PCI: 2019 Transportation Design Awards

2019

TRANSPORTATION

DESIGN AWARDS

04 I-15 Over Virgin River

BEST BRIDGE WITH A MAIN SPAN FROM 76 TO 149 FT (23 TO 45 M)

06 Northwest Corridor Express Lanes

BEST BRIDGE WITH A MAIN SPAN MORE THAN 150 FT (46 M)

08 Mid-Coast Corridor Retaining Walls

BEST NON-HIGHWAY BRIDGE

10 The New NY Bridge Project

(Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge)

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2019 PCI DESIGN AWARDS

BEST TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SOLUTION

TRANSPORTATION DESIGN AWARDS

JURY

Reggie Holt Senior structural engineer,

Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C. Reggie Holt is a senior bridge engineer and the concrete bridge specialist in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) office of Bridges and Structures at FHWA Headquarters in Washington DC. In this position, he is responsible for national policy and guidance on bridge design and analysis. Holt has a bachelor of Science and masters of science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland. Holt is a registered professional engineer and member of multiple technical committees including: ex-officio for the AASHTO T-10 Committee on Concrete Design, PTI Post-Tensioned Bridge Committee, PTI grouting committee, PTI Cable Stay Bridge Committee and the PTI/ASBI grouted post-tensioning committee. In addition, Holt has participated on multiple NCHRP technical review panels and has been appointed to multiple Blue Ribbon Panels and Expert Task Groups throughout his career.

Bill DuVall

State bridge engineer, Georgia Department of Transportation, Atlanta, Ga.

Bill DuVall has more than 25 years of experience in bridge design, maintenance, and inspection. He is currently the state bridge engineer for the Georgia Department of Transportation and was previously an assistant state bridge engineer and a state bridge inspection engineer. He is also a member of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Committee on Bridges and Structures. DuVall has a master’s degree in civil engineering from Georgia Tech and is a licensed professional engineer in Georgia.

JP Binard owner, Precast Systems Engineering, Exmore, Va. JP Binard has owned and managed Precast Systems Engineering (PSE) since July 2016. His team provides engineering services relating to precast and prestressed concrete or ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) components for the bridge, building, and marine industries. Some of his most notable current projects include precast concrete consulting on the Western Railyard Platform for Hudson Yards and serving as construction engineer for the LaGuardia Frontage Road project. Prior to his tenure with PSE, Binard was chief engineer for Bayshore Concrete Products. Binard has served on many PCI committees, including his current roles as chair of the UHPC Subcommittee to the Committee on Bridges; chair of the Prestressed, Precast Concrete Pile Committee; and member of the Committee on Bridges, Lateral Stability Subcommittee. He received his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the University of Nevada.

BEST BRIDGE WITH A MAIN SPAN FROM 76 TO 149 FT (23 TO 45 M) Key Project Attributes ❚ The project team sequenced construction to limit its environmental impact during breeding and migration periods for threatened and endangered species. ❚ Using precast concrete girders eliminated the need for routine maintenance to superstructure elements, thereby reducing the future impact of the bridge on the sensitive river channel. ❚ A 750-ton crane was used to set the girders in the center section of the three-span bridge to speed erection and keep the bridge open throughout construction.

Project and Precast Concrete Scope

❚ Rapid construction of a 416-ft-long bridge over a sensitive riverbed. ❚ The project included 42 precast concrete girders and 450 precast concrete partial-depth deck panels. ❚ Phase 1 construction was completed in 11 days, and phase 2 construction was completed in 18 days.

“Even with this aggressive schedule, difficult construction phasing, environmental constraints, challenging traffic control requirements, and future compatibility elements of the design, the total change orders on this $25 million project were only 0.75%.”

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2019 PCI DESIGN AWARDS

— Lee Cabell, Horrocks Engineers

I-15 OVER VIRGIN RIVER

ST. GEORGE, UTAH The Interstate 15 (I-15) Brigham Road Bridge replacement is one of many Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) projects constructed with precast concrete, a material that brings so many benefits to these infrastructure investments.

