Precast Options for Bridge Superstructure Design

John R. Fowler, P.Eng.

Canadian Precast/Prestressed Concrete institute
Bob Stofko, P.Eng.
McCormick Rankin Corporation

Paper prepared for presentation at the

Bridges Economical and Social Linkages Session
of the 2007 Annual Conference of the
Transportation Association of Canada
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

ABSTRACT
Precast construction offers many options for bridge owners and designers: Traditional solutions
are I-girders, slab girders and box girders with traditional I-girders being replaced by a new
family of more efficient bulb T girders with depths ranging from 1200 to over 2400 mm. Box and
trapezoidal girders provide lower span/depth ratios and are more aesthetically pleasing.
Each province has their own limitations on the size and weight of bridge members that can be
transported by road. Multi-axle and steerable trailers are available to maximize girder
component size. Spliced girder construction can be used when these limits are exceeded; here
girder elements are erected on temporary scaffolding, connected together and post-tensioned to
achieve spans of 60 to 80 m. Longitudinal post-tensioning through girders for live loading may
reducing the number of girder lines.
Custom solutions can be explored for large projects where the tooling-up costs can be spread
over a large number of similar precast concrete components. The same thing can apply with
new solutions for types of bridges that can be repeated on a variety of sites over a number of
years.
The fast erection of precast bridge components can speed up bridge construction. Installation in
urban areas can occur in off-peak and at night to minimize traffic interruptions. Multiple cranes,
barges, temporary bridges, launching trusses can be implemented on difficult sites to help
protect the environment.
Safe efficient precast concrete construction with built-in durability will ensure the lowest total
cost of ownership for the traveling public.

Span Range: 6 to 17 m
Span/Depth: 25 30
Alberta Hollow Slab Girder

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Bridge designers have a variety of options
available when considering the advantages
of precast concrete construction.
Superstructure design is usually based on
the following parameters:
Roadway width and the provision for
sidewalks and/or bicycle lanes
Bridge length will be determined by what
is being crossed, hydraulic opening
requirements and topography

Width 1206 mm, depth 650 mm

Void diameter 450 mm
Span Range 16 to 20 m

The cost of the bridge relative to the

approaches can sometimes establish
the best abutment location.

Box Girders

Span lengths will be determined by:

Available pier locations
Vertical clearance requirements and
flexibility in road profile
Safety standards
Offset requirements from substructure
elements to adjacent lanes
Relative cost of the superstructure and
the supporting piers

Width: 1220
Depths: 685, 750, 838, 991, 1067, 1300 mm
Span Range: 15 to 32 m
Span/Depth: 25 - 35

Structure depth will be determined by span

length.

Slab Bridge Options

Bridge skew will be determined by bridge

alignment relative to what is being crossed.
2.0 TRADITIONAL SECTIONS
2.1 Slab Bridge Sections
Voided Slab Girders

Adjacent girder bridges are slender and

require no deck forming.
Width: 1220
Depths: 305, 381, 457, 510, 533, 635 mm

Spaced girder bridges require fewer girders

and can be shallower than I-girder bridges.
2.2 CPCI Bridge Girder Sections

Conventional rebar reinforcement

2.3 Channel and Double Stemmed
Bridge Sections

Limited Use: These sections can be

designed using existing double tee forms
and may be suitable for secondary road
bridges.

Depths: 900, 1200, 1400, 1600, 1900, 2300

Span Range: 20 to 45 m
Span/Depth: 15 20

3.1 NU Girders [9]

2.4 Girder Diaphragms

NU Girders are used in Western Canada.

Web width is 180 mm when post-tensioning
ducts are cast in the web for continuity and
splicing sections together.

Bulb-Tee bridge half diaphragms can be

integrally cast at the precast plant and
joined together at the site by welding or
post-tensioning.

3.2 NEBT Girders [10]

NEBT Girders are used in the Maritimes
and Quebec. These are heavier sections
with more cover to protect the reinforcement
against salt exposure.

Bulb-Tee diaphragms can also be structural

steel X-bracing left exposed or cast into the
finished diaphragm.

3.3 Bulb-Tee Manufacturing

3.0 NEW BULB-TEE BRIDGE GIRDER
SECTIONS
I-girders are being replaced by a new family
of more efficient bulb T girders with depths
ranging from 1200 to over 2400 mm.

Welded wire reinforcement is made to order

and bent to size for individual projects.

