| Better Bridges
Downed I-40 Bridge Opened in Just 47
Days
Contractor Gilbert Central beat a tight timetable
using 24-hour work schedules and new technology.
by Ruth W.
Stidger, Editor-in-Chief
On June 12th, two river barges took out a 500-foot section of the
Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s I-40 bridge, near Webbers Falls,
killing 14. The collision dropped the western-most portion — three spans
or about a third of the bridge, and destroyed three two-column piers.
Originally, the Oklahoma DOT estimated a $15-million repair cost and a
six-month timetable for work on the structure. The bridge normally carries
about 20,000 vehicles a day.
When the repair contract was let to Gilbert Central, Ft. Worth, Texas,
it was for 120 days at a cost of just under $11 million. The contractor
had 57 days to move traffic back onto the bridge, but did it in 47.
Repair was a 24-hour operation under the supervision of ODOT, the
contractor, and Cobb Engineering bridge inspectors.
Work in phases
Work on the bridge progressed in phases. The first included recovery of
vehicles and stabilization of the damaged section. Jensen Construction
completed this $500,000 contract.
Jensen Construction finished the second phase of the work as well —
demolition of the damaged spans and piers. The contract was for about
$850,000.
Demolition and removal of the fallen section was finished in only two
weeks.
Poe & Associates prepared plans for repair, which was phase three
of the work.
The final phase was reconstruction. Gilbert Central started overpass
work before the section removal was complete.
Crews focused first on rebuilding and securing the bridge piers. These
were drilled and poured with concrete.
D.S. Brown’s Versiflex elastomeric bearings, Steelflex modular
expansion joints, and Steelflex strip seal expansion were used to help
rebuild the bridge.
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Workers move into place to begin replacing the
damaged section of the I-40 bridge
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A barge moves equipment into
place to begin work. |
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Blasting helps remove fallen section of the
structure.
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Once the fallen bridge section was removed, jagged
concrete and rebar ends still protruded.
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New materials are positioned on a barge, along with
the equipment needed to place them.
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Ruined concrete and rebar had to be removed during
demolition.
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Workers are hoisted over the damaged area to check
the remaining connection of materials.
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Reprinted from Better Roads Magazine
November 2002 |
