Bridges & Structures

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration

MEMORANDUM

We recently completed successfully two pilot presentations of a demonstration project (DP-102) Narrow-Gap Improved Electroslag Welding (NGI-ESW) for welding bridge components. We will soon be selecting 18 sites for demonstrations. The purpose of this memorandum is to seek your assistance to determine which State DOTs are interested in hosting the demonstrations.

We will promote the acceptance and use of the NGI-ESW process through a series of hands-on demonstrations throughout the United States conducted by the Oregon Graduate Science and Technology Institute. There will be three to five demonstrations in each of the areas covered by the four FHWA Resource Centers for a total of 18. The demonstrations will start in March 1999 and continue for about 18 months.

Each demonstration will require 16 classroom hours and will include actual electroslag welding of four butt joints and slide and video presentations concerning many aspects of the NGI-ESW process. The presentations will be conducted in either a fabrication plant or a state materials laboratory. An audience of 30 or 40 persons representing fabricators, private industry, State DOTs, FHWA, and consultants is expected. The demonstration site, will be expected to provide space in a classroom-like setting and shop space for the welding set-up and demonstrations. Welding equipment and materials will be supplied by FHWA.

Considering the logistics of shipping more than three tons of equipment and materials, it seems prudent to select demonstration sites well in advance. Therefore, we suggest that you solicit your States to determine whether the State DOT will be willing to host a demonstration and whether or not they have a suitable facility available. In the near future we will send letters to the fabrication industry through the National Steel Bridge Alliance requesting expressions of interest in the use of their facilities for demonstrations and their participation. After receiving responses from you and the fabricators, we will jointly decide which States will host the demonstrations and whether they will be held in a fabricator or DOT facility.

We believe that this hands-on DP-102 demonstration is essential for quality and success in future production welding using NGI-ESW process. State DOTs and fabricators who are unable to host should be encouraged to participate at locations selected for the demonstrations. The attached flyer provides general information on the demonstration project DP-102 "Narrow-Gap Improved Electroslag Welding for Bridges."

Please respond to Mr. Krishna Verma in the Bridge Division (HNG-32) at (202) 366-4601 by January 15, 1999 with your recommendations.

/s/ Original signed by

David H. Densmore

Attachment

cc: John Hooks HTA-22
Jim Cooper HNR-10