4.1 Stringer Bridge vs. Slab Bridge

Behaviour [1]

Structural behavior of slab and stringer

bridges
4.2 Slab/Slab Bridge Connections [1]

Horizontal ties joining slab bridge elements

4.3 Continuity
A semi-continuous design approach is
typically adopted to avoid expansion joints
at piers. Girders are erected as simple
spans and are made continuous by casting
the reinforced concrete deck slab and
diaphragms.

Welded Wire Reinforcement [12]

The girders act as simple spans under self

weight and the wet slab load. Under
superimposed dead loads and live load,
girders are continuous, hence the term
semi-continuous. In addition to eliminating
expensive and failure prone joints, this
approach also is more structurally efficient
and economic than one that uses simple
spans.

Welded wire reinforcement is a cost

effective way to place mild reinforcing steel
in precast girders. Cold drawn wires are
welded together in a square or rectangular
grid. While material costs may be higher,
installation costs can be substantially lower.
4.0 GIRDER DESIGN AND MODELING
Precast bridge girders are designed for
shipping and handling stresses as well as
for in-service loads.

Full continuity can be achieved through

post-tensioning (see Section 7 below).

4.4 Integral Abutments

Integral abutment designs have become
very common in the last 10 years for short
to medium span structures (total length of
150m to 200m). In this design, the bridge
superstructure is rigidly connected to the
abutments, thereby eliminating the
abutment expansion joints. Longitudinal
movements of the superstructure (thermal
creep, shrinkage) are accommodated by a
single row of flexible piles that support the
abutment stem. Movements occur at the
ends of the approach slabs where control
joints are installed.

Construction methods, layouts, details,

reinforcing and erection procedures can all
be readily visualized within the model.
Drawings required to produce individual
precast pieces and erection layout drawings
are all generated directly from the software.

This approach is well suited to precast

girder bridges. Like the continuous bridges
described in the preceding section, girders
are erected as simple spans and rigid
connections to the abutments are achieved
by casting a reinforced concrete diaphragm.
Hooked dowels protruding from the ends of
the girders connect with straight dowels
installed through the girder webs to ensure
a rigid connection.
4.5 PC-3D Modeling [13]
Precast bridge components can now be
modeled using precast concrete 3D
technology.

The benefits of using PC-3D modeling

software are numerous. Projects can be
pre-built within the virtual world of the BIM
software. All the geometry, details, and
connections can be developed.
Design issues can be easily identified and
resolved prior to manufacture and erection.
Potential project complications can be
examined within the model, and resolved
prior to issuing drawings for construction.
The use of PC-3D modeling inherently
removes the possibility of misaligned
connections or geometry conflicts, and
provides a database of information useful
for estimating, production, and construction.

This software allows manufacturers and

consultants to readily develop and visualize
the many facets of precast construction.

5.0 GIRDER SHIPPING

6.0 GIRDER INSTALLATION

Bow River Bridges, Calgary, AB

Sixteen 2800 NU girders with main span
sections, weighing over 130 t each, were
shipped over 10 km from the precast plant
and installed at the jobsite.

The use of a mobile crane or cranes is

the preferred method of installation.

Night erection of girders can minimize

inconvenience to motorists.

A launching truss can be used to erect

girders over water crossings.
Barge mounted cranes are also used to
install girders on long river crossings.

Transportation Restrictions
Transportation from the precast plant to the
bridge site can determine the maximum
length of girders.

Multi-axle trailers are used to distribute

the loads
Steerable back dolly trailers help long
girders to turn corners
Local travel restrictions will apply - 50+
m girders have been shipped (see
above)
Travel/time-of-day/escort restrictions will
apply

7.0 SPLICED GIRDER CONSTRUCTION

[8]
7.1 Spliced Girder Benefits
Function - When longer spans are dictated
by site conditions
Safety - Underpasses - better clearances,
sight lines
Improved Navigation - Better flow of ice and
debris
7.2 Spliced Girder Connections
Girders were pretensioned for handling. The
centre span girders were manufactured in
two segments. After the girders were
erected and the diaphragms poured, the
girders were continuously post-tensioned
from abutment to abutment for structural
efficiency.
Owner: Ontario Transportation Capital Corp.
Engineers: M.M. Dillon Limited / Giffels
Associates Limited / Totten Simms Hubicki
Associates Limited

Oldman River Bridge, Taber, AB [17]

5 spans - 3 main spans of 62 m and 2 end
spans of 57.5 m
Composite deck roadway is supported by 4
lines of 2800 NU girders spaced at 2500
mm c/c.
The centre span girders were manufactured
in two segments and post-tensioned
together at the bridge site.
Designer: Campbell Woodhall & Associates

7.3 Examples of Spliced Girder Design

and Installation
7.3.1 Crane Erection
Humber River Bridges, Toronto, ON
Twin Bridges - parallel designs steel/concrete
3 spans - 40 m - 50 m - 40 m
CPCI 2300 girders - 8/span @ 3.0 m c/c
Girder weights - end spans 88 t, centre
span 74 t.