The design features precast concrete partial-depth deck panels to replace the formwork and half of the concrete and reinforcing bars. Historically, these project elements have been cast-in-place on the jobsite, but a cast-in-place design would not meet the project goals, says Spencer Stephenson, project engineer with Horrocks Engineers. UDOT and the design team developed an aggressive 11-month construction schedule that required construction be substantially completed before the winter season. “Choosing precast concrete shortened the construction duration so that the critical-path construction schedule elements could be met and the project completed on time,” Stephenson says.

PROTECTING FLYCATCHERS The construction timeline was further complicated because the bridge is built over the Virgin River floodplain, which provides critical habitat for several threatened and endangered (T&E) species, including the southwestern willow flycatcher and the Virgin River chub. The construction teams had to be mindful of breeding seasons and minimize disruptions to the ecosystem of the delicate environment. “The biggest risk in meeting the tight timeline was getting critical bridge substructure elements installed within those environmental constraint windows, while also dealing with the flooding events from the Virgin River,” Stephenson says.

To complete the project, the river had to be shifted from its original course so the drilled shaft foundations could be placed, and construction could not take place during summer months when the habitats were most vulnerable. The project team installed the substructures and columns prior to the restricted period and sequenced construction to avoid impacts during sensitive breeding and migration periods for the T&E species.

To shorten the duration of disruption, the Horrocks team developed a strategy with the girder fabricators to complete the inside lanes of the new structure in the spring and the outside lanes in the fall. “The strategy was contingent on a quick start, with drilled shaft foundation installation for both phases of construction being the critical path,” explains Lee Cabell, project manager for Horrocks. The phasing and methodology used to complete the bridge structure efficiently allowed the team to work within the environmental constraints and keep two lanes of travel on mainline I-15 open at all times throughout the duration of the construction. This strategy reduced delays for motorists and ensured the safety of the traveling public by virtually eliminating back-up on I-15.

Photos: Juan R. Sanchez/Forterra.

OWNER:

Utah Department of Transportation, Salt Lake City, Utah

PCI-CERTIFIED PRECAST CONCRETE PRODUCER: Forterra Structural Precast, Salt Lake City, Utah

ENGINEER OF RECORD:

Horrocks Engineers, Pleasant Grove, Utah

GENERAL CONTRACTOR:

Meadow Valley Contractors Inc. dba ACC Southwest, St. George, Utah

PROJECT COST: $28 million

BRIDGE LENGTH: 416 ft

Once construction was completed, the team restored and revegetated the floodplain habitat with willows and natural vegetation, and installed T&E-friendly voidless riprap for erosion protection during flood events.

Going forward, the decision to use precast concrete will have lasting benefits, Stephenson notes. “Using precast concrete girders eliminates the need for routine maintenance to the superstructure elements,� he explains. These long-term benefits lower the overall cost of the project and will protect the sensitive river channel for decades to come.

BEST BRIDGE WITH A MAIN SPAN MORE THAN 150 FT (46 M) Key Project Attributes ❚ The project was the first design-build-finance for the Georgia Department of Transportation. ❚ The use of precast concrete elements minimized traffic disruptions and the environmental impact on sensitive adjacent lands. ❚ A 182.4-ft-long precast concrete bulb-tee girder used on the project is the longest such girder used in Georgia.

Project and Precast Concrete Scope

❚ Create a managed-lane solution to relieve traffic congestion along a 29.7-mile-long corridor in Georgia. ❚ Project scope included 30 bridges constructed with precast concrete beams. ❚ Each precast concrete bent cap required one and a half hours to erect in the field, which allowed 12 to 16 precast concrete bulb-tee beams to be erected per week.

NORTHWEST CORRIDOR EXPRESS LANES MARIETTA, GA.

