Project workers and politicians gathered at the new Donald Bridge near Golden BC to celebrate both its construction and the 50th anniversary of the Trans-Canada Highway, on Sept. 21, 2012.
Photo courtesy of TransBC

A girder bridge is considered the most common and most basic bridge type. In its simplest form, a log across a creek could even be considered a girder bridge. In today’s bridges the long spans allow for a direct connection between two areas without disturbing the area and the wildlife below. The long concrete spans can reach from one side of a river to the other side allowing for minimal disruption below and resulting in a beautiful, functional bridge. Building these concrete bridges requires specialized forms that can accommodate any challenges brought on by the long spans and provide a quick, safe, working solution.

On the Indian Street Bridge and Donald Bridge projects, a girder form system proved to be the optimal solution for building these complex bridge designs. With its self-spanning feature, the girder from system allowed for speedy assembly and disassembly, and quick cycle and reconfiguration times when forming the various shaped pier columns and caps.

Indian Street Bridge

The 3,100-ft. long Indian Street Bridge was designed to provide additional access between the cities of Palm City and Stuart to ease traffic congestion. The new bridge will cross the South Fork of the St. Lucie River in Martin County, as a direct connection between the two cities.

The bridge design has intricate piers with 18 multi-span hammerhead caps. The columns have a wide reveal on the face and large chamfers that continue into the cap. The multi-span hammerhead caps have the reveals die into them with the chamfer transitioning into the cap and feathering.

The 120-ft. long caps and designs called for innovative techniques to be used onsite. To support the formwork off the jacks, Doka used a rocker to distribute the loads instead of a typical spreader beam. Another challenge was to design a form for the custom chamfers and reveals that met the requirements of the project and were also efficient to strip. The reveals and chamfers not only were feathered in design but also had a radius face adjoining intersecting angles.

The Steel Girder forms proved to be the optimal choice because they can span large distances without any additional support or shoring. Additionally, the forms are modular and can be ganged and picked in large sections.

Currently the contractor is involved in setting reinforcing steel and placing concrete for bridge footings, columns and caps, as well as continuing the superstructure construction and setting the beams.

Doka worked closely with Archer Western Contractors to ensure that the formwork solutions chosen would work with the intricate details of the design and to adapt to all changing conditions.

Bridge construction began in April 2011 and completion is expected in April 2013.

Donald Bridge

To improve safety, mobility and capacity for the traveling public, a replacement bridge and approaches were commissioned in Golden, British Columbia, to widen the current stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway from two lanes to four.

The contractor, Flatiron Constructors Canada Ltd., was tasked with forming two four lane bridges. The first was a new four-lane 300-meter long bridge over the Columbia River and the second was a new four lane 130-meter long bridge crossing the active Canadian Pacific Railway. Both structures required the flexibility of a self-spanning system since traditional shoring towers could not be used. The Doka Girder form system offered the ability to span the fast flowing river while forming the four pier caps high above the river itself. There were two different types of pier caps to be formed on the bridge structure. The pier caps ranged in size from 1.42 m deep x 1.90 m wide x 24.43 m long to 2.7 m deep x 3.05 m wide x 24.40 m long. The system was then reconfigured to form the Canadian Pacific Railway Bridge using two pier caps of 1.83 m high x 1.50 m wide x 41.80 m long.

Flatiron faced environmental concerns of the surrounding area including a fishery, wildlife, and sensitive land. The Doka Girder system allowed for a minimal impact as it was suspended above the water crossing, not through it. The Canadian Pacific railway crossing also was required to be built adjacent to an active critical railway corridor that could not be disturbed. This limited access was a challenge and extra planning was needed to provide for the ability to construct without shoring towers due to the water and active railway.

The flexibility of the girder system allowed Flatiron to erect and strip the forms in smaller sections, which saved on the added cost of using a much larger crane. The safety of their employees, clients, subcontractors and the public was Flatiron’s number one core concern. Flatiron adhered to all Doka safety procedures as outlined and also attached a lifeline to the bottom of the Doka Girder panels to allow access to underside of pier caps, providing 100% fall protection.

“For the Donald Bridge Project the versatility of the Doka pier cap formwork system was beneficial as the access below the pier caps was restricted by the Columbia River and steep   work area and transport the assembled system to the pier. The modular system allowed for quick erection as well as efficient removal of the formwork system,” said Rick Morrison, Project Manager, Flatiron Constructors Canada.

