Welded Steel Girder

Still pretty busy with design work, so far today I've been busy designing elastomeric bearing pads with sloped sole plates and making changes to bridge sketch plans.

A couple weeks ago I inspected a welded steel girder bridge in Providence RI which carries I-95 Ramp. The bridge was converted from a three simple span bridge to a three span continuous.

Before we could begin the inspection we had to set up the traffic control which was a pretty good work out compared to standing in a bucket. It was also raining cats and dogs and maybe even some other animals as well.

The inspection and traffic control went pretty smooth and we were even able to get pictures of the tops while there was a lull with the weather. 

Cast In Place Concrete Box Beams

Happy Cinco de Mayo, a couple weeks ago I inspected a cast in place concrete box beam bridge which spans over Oxford Street in Providence RI.

This was my first time inspecting a cast in place concrete box beam bridge and figuring out what beam you are at was a small task but was made easier with exposed rebar chair feet.

The bridge was widened a couple times and now has three new prestressed butted box beams at the North and two along the median. 

Concrete I-Beam

I have been pretty busy the past couple weeks with design work for five bridges out in Western Mass.

A few weeks ago on I was out Providence RI inspecting the Public Street bridge. The bridge consists of 24 concrete I-Beams.

The bridge was strewn with pigeons and their debris and waste which made a messy rainy day even messier.

  

Several of the beams had spalling at the ends along with bulging elastomeric bearings and a few locations the beams were touching the abutment bridgeseats.