SAI was responsible for the preliminary engineering and final design for the preservation of the Belle Vernon Bridge (SR 0070) over the Monongahela River, NS, and CSX railroads. Bridge preservation activities included full repaint, steel and concrete repairs, seismic retrofits, bearing replacements, and epoxy overlays. Additionally 3-D Analysis of widened deck truss and floor beams, gusset plate analysis, and construction loading evaluation were also performed.
Physical features:
- 2,064′ 12-span steel deck-truss, thru-truss, and multi-girder Belle Vernon Bridge (SR 0070) over the Monongahela River, NS, and CSX railroads.
- 5,000′ of roadway approach (patching, rockfall remediation, base repair, and joint repair) on a four-lane urban interstate limited access highway with an ADT of 42,000.
- Deck consists of river spans (5-7) with two 12′ lanes in each direction with minimal shoulder and approach spans with two to three 12′ lanes in each direction with minimal shoulder for deck area of 132,750 sq. ft.
Other features:
- Substructure units consist of an underpinned concrete cantilever abutment, encased concrete wall piers, multi-column bent, and masonry river piers.
- Performed sounding on all substructures to determine areas requiring repairs.
- Utilized STADD to perform live-load analysis and rating of widened deck truss spans.
- Construction load analysis was utilized to facilitate final CPM schedule.
- Deck remediation alternatives analysis based on chain drag results (epoxy-based overlay).
- Provided collision and fire repair due to truck collision and installed protective sleeves on suspender cables.
- Verification of river spans (5-7) analysis as deck truss in BAR 7 in lieu of 3D analysis and development of controlling BAR 7 run for APRAS permit analysis.
- Signing and pavement marking plan.
- Community involvement, permit acquisition, railroad and agency coordination.
- Utility design and coordination.
- Traffic maintained via phased construction and nighttime lane closures.
Client Owner: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, District 12-0
Completion: 2017
Construction Cost: $22,500,000