The Northwest Corridor Bridge project in Marietta, Ga., was in the planning stage for more than 15 years. The goal of the project, which was finally completed in 2018, was to add a managed-lane solution that would relieve congestion in this fast-growing metropolitan area and increase traffic capacity along a 29.7-mile corridor.

When the project was awarded in 2013, it was the first design-build-finance project procured by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), says Alan Kite, structure design lead. The project was led by a construction joint venture that financed up to 10% of the project’s cost at GDOT’s discretion.

Along with the budgetary issues, the jobsite faced many logistical obstacles, including horizontal and vertical restrictions, the need to protect sensitive natural environments, and a constant flow of traffic on the southbound interstate. “Minimizing impacts to the adjacent wetlands, utilities, and traffic while constructing piers was a major challenge on this project,” Kite says.

The design had to overcome these obstacles, while still providing an economical and practical construction approach, says Bill Little, design manager for Parsons, the engineer of record for the project. “After collaboration between the design team, fabricator, and erector to address potential transportation, stability, access, and erection issues, we determined that using prestressed concrete girders provided the optimal solution.”

Precast, prestressed concrete girders were selected because of their high durability, low maintenance requirements, excellent quality, and low cost compared to other construction materials, Little says. “In addition, the prestressed concrete girders provided better transportation options, lead times, and lower procurement costs compared to a deep steel plate girder option for these spans.”

ONE PROJECT, 30 BRIDGES “Using precast concrete provided simpler designs, faster fabrication and erection, economy and durability, and a consistent aesthetic theme throughout the corridor.”

— Bill Little, Parsons

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2019 PCI DESIGN AWARDS

The project scope included 30 bridges, all constructed with precast concrete beams. The mainline viaduct bridges consist of prestressed concrete bulb-tee beams supported on single-column hammerhead piers, with bridge lengths ranging from 1250 to 5981 ft to span roads and railroads, highway on- and offramps, streams, and wetlands.

Prestressed concrete beams were used throughout the project, including bulb-tee or AASHTO beams on all secondary bridges. “Using precast concrete elements for pier construction allowed for a faster construction process, with most bridges going up over the course of a single night with only partial lane closures,” says Timothy M. Williams, chief engineer with Archer-Western Contractors.

The successful delivery of this project demonstrates the benefits of a design-build delivery method that could transform the way Georgia approaches

Photos: Parsons, Aerial Innovations of Georgia Inc., and Northwest Express Roadbuilders.

OWNER:

Georgia Department of Transportation, Atlanta, Ga.

PCI-CERTIFIED PRECAST CONCRETE PRODUCER AND PRECAST CONCRETE SPECIALTY ENGINEER: Standard Concrete Products, Atlanta, Ga.

ENGINEER OF RECORD:

Parsons, Peachtree Corners, Ga.

GENERAL CONTRACTOR:

Archer-Western Contractors, Marietta, Ga.

bridge project planning in the future. “Parsons, GDOT, and several other state and private agencies are working together as a team to ensure that the quality, schedule, and financial performance of this project set the bar for future design-build mega-projects, both in this state and around the country,” Kite says. “This project will improve safety and mobility for the entire interstate corridor.”

PROJECT COST:

$600 million

BRIDGE LENGTH:

30 bridges ranging from 52 to 5981.4 ft

BEST NON-HIGHWAY BRIDGE Key Project Attributes ❚ Use of a precast concrete design accelerated construction, getting a delayed project back on track. ❚ Controlled concrete mixtures provided high strength and high corrosion resistance. ❚ Some walls were built using post-tensioned concrete to increase their strength and allow a two-piece counterfort with horizontal and vertical components.

Project and Precast Concrete Scope

❚ Build 7900 ft of precast concrete retaining walls to support light rail. ❚ The project delivered precast concrete to create 86,000 ft2 of retaining wall. ❚ The wall height reaches 23 ft in some places.

“Time constraints, limited access, and design challenges associated with construction within an active railroad area were overcome by using precast concrete elements, storing them on-site, and erecting them very quickly within the railroad area to reduce the construction duration and limit disturbance.”

