equipment List and is currently stationed at our LaGuardia site under the watchful guidance of Project Manager, John Cinguina.

Thus far, the trusty Tadano has been hard at work, responsible for setting electrical manholes, rebar cages for pipe piles and concrete pours.

AT PATROON We are also utilizing a Rough Terrain fitted Manitowoc Crane at the Patroon Island site. The Grove RT’s feature rugged deep box section frames designed to handle the tough conditions found on job sites. Four steering modes allow easy maneuvering in tight quarters. Since pick and carry applications are typical for RT’s, Grove units feature excellent on-rubber operation to enhance productivity.

A BIT ABOUT CRANES

John O’Connor

Invented by the Ancient Greeks, cranes have been employed for thousands of years in all manner of construction projects. Cranes exist in an enormous variety of forms – each tailored to a specific use. Sometimes sizes range from the smallest jib cranes, used inside workshops, to the tallest tower cranes, used for constructing high buildings. Mini-cranes are also used for constructing high buildings, in order to facilitate constructions by reaching tight spaces. Finally, we can find larger floating cranes, generally used to build oil rigs and salvage sunken ships, in addition to completing work on some kinds of bridges.

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 38

Williamsburg Bridge Queensboro Bridge

Walter White

John has over 20 years in major Bridge Construction

Walter has over 20 years of chemistry research

John has an exemplary safety record

Walter has put safety protocols to the test... Constantly

Brooklyn Bridge Triborough Bridge Throggs Neck Bridge HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 39

HALMAR INTERNATIONAL

HalmarInternational.com HIWAY | 40