7.3.2 Launching Truss Installation

Owners: Financed/built by Governments of

Canada, Ontario and Quebec
Structural Engineer: DS-Lea Associates
Limited
General Contractor: Dufferin Construction
Company
Parallel designs - steel/concrete

Perley Bridge, Hawksbury, ON [14]

Width 21.8 m (4 - 3.65 m traffic lanes),(2 2m shoulders) + (2 m sidewalk on the West
side)
10 Spans - total length 650 m - 8 main
spans of 68.5 m, 2 end spans of 51 m
Girders, 68.5 m long, consisting of a
haunched segment and 3 straight segments
were assembled and post-tensioned
together behind one abutment. Girders were
winched to the launching truss one span at
a time and installed. Stage post-tensioning
connected the girders together before the
deck was cast-in-place.

Bronte Creek Bridge, Mississauga, ON

[15]
Two four lane bridges
3 spans of 55 m/ 60 m/ 35 m
7 CPCI 2300 girders / span @ 3.18 m c/c
The bridge consists of two separate
structures supported on common abutments.
To simplify construction, the same span
arrangement was used for both structures,
and simply reversed for the eastbound and
westbound lanes. The optimal solution was
precast girders launched from the top of the
23 m deep valley. The 55 and 60 m girders
were assembled from 2 girder segments
were stage 1 post-tensioned together
behind one abutment. A launching truss
was installed between the two bridges.
Girders were winched longitudinally across
the structure and laterally into position using
side-shifter carriages. Continuous stage 2

10

7.4.4 Trapezoidal Girder Bridges [5]

post-tensioning abutment/abutment was

applied to each girder line.
Engineer: McCormick Rankin Corporation
7.3.3 Crane on Barge Installation

Trapezoidal girder sections are a popular

design option because of their strength and
pleasing shape.

Annacis Channel East Bridge, Richmond,

BC [18]
Top flange in
Can make different
depths in the same
form

Parallel designs - steel/concrete

Total - 9 spans 6 lanes - curved alignment
3 main spans - 60 m - 71 m - 60 m
Drop-in girders - 2750 bulb tees - wt. = 112 t
length = 50 m
Cantilever stub girders - 20 m long
Girders were erected using floating cranes.
The main span superstructure consists of
two continuous spans on either side of a
mid-channel simple span. Each 71.4 m
continuous span is formed by erecting 1051.4 m girders from one pier and posttensioning them to 10-20 m stub girders
cantilevering 10 m on either side of the next
pier. Girders were angled slightly at each
joint to follow the horizontal curve and set at
different elevations to achieve the
superelevated bridge alignment. The deck
overhang was varied to achieve the final
deck curve.
Engineers: Willis Cunliffe Tait / Delcan
Contractor: Dillingham Construction

Top flange out

Require a separate
form for each girder
depth

Provencer Bridge, Winnipeg, MB [16]

Bridge is a curved five span, precast, posttensioned, trapezoidal concrete girder
structure.
The bridge used 5 lines of trapezoidal
girders ranging from 25 to 29 m for a total
length of approximately 245 m. Haunched
girders are 3000 mm deep at the pier
locations. These girders were supported on
temporary supports during the construction.
Drop in girders are 2250 mm deep. Girders
were post-tensioned in stages as the
construction progressed.
Client/Owner: City of Winnipeg
Prime Consultant: Wardrop Engineering

11

8.2 Full Depth Bridge Deck Slabs [6]

Full depth precast concrete deck slabs can
be used for both rehabilitation of existing
bridge or for new structures.

8.0 PRECAST CONCRETE DECK SLABS

Common bridge deck construction consists
of prestressed concrete girders or steel
girders supporting a concrete deck slab.
Precast deck slabs can be used when:
The installation and stripping of
formwork is difficult.
The placement of large quantities of
cast-in-place concrete is difficult.
Disruption of traffic is an overriding
concern due to access, safety or user
costs.

Precast bridge deck slabs can either be

reinforced with mild steel reinforcing bars or
with pretensioning strand. In addition,
longitudinal post-tensioning can be used to
stress multiple slab units together after
erection.