— Kaushal Shah, BergerABAM

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2019 PCI DESIGN AWARDS

MID-COAST CORRIDOR RETAINING WALLS SAN DIEGO, CALIF.

If you have spent time in San Diego, Calif., chances are you have seen the 2019 non-highway bridge award winner. The new Mid-Coast Corridor Retaining Walls extend the light-rail infrastructure from the Old Town neighborhood of San Diego north to La Jolla, Calif., and provides a second heavy-rail track through the entire corridor. The walls were built along the railroad rightof-way to increase the width of the corridor and allow for three additional sets of railroad tracks to be constructed.

The original design used soldier pile walls and mechanically stabilized earth to meet the project goals; however, the designers shifted to a precast concrete counterfort retention system when they recognized the many benefits that this solution would bring to the project, says Jeremy Kirkpatrick, precast concrete wall contractor with SRK Engineering. “Precast concrete elements significantly reduced the construction time by eliminating shoring, eliminating concrete-curing time, and reducing the delays associated with working within the active railroad corridor.”

Monolithic counterforts were developed for the project, and one tier of counterforts could be used for walls up to 14 ft high. Standard prestressed hollow-core concrete panels, which are commonly used for parking structures and other buildings, were used for the wall panels. “The panels are lighter and stronger, and they can therefore span 15 ft or more between counterforts,” says Erick Aldrich, principal engineer with SRK Engineering. Controlled concrete mixtures were used to create high-strength precast concrete with a high corrosion resistance. Some walls were built with post-tensioned concrete to increase their strength and allow a two-piece counterfort with horizontal and vertical components.

FLOODS, EARTHQUAKES, AND MOVING TRAINS This project faced many challenges from the outset. The walls must be extremely durable to accommodate significant railroad loads, extreme floods, and seismic demands (the Rose Canyon Fault runs directly beneath the project site). One of the walls was built adjacent to a 72-in.-wide sewer main, which had to be protected from the surcharge loading from the wall, Aldrich says. Also, throughout construction, workers had to stop work every time a train passed by the site.

When the project team began its work, the project was already behind schedule.

That was when the benefits of precast concrete construction became very apparent, Aldrich says. Even with the many constraints, the precast concrete wall system went up rapidly, with one wall erected in just 48 hours during a track shutdown period. “Precast concrete elements were stored on-site, and erecting them very quickly within the railroad area reduced construction duration and limited disturbance,” Kirkpatrick says. “That mitigated the time constraints and the limited access to the site within an active railroad environment.”

OWNER:

San Diego Association of Governments, San Diego, Calif.

PCI-CERTIFIED PRECAST CONCRETE PRODUCER: Clark Pacific, Irwindale, Calif.

PRECAST CONCRETE SPECIALTY ENGINEER: Oldcastle Precast, San Diego, Calif.

ENGINEER OF RECORD:

BergerABAM, Federal Way, Wash.

GENERAL CONTRACTOR:

MCTC, San Diego, Calif.

TOTAL COST OF PRECAST CONCRETE: $13.5 million

PROJECT SIZE:

7900 ft long

Photos: Erick Aldrich.

THE NEW NY BRIDGE PROJECT BEST TRANSPORTATION SPECIAL SOLUTION Key Project Attributes ❚ Four crossbeams, weighing nearly 3000 tons in total, were cast on a barge and shipped to the site for installation. ❚ The approach viaducts are composed of 19 five-span units, with each span stretching 350 ft from pier to pier. ❚ Permanent precast concrete tubs act as a form for waterline pile caps, reducing environmental disruption and in-water work.

Project and Precast Concrete Scope

❚ Design and build twin 3-mile-long bridges over the Hudson River. ❚ Project included 60 precast concrete pile caps, 59 precast concrete pier caps, and 6806 precast concrete deck panels. ❚ One of the largest cranes in the United States set the heaviest sections into place.

