Abstract: A construction method for the upright lifting of a large-tonnage box girder to a bridge, and an erection method for the large-tonnage box girder. The construction method comprises: constructing a lifting station (2) at reserved bridge piers (1); disposing a girder lifting base (3), lifter traveling rails (4), and a mounting lifter (6) in the lifting station (2); directly erecting a box girder (7) by the lifter (6) in a way that the lifter (6) travels to a position above the base (3) and erects the box girder (7).

Abstract: Abutment and bridge designs include a bridge superstructure and abutment wherein the abutment has a vertical portion of a backwall that can be fixedly joined to the end face of the bridge superstructure without an interdisposed expansion joint. A downward facing surface of the bridge superstructure can be fixedly joined to an upward facing surface of the abutment, or alternatively, a bearing pad may be disposed therebetween. The abutment may further comprise a backwall made from a plurality of panels fixedly joined to a plurality of supporting piles. The abutments and bridge superstructure may be made substantially from composite materials including recycled structural composite and other thermoplastics.

Abstract: An upper structure for a bridge includes a coping placed on the top end of a pier, and a girder held by the coping, wherein a side surface of the coping and an end surface of the girder are configured as inclined surfaces (or vertical surfaces), wherein a shear key protrudes on one of the inclined surfaces (or vertical surfaces), and a shear key slot is formed in another one of the inclined surfaces (or vertical surfaces) so as to be engaged with the shear key. The present disclosure can reduce the construction cost, can realize improved structural efficiency of the bridge upper structure, can realize an easy installation of the girders, can easily combine the girders with the coping without plastering or fixing with mortar by site work, and can efficiently resist to a shear stress that may be generated in the bridge.

Abstract: A flange connection system for a concrete structure comprising a plurality of adjacent precast concrete members including a platform having a center panel and a first and second flange extending outward from the center panel in opposing directions. The system includes a first and second bent plate each having a horizontal member attached to the bottom surface of the adjacent flanges and a vertical member perpendicular to the horizontal member. The system includes a spacer plate extending in a vertical direction from about a lower edge of the first vertical member to below the first horizontal member and secured between the vertical members of the first and second bent plate with a plurality of fasteners. The first and second vertical member may flex at an upper portion allowing adjacent flange ends to move relative to one another.

Abstract: A replacement bent for shoring a bridge and a method for installing the replacement bent. The replacement bent comprises a metal I-beam sill, telescoping, adjustable posts, and a metal I-beam cap. In one embodiment, the adjustable posts are connected at one end by hinges to the sill beam and are connected at the other end by hinges to the cap beam. In a second embodiment, the adjustable posts are connected at right angles to the cap beam and the sill beam by means of support plates. The posts may be telescoped and thereby adjusted to the necessary distance between the sill beam and the cap beam. The replacement bent is supported on the stub piles from the substandard bent that has been removed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for placing a pile and a pile cap includes a platform having a set of rail wheels, a tower having pairs of opposed arms which are configured to support a hoisting cable and rotatably mounted with respect to the platform. The apparatus may further include outriggers slidably mounted on opposite sides along the longitudinal axis of the platform, ground wheels oriented such that the axes of rotation are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the platform, and a rotating cutting blade movably mounted to the platform proximate the tower. The apparatus also includes a platform having a set of rail wheels, a tower with an arm having a slidably mounted hoisting cable and a slidably mounted counterweight, and a positioning mechanism to selectively position the counterweight along the arm.

Abstract: Modular plastic structural composites having a web section disposed along a horizontal axis and at least one flange section disposed along a horizontal axis parallel thereto and integrally molded to engage the top or bottom surface of the web section, wherein said composite is formed from a mixture of (A) high density polyolefin and (B) a thermoplastic-coated fiber material, poly-styrene, or a combination thereof. Composites molded in the form of I-Beams and bridges constructed therefrom are also disclosed.

Abstract: Modular plastic structural composites formed from a mixture of (A) high density polyolefin and one or both of: (B) a thermoplastic-coated fiber material, or (C) polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate), or a combination thereof. Composites molded in the form of I-Beams and bridges constructed therefrom are also disclosed.

Abstract: In a rigid connection structure of a bridge pier and concrete girder, a joint-equipped PC concrete girder is constituted by burying a rear half part of a shaped-steel joint formed of short shaped-steel respectively in both ends of the concrete girder and protruding a front half part of each shaped-steel joint respectively from each end face of the concrete girder, the respective shaped-steel joint portions protruded from the respective end faces of the concrete girders are supported on a bridge abutment face of a bridge pier while being connected to a connection strip member which arises from the bridge abutment face, and the respective shaped-steel joint portions and the connection strip member are buried in connection concrete which is additionally casted on the bridge abutment face.

Abstract: The method for constructing precast coping for bridge enables for a segment to be match-cast manufactured at the top of a pier body. The method may be applied to small and medium size bridges by introducing transverse tendon force to each segment through tendons after manufacturing a subsegment which is match cast manufactured using sides of a pre-made segment as molding. Further, the method for constructing precast coping for bridge enables to construct precast coping for bridge by easily lifting the coping, which is assembled on the ground, using lifting lugs that are formed on the top of manufacturing segments.

