Prefabricated Bridge Elements and Systems Innovative Projects

By Elements and Systems

Elements:

Partial-depth Deck Panels (Minor Elements)

panels that 1) provide a precast portion of the deck thickness, 2) serve as stay-in-place forms, and 3) require a composite cast-in-place (CIP) concrete topping to complete the deck thickness.

Full-depth Deck Panels

panels that are prefabricated the full thickness and do not require CIP concrete to complete the deck thickness; may include concrete, steel, fiber-reinforced polymers, and aluminum; overlays may be included.

Beams: More Efficient Shapes

beams with innovative shapes eliminating a construction activity, i.e., spread precast spliced tub girders (eliminating the use of superstructure falsework for CIP construction), adjacent precast beams with CIP deck (eliminating deck forming), adjacent inverted tee beams with full or partial CIP deck, and adjacent deck bulb tees with partial CIP decks.

Pier Cap, Column, and/or Footing

combination of precast and CIP concrete interior support elements, i.e., precast pier cap with CIP column(s), precast pier cap and precast column(s) with CIP pile cap footing, or precast spread footing with CIP column(s).

Abutment Wall, Wingwall, and/or Footing

combination of precast and CIP concrete abutment elements, i.e., precast abutment wall with CIP wingwalls, precast abutment wall and precast wingwalls with CIP footing, and precast footing with CIP abutment wall; also, Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) abutment.

Systems:

Superstructure:

adjacent slab and box beams without CIP deck and with or without overlay; deck bulb tee beams without CIP deck and with or without overlay; composite units with or without overlay; precast segmental box segments; truss spans and arch spans constructed off the bridge alignment; total superstructures moved in with SPMTs, skidded, or launched.

Substructure

bridges with 1) non-prefab deck or superstructure, 2) prefab interior supports that are connected to precast or CIP foundations if multiple span, and 3) precast or CIP abutments.

Total Bridge

bridges with 1) superstructure as defined above or superstructure consisting of spread prefab beams and prefab deck, 2) prefab interior supports that are connected to precast or CIP foundations if multiple span, and 3) precast or CIP abutments; also, prefabricated culverts that meet the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) bridge definition; also, Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Integrated Bridge System.