Sustainable Bridge Design
What does a more sustainable bridge project look like?
Kelly Burnell, P.E. – David Evans and Associates, Inc.
Western Bridge Conference – September 21, 2009
What We’re Covering
Sustainability and the Bridge Project Life
Engineer’s Impact – Design and Construction
Engineer’s Impact – Rehab/Demo/Replace
Questions and Opportunities
What We’re Not Covering
Why sustainability is important
Transportation system planning
Relative benefits of different transportation options
Sustainability and environmental regulations
Sustainable engineering office practices
Sustainability and the Bridge Project Life
Bridge
Potential for Engineer’s
Sustainable Influence
Improvement
Transportation Bridge Design Construction Operation - Rehabilitate-
System Function Maintenance Demolition-
Replacement
Bridge Project Life
Engineer’s Impact - Design & Construction
What does a more sustainable bridge project look like?
Lower energy input
Life Cycle Assessment/Greenhouse Gas Inventory
Environmental measure of all aspects of the product life
Extraction and Processing of raw materials
Using product
Recycle/disposal of used product
Transportation at all stages
Engineer’s Impact - Design & Construction
What does a more sustainable bridge project look like?
Lower energy input
Life Cycle Assessment
Tools –
Athena Institute’s Life-Cycle Inventory Reports
University of Bath’s Inventory of Carbon and Energy
Carnegie Mellon’s Economic Input-Output Life-Cycle Assessment Model
Embodied Energy During Construction1
Engineer’s Impact - Design & Construction
What does a more sustainable bridge project look like?
Lower energy input
Increased durability
Increased designed service life
British Standard has been 120 year design life since 1988
Many European Locations require 100 year for major bridge and
tunnel projects
Aesthetic Component
Engineer’s Impact - Design & Construction
What does a more sustainable bridge project look like?
Lower energy input
Increased durability
Simplified Deconstruction
Engineer’s Impact - Design & Construction
Concrete
The Good The Bad
Very durable 6-8% of anthropogenic
Abundant, local raw materials carbon emissions
Precast Options Down-cycled
‘Green’ Concrete
Engineer’s Impact - Design & Construction
Steel
The Good The Bad
High recycled content High energy cost for virgin
Connections facilitate material
deconstruction/reuse Long term durability
Engineer’s Impact – Rehab/Demo/Replace
The Potential
Bridge preservation
The Rehab vs Replace decision
Bridge component re-use
Accurate damage detection
Transportation Bridge Function Design Construction Operation - Rehab-
System Maintenance Demolition-
Replacement
Engineer’s Impact – Rehab/Demo/Replace
The Potential
High performance materials – Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP)
Broadway Bridge – Multnomah County, Portland, Oregon
Engineer’s Impact – Rehab/Demo/Replace
The Potential
Low tech materials – Reuse of existing components
Beaver Creek Bridges – Multnomah County, Portland, Oregon
Questions and Opportunities
What can been done to facilitate more sustainable bridges?
Develop and implement project specifications leading to
extended service life in new bridges, minimum recycled
content in materials, local material usage
Implement Life-cycle Assessment/GHG Analysis early in the
project development
Focus on ease of repair/rehabilitation/reuse
Questions and Opportunities
What other questions do we need to ask?
References
1. Collings, D., An environmental comparison of bridge forms, Proc. ICE, Bridge Engineering,
Vol 159, issue BE4, Dec 2006, pp 163-168
2. FHWA (1997) Lane, Susan et. al., “High-Performance Materials: A Step Toward Sustainable
Transportation” www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/spring97/high.htm, FHWA Vol. 60, No. 4, Spring
3. Hamilton, T., “A Concrete Fix to Global Warming,” Technology Review
http://www.technologyreview.com/Energy/21117/ , MIT, July 23, 2008
4. Olofsson, J. et al., Sustainable Bridge – Assessment for Future Traffic Demands and Longer
Lives SB9.2, www.sustainablebridges.net, Sixth Framework Programme, Nov. 2007
5. Endicott, W. “A Whole New Cast” Aspire
Magazine,www.aspirebridge.com/pdfs/magazine/issue_03/mars_hill_sum07.pdf, Summer
2007 pg 26-34
6. Hunt, L.R., “Development of a Rating System for Sustainable Bridges,” Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, June 2005
7. Carbon Sense Solutions, www.CarbonSenseSolutions.com
