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Innovative Bridge Research
U.S. Department of Transportation Announces
Recipients of Innovative Bridge Research and Deployment Project
Funds
The Secretary of Transportation announced the recipients of the
Innovative Bridge Research and Deployment (IBRD) program funds for
2009 on June 24. More than $5.2 million in grants were given to
14 states for 20 bridges. Fourteen of the bridge projects involve
reinforced or prestressed concrete bridge elements, accounting for
$3.5 million (67%) of the grants.
California was awarded $470,000 for innovative elements in two
bridges. The Indian Springs Under Crossing on I-80 will use high-performance
concrete (HPC) to increase the durability of the bridge deck. In
Los Angeles County, the Slide Canyon Bridge on State Route 2 will
employ high-performance materials to improve the strength and durability
of the bridge deck.
Innovative projects with self-consolidating concrete (SCC) will
be undertaken in Kentucky, Virginia, and Washington State. Kentucky’s
bridge is the Indian Gap Road over Camp Pleasant Branch in Franklin
County ($255,000). The location of Virginia’s bridge is Campbell
County, and it is the Bridge on Route 712 Over Route 29 ($250,000).
Washington State’s bridge is the Tieton River Bridge on US
Highway 12 in Yakima County ($110,000).
Oregon is specifying a self-curing concrete that sets on its own
with no moisture application, saving time and labor. The bridge
is located in Clatsop County and is the Bridge over the Williamson
River, Highway 422, and Bridge Creek ($355,000).
A number of states are using precast concrete bridge elements to
accelerate bridge construction, including one in a seismic region.
Idaho will use precast concrete elements innovatively for speedier
construction for the State Highway 200 Bridge over Trestle Creek
in Bonner County ($150,000). Michigan will accelerate bridge construction
with precast concrete elements for its Parkview Bridge Over U.S.131
($80,000). North Carolina will also use precast elements to speed
bridge construction for its North Carolina 81 Over Swannanoa River
Bridge in Buncombe County ($110,000). South Carolina, due to its
seismic regions, will use precast concrete bridge connections designed
for seismic regions in the State Road S-31 Bridge Over Waccamaw
River Swamp in Horry County ($300,000).
Two of the states will examine reinforcing bars in reinforced concrete
bridge elements. Minnesota will conduct a comparative study of the
types of steel reinforcing bars most resistant to corrosion using
the Bridges over the Canadian Pacific Railroad in Stearns County
($300,000). Michigan will investigate chemicals to change the characteristics
of steel reinforcing bars to resist corrosion and will incorporate
it in the I-94 Eastbound and Westbound Bridges over Riverside Drive
in Calhoun County ($400,000).
Utah will investigate a light-weight epoxy overlay to seal the
bridge deck on I-80 at Summit Park Crossing in Summit County ($300,000).
The final project involving concrete is in Iowa, where the soil
will be infused and strengthened with concrete before drilling.
The bridge is US 6 and Iowa 192 Over Union Pacific (UP) and Chicago,
Central & Pacific (CC) Railroads, City Streets, and Perry Creek
Conduit in Pottawattamie County ($400,000).
For a listing of all of the IBRD projects, please click on the
following links:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/fhwa0917.htm
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/ibrd/awards2009.cfm
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