The $63 million Donald Bridge project started in February 2011 and was completed in the Fall of 2012. The formwork duration of the project was six months.

Using Doka’s specialized Girder system is a solution recommended for contractors building bridges with long spans, quick deadlines, and overall safety concerns. Both the Indian Street Bridge and the Donald Bridge were constructed quickly, safely, and in accordance with the intricate details of the designs and changing conditions.

This article was contributed on behalf of DOKA.

Captions:

[Indian St 1]  John Blankenmeier, Project Engineer (left) and and Wayne Bennett, Bridge Foreman (right) of Archer Western Contractors at the Indian Street River Bridge Project in Palm City, FL.

[Indian St 2] The 120-ft. long caps and detailed design on the Indian Street Bridge called for innovative techniques to be used on site.

[Indian St 3] The column heights range from 13 ft. to 54 ft. to the underside of the cap.

[Indian St 4 – aerial] The 3,100-ft. long Indian Street Bridge consists of 18 multi-span hammerhead caps all formed with Doka’s Steel Girder formwork.

[ Donald Bridge 1] On the Donald Bridge project, the flexibility of the Girder system allowed Flatiron to erect and strip the forms in smaller sections, which saved on the added cost of using a much larger crane.

[Donald Bridge 2 & 3] Flatiron faced environmental concerns of the surrounding area including a fishery, wildlife, and sensitive land.

Shipments year-to-date (YTD) in 2012 are 88,465,543 net tons, a 5.6 percent increase vs. 2011 shipments of 83,779,688 net tons for 11 months.  2012 shipments through November would annualize at 97 million net tons.

A comparison of November shipments to the previous month of October shows the following changes: hot rolled sheet, up 4 percent, cold rolled sheet, down 3 percent and hot dipped galvanized sheets and strip, down 6 percent.

Source: American Iron and Steel Institute

Kawasaki’s new 95Z7 wheel loader is completely redesigned to meet EPA Tier 4i emission standards with a 16-liter Isuzu 6WG1 diesel engine. The 388-horsepower machine is equipped with a 7.3-cubic-yard bucket and features a striking new appearance with a hood design that improves rear visibility and serviceability. The big planetary automatic-shift transmission has automotive-style smooth shifting from pulse width modulation in the control valve and features a Lock-up Torque Converter to improve fuel economy and performance.

The company says the new loaders are E.P.I.C. — efficient, powerful/productive, intelligent, and comfortable. The loader’s new IntelliTech System uses inputs from the machine to adjust performance to match the conditions. Many of the operations are automatic, while others allow the operator to select functions appropriate for the application or work environment. Diagnostic systems have been improved to allow more detailed data access to troubleshoot issues quickly and accurately. Serviceability has been improved with easy access to the engine, cooling system cores, and filters. Oil change intervals have been increased for the engine and hydraulic systems.

KCMA Corp.; www.kcm-america.com.

Specifications (with 7.3-cubic-yard bucket)

Overall length: 31 feet, 9 7/8 inches

Overall height (top of cab): 12 feet, 2 7/8 inches

Overall height (bucket fully raised): 20 feet, 10 7/8 inches

Overall width (outside tires): 10 feet, 6 3/4 inches

Overall width (outside bucket): 11 feet, 3 7/8 inches

Operating weight (with ROPS cab): 75,790 pounds

Breakout force: 53,730 pounds

The final revised rule will reduce the capital and annual costs of the original 2010 rules by $287 million and $139 million, respectively, while reducing harmful pollutants, including 2,800 tons per year (tpy) of hazardous air pollutants; 36,000 tpy of carbon monoxide; 2,800 tpy of particulate matter; 9,600 tpy of nitrogen oxides; and 36,000 tpy of volatile organic compounds, according to the U.S. EPA.

The final amendments to the 2010 “National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (RICE)” reflect new technical information submitted by stakeholders after the 2010 standards were issued, according to the EPA.

The amendments also specify how the standards apply to emergency engines used for emergency demand response.

Previously owned and operated by Case Power and Equipment, a subsidiary of CNH Construction Equipment, the Sonsray Machinery locations stretch from the San Diego area in Southern California to the Seattle area in Washington.

