Rapid Bridge Construction: Prefabricated Substructure Elements AASHTO RAC High Value Research Workshop July 27, 2011

Rapid Bridge Construction: Prefabricated Substructure Elements Overview The use of precast substructure components for bridges offers several potential benefits in Wisconsin –Faster bridge construction times –Reduced exposure of workers to safety hazards –Less environmental interference during construction –Fewer weather delays

Rapid Bridge Construction: Prefabricated Substructure Elements Goals and methods –After considering several elements, the project focused on abutment panels and caps for piers and piles –WisDOT conducted a pilot program with precast elements on the U.S. 63 bridge over the Rush River Propose, implement and evaluate a precast substructure system suitable for Wisconsin

Rapid Bridge Construction: Prefabricated Substructure Elements Findings On-site time savings were substantial For a 96-foot span, placing the precast concrete abutment system took only 10½ hours for four workers A comparable cast-in-place system would have required the same workers two weeks to place Cost was an issue The need for a high-capacity crane drove costs higher than expected; investigators recommend lower element weights for future projects

Rapid Bridge Construction: Prefabricated Substructure Elements Outlook Costs should drop and expertise should improve as contractors get more experience with these methods. WisDOT intends to try this technique several times before precasting other substructure elements.

Rapid Bridge Construction: Prefabricated Substructure Elements For more information Wisconsin Highway Research Program project , Rapid Bridge Construction Technology: Precast Elements for Substructures structures/structures_ htmlhttp:// structures/structures_ html Daniel Yeh (608)