Connections to the supporting girders to

achieve composite action can be achieved
by use of grouted, welded or bolted
connections.
8.1 Precast Concrete Partial Depth Deck
Slabs [7]
Precast prestressed concrete composite
bridge deck slabs can eliminate the need for
most field forming. The deck slabs and castin-place top slab act compositely. Mild steel
reinforcement or prestressing strands in the
deck slabs provide the necessary lateral
bottom reinforcement.

Seal Island Precast Concrete Bridge

Deck Replacement [19]
Cape Breton, NS
The project involved the replacement of the
existing cast-in-place concrete deck with
full-depth, precast, prestressed, half-deck
width concrete panels post-tensioned
longitudinally to close the transverse joints

12

and finally transversely once the centre

closure strip had been cast.

The deck design was facilitated by a grillage

model that incorporated all deck
components and accounted for the stiffness
in both the transverse and longitudinal
directions. This ensured that the deck was
fully prestressed in the transverse direction
and that sufficient distribution reinforcing
was present to satisfy the load requirements
at ultimate limit states. The concrete mix
selected is a 45 MPa HPC mix, with air
entrainment, and strict permeability limits
(max. 1,000 coulombs at 90 days). The
resulting deck is a crack-free design under
service conditions.
Edison Bridges, Fort Myers, Florida
The project consisted of two bridges each
one mile long. Each bridge took one year to
build.

Owner: Nova Scotia Department of

Transportation
Design Engineer: CBCL Limited, Halifax
9.0 PRECAST CONCRETE PIER
CONSTRUCTION

The general contractor saved two months

on each bridge by precasting the piers and
caps, minimizing the labour required on site
and over the water. Higher quality precast
components installed near sea water will
increase durability.

Benefits:
Reduced construction time
Reduced inconvenience to the public
during construction
Lower cost
Plant-cast quality precast concrete
Match casting
Better tolerances
Architectural treatments

13

segments, separated by a bond breaker, to

ensure a perfect fit.

Typical segments are 7750 mm long, 2500

mm wide and 1120 mm high, each
containing 3 voids to reduce the weight.
Cap pieces are solid precast, 500 mm high,
to receive the bridge bearings and
superstructure. Typical segments weigh
27.2 t.

Baldoriety de Castro Avenue Bridges

San Juan, Puerto Rico
Create an expressway with:
Separate at-grade intersections
Two intersections, four bridges
100,000 average daily traffic volume
2 overpass bridges 700 ft long
2 overpass bridges 900 ft long
In addition to the precast concrete
abutments and deck girders, all piers and
caps are precast concrete.

Base units were accurately located using

leveling cleats 40 mm above the pile cap,
before the base joint was grouted. A bond
breaker was applied to the underside of the
base unit to accommodate future removal.
Manitoba Floodway Expansion Project
[20]
Temporary Precast Concrete Rail Bridge
Piers:
The temporary piers for the 3 detour rail
bridges use match-cast precast segments,
varying from 3 to 8 segments high. New
segments were cast against previously cast

14

Vertical sleeves were cast through all the

segments for temporary post-tensioning
bars that stressed the segments together.
Dillon Consulting Limited is the lead
consultant in association with EarthTech,
ND LEA, UMA, and Wardrop

Design Manual, Precast Prestressed

Concrete, Fourth Edition, 2007,
Canadian Precast/Prestressed Concrete
Institute (CPCI)

Pfeifer, Donald W., Landgren, J. R., and

Perenchio, William, Concrete, Chlorides,
Cover and Corrosion, PCI JOURNAL, V.
31, No. 4, July-August 1986

ABAM Engineers, Inc., Precast

Prestressed Concrete Horizontally
Curved Bridge Beams, PCI JOURNAL,
V. 33, No. 5, September-October 1988

Einea, Amin, Yamane, Takashi, Tadros,

Maher K., Full Depth Precast and
Prestressed Concrete Deck Panels, PCI
JOURNAL, V. 40, No. 1, JanuaryFebruary 1995

Recommended Practice for Precast

Prestressed Concrete Composite Bridge
Deck Panels, PCI Bridge Producers
Committee, PCI JOURNAL, V. 33, No.
2, March-April 1988

Abdel-Karim, A. M., and Tadros, Maher

K., Stretched-Out Precast Concrete lGirder Bridge Spans, ACI Concrete
International, V. 13, No. 9, September
1991

K. Lynn Geren, Maher K. Tadros, The

NU Precast/Prestressed Concrete
Bridge I-Girder Series, PCI JOURNAL,
V. 39, No. 3, May-June 1994

10.0 DESIGN ASSISTANCE

The PCI Bridge Design Manuals [1]
contains information on all aspects of
precast prestressed concrete bridge
construction. The manuals are written in
accordance with AASHTO LRFD design
criteria.
The structural precast concrete industry
has extensive knowledge and over 50 years
of experience in the manufacturing, delivery
and installation of precast bridge
components.
The industry is ready and willing to work
with ministries of transport, bridge
consultants and contractors under fair
conditions. Consult local CPCI members for
available girder sizes in your area.