Sonsray Machinery will provide comprehensive sales, as well as parts and service support, for Case customers through branch offices in El Cajon, Fontana, Santa Fe Springs, Sacramento, Stockton, and Redding, Calif.; Sparks, Nev.; Portland and Salem, Ore.; and Auburn and Marysville, Wash.

The bill — offered by House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) — has a $17 billion base to repay states and local governments for damage. It also  has an amendment by fellow appropriator Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) that added more than $33 billion to cover long-term construction projects to protect critical transport systems against future storms, according to the NSSGA.

The $105 billion Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), the two-year surface transportation reauthorization bill passed last summer, largely maintained federal road and transit spending at previous levels, whereas the relief package will be an injection of billions of dollars into new projects. It provides $2 billion for Departments of Transportation emergency aid fund for highways, according to the NSSGA report.

“I look forward to getting to work to improve our nation’s infrastructure,” Shuster said in a committee press release. “These issues have a tremendous impact on us all — transportation affects how we live our day-to-day lives, how much time we spend with our families and friends, how goods get from one place to another, how much these goods and services cost us as consumers, and how competitive our businesses can be in a global marketplace. In the coming months, the Committee will focus on strengthening the nation’s transportation network and reforming programs for a more competitive and prosperous America.”

The meeting will include approval of the committee rules, oversight plan, subcommittee chairmen and ranking members, and subcommittee assignments.

This meeting will also be webcast. Click on the link to view the webcast.

Coltrane has more than 19 years of tire industry experience, the majority of which was spent at Del-Nat Tire Corp. where he held positions in export, purchasing, and also served as the company’s marketing vice president.

In Coltrane’s new position, he will focus on passenger and light truck product development for North America

Komatsu

Komatsu America Corp.; www.komatsuamerica.com.

Designed to collect leadership data, the index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $725 billion equipment finance sector. Overall, confidence in the equipment finance market is 54.2, an increase from the December index of 48.5, reflecting industry participants’ improved outlook amid ongoing concerns with economic conditions and management of fiscal issues.

“We are still optimistic long term. My concerns are for the short term and the ramifications of the issues our country faces on the economic level,” said Valerie Hayes Jester, president, Brandywine Capital Associates in a press statement. “Demand seems to ebb and flow based upon the day’s headlines.”

January 2013 Survey Results:

The overall MCI-EFI is 54.2, up from the December index of 48.5.

• When asked to assess their business conditions over the next four months, 6.1 percent of executives responding said they believe business conditions will improve over the next four months, up from 5.9 percent in December. 87.9 percent of respondents believe business conditions will remain the same over the next four months, up from 73.5 percent in December. 6.1 percent believe business conditions will worsen, down from 20.6 percent the previous month.

• 12.1 percent of survey respondents believe demand for leases and loans to fund capital expenditures (capex) will increase over the next four months, an increase from 8.8 percent in December. 75.8 percent believe demand will “remain the same” during the same four-month time period, up from 58.8 percent the previous month. 12.1 percent believe demand will decline, down from 32.4 percent in December.

• 18.2 percent of executives expect more access to capital to fund equipment acquisitions over the next four months, up from 14.7 percent in December. 81.8 percent of survey respondents indicate they expect the “same” access to capital to fund business, a decrease from 85.3 percent the previous month. No one expects “less” access to capital, unchanged from December.

• When asked, 24.2 percent of the executives reported they expect to hire more employees over the next four months, up from 23.5 percent in December. 69.7 percent expect no change in headcount over the next four months, up from 64.7 percent last month. 6.1 percent expect fewer employees, down from 11.8 percent of respondents who expected fewer employees in December.

• 87.9 percent of the leadership evaluates the current U.S. economy as “fair,” up from 76.5 percent last month. 12.1 percent rate it as “poor,” down from 23.5 percent in December.

• 6.1 percent of survey respondents believe that U.S. economic conditions will get “better” over the next six months, down from 11.8 percent in December. 84.8 percent of survey respondents indicate they believe the U.S. economy will “stay the same” over the next six months, up from 55.9 percent in December. 9.1 percent believe economic conditions in the U.S. will worsen over the next six months, a decrease from 32.4 percent who believed so last month.

• In January, 30.3 percent of respondents indicate they believe their company will increase spending on business development activities during the next six months, down from 35.3 percent in December. 69.7 percent believe there will be “no change” in business development spending, up from 58.8 percent last month. No one believes there will be a decrease in spending, down from 5.9 percent who believed so last month.