“From the pile foundations to precast concrete substructure and superstructure elements, scalability allowed for cost-effective design, fabrication, and construction.”

— Jamey Barbas, New York State Thruway Authority

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2019 PCI DESIGN AWARDS

(GOVERNOR MARIO M. CUOMO BRIDGE) TARRYTOWN AND SOUTH NYACK, N.Y.

Governor Cuomo of New York now has the privilege of having two 16,000-ft-long bridges named in his father’s honor. These two structures linking Tarrytown, N.Y., to South Nyack, N.Y., over the Hudson River will help streamline traffic while also adding an element of beauty to the river scene.

“The bridge has been honored by the communities it serves by being recognized as a ‘Work of Art’ by the county art organization and council,” says Jamey Barbas, project director, New York State Thruway Authority.

Constructing this river crossing was no small feat. The nearly $4 billion project was the largest construction project in the history of the New York State Thruway Authority, and one of the largest bridge projects in the nation. “The key challenge on the project was simply one of sheer size,” Barbas says. “The bridges cross over one of the widest points of the Hudson River, covering a distance of 3.1 miles.” Using precast concrete elements helped the designer tackle this challenge while keeping scalability in mind. “Applying the efficiencies of precasting was pivotal to delivering this mega-project,” she says.

BARGING IN The project involves six linear miles of bridge composed of 85% approach viaducts and 15% cable-stayed structures. “The project used a vast amount of precast concrete materials, including pile caps, pier caps, road deck panels, and crossbeams between its eight iconic towers,” Barbas says. Almost all (95%) of the piers and their foundations are waterborne, which made construction difficult.

To expedite construction and limit the amount of fabrication/casting performed over water, the designer developed precasting techniques to reduce on-site construction. The four 60- and 70-ft-long crossbeams, which weigh nearly 3000 tons in total, were cast on a floating barge in Chesapeake, Va., and transported by barge directly to the main span for installation. Instead of using sheet-pile cofferdams for pile caps, which would have been a labor-intensive method with an unacceptable environmental impact, the designers developed a permanent precast concrete tub system as a form for the waterline pile caps. The tubs, which weighed an estimated 360 tons each, were shipped by barge to the project site and lifted into place over previously driven piles.

“This strategy yielded a huge benefit in terms of the schedule, reduced volume of in situ concrete placement, enhanced worker safety, and a reduction in the environmental risks otherwise associated with pile cap construction using cofferdams,” Barbas says.

To manage the giant precast concrete elements, the project used one of the largest lifting cranes in the United States, and a 16-acre staging area at the Port of Coeymans in Albany County, N.Y. “The location of these staging yards alongside the Hudson River allowed the builder to readily barge the materials directly to the project site for installation with this large crane,” Barbas explains. The project met all of its goals and has resulted in a signature structure that will serve more than 50 million travelers annually for decades to come.

Photos: New York State Thruway Authority.

OWNER:

New York State Thruway Authority, Tarrytown, N.Y.

PCI-CERTIFIED PRECAST CONCRETE PRODUCERS:

Bayshore Concrete Products Corp., Cape Charles, Va.; Coastal Precast Systems, Chesapeake, Va.; Fort Miller Company, Inc., Schuylerville, N.Y.; Unistress, Pittsfield, Mass.

ENGINEER OF RECORD:

HDR, Pittsburgh, Pa.

GENERAL CONTRACTOR:

Tappan Zee Constructors, Tarrytown, N.Y.

PROJECT COST: $3.98 billion

PROJECT SIZE: 6 miles

Congratulations GDOT!

AN INNOVATIVE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP SOLUTION SCP congratulates GDOT, Northwest Express Roadbuilders, and all the other parties involved.

STANDARD CONCRETE PRODUCTS Photo: ©Parsons

www.standardconcrete.net

Photo: ©Aerial Innovations of Georgia, Inc.

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Photo: ©Aerial Innovations of Georgia, Inc.

DESIGN AWARDS 2019

Photo: ©Parsons