10 Alexander K. Barkow, Rita L.

Seradarian, Michael P. Culmo, Design,
Fabrication and Construction of the New
England Bulb-Tee Girder, PCI
JOURNAL, V. 42, No. 6, Nov-Dec 1997

REFERENCES

11 Post-Tensioning Manual, Fifth Edition,

Post Tensioning Institute, Phoenix, AZ,
1990

Bridge Design Manual, Precast

Prestressed Concrete, First Edition,
MNL-133-97, Precast/Prestressed
Concrete Institute (PCI)

12 Wire Reinforcement Institute:

www.wirereinforcementinstitute.org
13 PC-3D Modeling
www.tekla.com
www.structureworks.com

CSA S6-06, Canadian Highway Bridge

Design Code, Canadian Standards
Association

15

14 Perley Bridge, Hawksbury, ON:

http://www.cpci.ca/?sc=potm&pn=month
ly62000
15 Bronte Creek Bridge, Mississauga, ON:
http://www.cpci.ca/?sc=potm&pn=month
ly112002
16 Provencer Bridge, Winnipeg, MB:
http://www.cpci.ca/?sc=potm&pn=month
ly42006
17 Oldman River Bridge, Taber, AB:
http://www.cpci.ca/?sc=potm&pn=month
ly32001
18 Annacis Channel East Bridge, Canadian
Portland Cement Association, E 002.01
WC
19 Seal Island Precast Concrete Bridge
Deck Replacement, Cape Breton, NS:
http://www.cpci.ca/?sc=potm&pn=month
ly92002
20 Manitoba Floodway Expansion Project,
Norman Ulyatt, IMAGINEERING,
Winter/Spring 2007, Vol 1, Issue 2

16

SPEAKER'S BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

2007 TAC Annual Conference
October 14-17, 2007
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

The information you provide on this form will be used by your session chair to introduce you before
your presentation. Please outline your education, current position and responsibilities, and any
special awards or recognition received.
Return this form to TAC with your full paper by April 27, 2007.

Name: John R. Fowler

Paper Title: Precast Options for Bridge Superstructure Design
Session: Bridges Economical and Social Linkages

Biographical Notes:
John R. Fowler, P. Eng., is the president of the Canadian Precast/Prestressed Concrete
Institute. CPCI is a non-profit organization based in Ottawa whose purpose is to advance the
use of structural precast prestressed concrete, architectural precast concrete and posttensioned concrete in Canada. Mr. Fowler, a civil engineering graduate of Queens University,
has served the Institute since his appointment in June 1985.
Fowler is a past chair (1980) of the Canadian Prestressed Concrete Institute. He is a member
of several technical committees, CSA Standard A23.3 Design of Concrete Structures, CSA
Standard S413 Parking Structures, CSA Standard A23.4 Precast Concrete - Materials and
Construction, CSA Standard S806 Design and Construction of Building Components with
Fibre Reinforced Polymers. Fowler served on the Research Board and the Industry Liaison
Board of the Concrete Canada, Network of Centres of Excellence on High Performance
Concrete. He is a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO) and is a
professional member of the American Concrete Institute (ACI), the Precast/Prestressed
Concrete Institute (PCI), the Post-Tensioning Institute (PTI) and is a fellow of the Canadian
Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE).

17

AUDIOVISUAL REQUEST FORM

2007 TAC Annual Conference
October 14-17
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Arrangements for equipment rentals must be made well before the conference. Please complete
this form and return it to TAC with your full paper by April 27.

Please check here if you will NOT be using AV equipment.

Please indicate the equipment you will need for your presentation:
LCD data projector, pointer and screen (Note: Speakers must bring their own
computers.)
VGA (640 x 480)
SVGA (800 x 600)
XGA (1024 x 768)
SXGA (1280 x 1024)
35mm carousel slide projector, remote control, pointer and screen
Overhead projector, pointer and screen
Other
(Please specify.) _____________________________________________________

Name: John R. Fowler

Paper Title: Precast Options for Bridge Superstructure Design
Session: Bridges Economical and Social Linkages

18