Abstract: A system for rapid, cost-effective construction of highway bridges, traffic verpasses and bypasses, and causeways over water or wetlands utilizes light-lift crane structures together with modular, light-lift bridge sections and an enhanced stabilized crane, using controlled cables, to improve the safety and efficiency of the construction process. Stabilization of the payload against pendulation and rotation enables safe operation in harsh environmental situations such as wind. The construction system utilizes continuous site assembly processes for building bridges and causeways from repetitive modular elements. In some embodiments, the system uses the payload (one or more modular bridge sections) as a component of a stable lifting and positioning system, thereby eliminating the need for heavy auxiliary lifting equipment such as spreader bars and platforms. Lifting cables of the crane are directly attached to the bridge payload, which becomes part of the lifting system during placement.

Abstract: A modular constructional element comprises a truss including first and second longitudinally-extending bars joined by a plurality of transversely-extending bars such that the transversely-extending bars all occupy a first plane, and the first and second longitudinally-extending bars occupy second and third planes on opposite sides of the first plane. One of the longitudinally-extending bars has a substantial width in its respective plane to serve as a deck member in a construction utilizing a plurality of such modular elements. Such modular elements are useful in constructing various types of load-bearing structures, particularly bridges, since they are self-nesting and thereby decrease the volume for shipping, storing and handling, and also obviate the need for separate containers.

Abstract: A truss comprises a pair of spaced, longitudinally-extending bars (or only one such bar), and a plurality of transversely-extending, or diagonal, bars occupying a common plane. One longitudinally-extending bar is disposed in a plane laterally spaced from the common plane on one side thereof, and the other logitudinally-extending bar (when included) is disposed in a plane laterally spaced from the common plane on the opposite side thereof. Such a structure permits a plurality of the trusses to be stored or transported in nesting relationship in order to occupy a minimum volume, and also permits each truss to serve as a modular element enabling any desired number of them to be secured together in building a structural framework of the desired configuration and strength.

Abstract: A rapid deployment stationary bridge. The bridge comprises a central girder lanked by two side girders, each of the central and side girders consisting of a plurality of aligned and connected sections.For deployment the central girder is first assembled on one bank of an obstacle by aligning and interconnecting the constituent sections thereof. As the assembly progresses the central girder is launched by gradual advancing it towards the opposite bank. Some time after the commencement of the assembly and launching of the central girder the side girders are assembled by slidably mounting the constituent sections of each side girder in alignment on one side of the central girder and interconnecting them. In the course of their being assembled, the side girders are launched in such a way that the advancement of the side girders lags behind the advancement of the central girder.