Abstract: A structural system comprised of prefabricated deck units spaced along longitudinal load-carrying members, which produce longitudinal axial compression in deck units by tensioning the longitudinal load-carrying members without the use of standard post-tensioning details. During construction, prefabricated deck units are erected on top of and supported by the longitudinal load-carrying members via leveling devices, which also permit relative motion between the longitudinal load-carrying members and the prefabricated deck units. Jacking apparatuses are used to introduce deck compression by jacking against the longitudinal load-carrying members. This system can be used for new structures and for deck replacement of existing structures.

Abstract: An example method of expanding a highway have a multiple lanes passing under a highway overpass bridge having a center pier is described. The center pier may be between lanes passing in opposite directions. The center pier may be replaced with two replacement central piers having a gap there between. Additional lanes may be added through the gap between the replacement central piers. Various methods of construction and detailed designs for such bridges are also described.

Abstract: A bridge replacement method is disclosed. The bridge includes a deck supported by a pair of abutments, each abutment having wing walls. The deck is removed, footings are cast in holes dug behind each abutment and a pier is provided on each footing. Substantially parallel and coplanar cambered beams are provided. Each beam spans between and is supported by the piers. A brace assembly reinforces the beam camber. On each adjacent pair of beams, precast deck elements are placed, such that each element of said plurality spans the beam pair, to define at least transverse gaps between the elements and put the upper surfaces of the elements in compression in a transverse direction. The gaps are grouted. After grout curing, the brace is adjusted to reduce the beam camber and cause the upper surface of the elements to also be put into compression in a direction parallel to the beams.

Abstract: Modular plastic structural composites having a web section disposed along a horizontal axis and at least one flange section disposed along a horizontal axis parallel thereto and integrally molded to engage the top or bottom surface of the web section, wherein said composite is formed from a mixture of (A) high density polyolefin and (B) a thermoplastic-coated fiber material, poly-styrene, or a combination thereof. Composites molded in the form of I-Beams and bridges constructed therefrom are also disclosed.

Abstract: An end face (20) of one (10a) of two adjacent thick steel plates (10a, 10b) intended to construct a corner joint of a bridge column is formed into a beveled end face (22). Laser beam welding is applied to a root portion (24) of the beveled end face, and arc welding is applied to bevels (26, 28) thereof so that grooves defined by the bevels (26, 28) are filled with weld metal (40).

Abstract: A bridge pier structure is disclosed having a downwardly open footing chamber, an upper buoyant chamber, an upright member that mechanically connects these chambers, and that defines a fluid channel to the footing chamber. A valve is disposed in an upper portion of the fluid channel and configured to attach to a water ejection pump and a vacuum source. The pressure in the footing chamber can be reduced, such that hydrostatic pressure and the atmospheric pressure aids in embedding the footing. Optionally, a vibrating apparatus attaches to the structure to facilitate embedding. The apparatus may also enable the structure to be dislodged after installation, by providing a high pressure air source to the valve. The structure may be installed by towing it to location, positioning it on the waterway bed, and applying a suction to the valve.

Abstract: One bridge pier, two bridge girders and two supporting rods are manufactured in an approximately vertical position. The supporting rods are connected to the top of the pier and to the bridge girders. The bridge girders are brought into the horizontal final position by raising the end points of the bridge girders, which end points are located beside the pier. Finally, the end points (9) of the bridge girders are connected to the pier.

Abstract: A method of installing segmental concrete filled tube members. The prefabricated segmental concrete filled tube member has a hollow pipe filled therein with concrete, and a connection flange shaped in a ring radially extending from the peripheries of both ends of the pipe, wherein the segmental concrete filled tube member is integrally connected with another adjacent segmental concrete filled tube member by the connection flange.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for use in constructing a bridge comprised of a superstructure and a substructure that supports the superstructure and is comprised of foundations and piers. In one embodiment, the apparatus is comprised of a truss structure, a trolley that is supported by the truss structure and used to move materials used to build the bridge along at least a portion of the truss, a support structure for supporting the truss structure, and rotatable lead that can receive a substructure related element from the trolley and be used to rotate the element to a desired position to further the construction of the bridge.

Abstract: A floor slab bridge structure is capable of enhancing the strength with which bridge girders and concrete bridge piers are rigidly joined so as to effectively suppress expansion and contraction, deflection, and distortion of the bridge girders, and to synergistically enhance the strength of connection concrete itself against the expansion and contraction, distortion, etc., to thereby be effective to prevent collapse of a bridge due to a large earthquake. Slab concrete is hammer-set between sides of respective bridge girders, which are spaced apart in a bridge width direction, along a length direction of the bridge girders. Connection concrete, in which bridge girder portions supported on bridge bottom surfaces of concrete bridge piers supporting the bridge girders are embedded, is additionally deposited on the bridge bottom surfaces to form a floor slab bridge structure constituting a rigid joining structure.

Abstract: A template system and column placement method which facilitates the placement of a column resulting in enhanced placement efficiencies for large scale column construction projects. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, a template for column placement can include a frame, at least one pivotal column engagement scaffold coupled to the frame and at least one docking collar extending from the pivotal column engagement scaffold and configured to secure a column to the pivotal column engagement scaffold. Additionally, a base can be provided in order to support the frame.

Abstract: A template system and column placement method which facilitates the placement of a column resulting in enhanced placement efficiencies for large scale column construction projects. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, a template for column placement can include a frame, at least one pivotal column engagement scaffold coupled to the frame and at least one docking collar extending from the pivotal column engagement scaffold and configured to secure a column to the pivotal column engagement scaffold. Additionally, a base can be provided in order to support the frame.