CIEM 5380
BRIDGE ENGINEERING
Dr. Barry K.W. Lee, B.Eng, M.Phil, Dr.-Ing, MICE CEng
14 September 2012 Bridge Construction Engineering
General Information
Class : CIEM 5380 – Bridge Engineering
Venue: : Room 4620
Schedule : From 14 September 2012 (Every Friday)
Email : ciem5380@ust.hk
Assessment:
2 written Assignments, 10% each, total 20%
1 mid-term Examination, 30%
1 final Examination, 50%
Course Contents
Construction Engineering
Structural Forms
Loading on Bridges
Introduction to Eurocode Bridge Design
Analysis
Detailing
Bridge Accessories
Special Topics
Planning and design of sea crossing
Long Span Bridges
Ship Impact & Bridge Aerodynamics
Seismic
Structural Health Monitoring System
About me
UST 2nd Batch Graduate
Educated in Hong Kong and Germany
Germany, Denmark, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mainland
China, Brunei, Qatar, Bahrain, Vietnam, Panama, Turkey
and Venezuela
Major Project Experience:
Route 8 Ngong Shuen Chau Viaduct
Stonecutters Bridge
Qatar Bahrain Crossing
Maracaibo 2nd Crossing
Izmit Bay Crossing
Fehmern Belt Sea Crossing
Tuen Mun - Chek Lap Kok Link
Project Photo
Project Photo
Introduction to Construction Engineering
Why we need to know how bridges are
built at this stage?
Close Link between designer’s choice of
bridge deck type and bridge structural
form.
Cater for site constraint
Better cost estimation because labor and
plant are two principle components of cost
built up besides materials.
Avoid collapse/unexpected behavior during
erection (CSB over River Chambal and
Indian River)
Insitu Construction on Falsework
Basic Bridge Construction Method
Provides the designer with the greatest degree of
flexibility with regard to the shape and form of the
structure
Suitable for bridges built over land
Not suitable for bridge over water
Temporary foundation over water is very expensive
Insitu Construction on Falsework
Classical Scaffolding
Insitu Construction on Falsework
Stationary Falsework
Launching Systems
Particularly design for precast segmental erection
Cost economy span range: 30m to 70m.
Time saving
Precast yard factory like segment production can
ensure good quality control and constant production
rate.
Launching System
Launching gantry for balanced cantilever construction
Launching System
Launching gantry for balanced cantilever construction
Animation on operation of Launching Girder
Launching System
Launching gantry for span by span construction
Balanced Cantilever Construction
Span range from 50m to 200m or even up to
300m
Assembling segments by building outwards
from the piers.
Each segment is prestressed as soon as it has
been placed, thereby enabling it to support
itself by cantilevering from its predecessor.
Reduce temporary supporting system
Two types of balanced cantilever methods are
commonly used:
Cast-in-situ balanced cantilever construction
Precast segmental balanced cantilever construction
Cast Insitu Balanced Cantilever Construction
It is ideally suited to box section bridge of
medium to long span, where the total bridge
length is not long enough to justify using precast
segments.
Form traveler is
normally used
Prestressing
arrangement
Precast Segmental Balanced Cantilever Construction
Segments can be erected by crane,
launching gantry or lifting fame
depending on scale of the bridge,
weight of the segment and most
importantly the site constraint.
Feasible span range is 30m to
70m. World record is 150m (very
unusal)
Concrete age are several weeks
older or even longer when they are
erected. (what is the implication?)
A considerable proportion of the
shrinkage of the concrete will also
be completed before erection.
(what is the implication?)
Span by span
It can either be cast insitu or precast segmental
Simply supported system is used.
Continuity slab is used widely in America and
middle east to improve the riding comfort.
Incremental Launching
Incremental Launching Animation
Typical span range is around 30m to
55m.
Longer span is feasible but intermediate
support is required.
Construction rate is approximately 15 to
25m per week.
Conventional launched bridge decks
require typically up to 20% more
prestressing steel than bridge built by
other methods. (Why??)
Precast Beams
A mature bridge form used anywhere in
Australia.
Maximum 40m span (using Australia
super T beam).
Comparison
Span Range [m] Construction Speed [metres/week]
0 100 200 0 50 100 150 200
(1) Classical scaffolding and stationary falsework
(2) Launching Girder/Gantry
- In situ concrete construction
- Precast elements
(3) Precast beam
(4) Cantilever
- In situ concrete construction
- Precast elements
(5) Incremental launching
- without temporary support
- with temporary support
(7) Heavy lifting
INFLUENCE OF THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION ON DESIGN
Construction on Scaffolding or Falsework
Economically use of scaffolding
(1) Structure is to be constructed over land and when the
ground conditions are good.
(2) Structure is relatively close to the ground,
(3) Structure is of modest length,
(4) Settlement of soil due to superimposed dead load is very
little,
(5) No major obstacles to be crossed by falsework
Example of a 2 spans bridge
INFLUENCE OF THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION ON DESIGN
Balanced Cantilever
The length of the cantilevers will be approximately half the span
length on either side of the pier.
Once the crew overcame the learning curve, 3 pairs per day
production rate in Hong Kong construction site can be achieved
It would obviously simplify the construction if the end span were
to be half the length of the adjacent span, however this
arrangement would result in uplift of the bearings at the end of
the bridge due to the action of traffic live load.
One way to avoid this is to increase the length of the end span by
means of increasing the length of end span, those addition length
(against the balanced cantilever length shall be erected the
precast on falsework.
INFLUENCE OF THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION ON DESIGN
Balanced Cantilever
For haunched bridge, 60% of the main span length is a good ratio
to avoid uplift.
For constant depth, 70% of the main span length is adopt
Discussion:
What happen if the end span cannot be longer than the figure
mentioned above?
Support System:
Pros and cons of bearing support system?
Pros and cons of monolithic system?
INFLUENCE OF THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION ON DESIGN
Balanced Cantilever
Design Considerations:
Single box or multi-box?
Top Slab Thickness?
Web thickness?
Prestressing System
Cantilever tendons
Continuity tendons
External tendons
INFLUENCE OF THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION ON DESIGN
Incremental Launching
Only for constant depth (i.e. not suitable for bridge with haunch)
Alignment of the bridge need to be straight or on a constant
circular curve.
Feasible deck type:
1. slabs
2. ribbed slabs
3. single/multiple box girders (preferred, will be elaborated in
prestressing design)
Prestressing Design:
Stage 1: Straight tendons in top and bottom slab.
Stage 2: Profile continuity tendons
