Guidelines for Designing Bridges in

Michigan Suitable for Local Agencies

Christopher Eamon
Ihab Darwish
Ahmad Alsendi
MDOT RAP (PM: Keith Cooper)

Wayne State University Alfred Benesch & Co. MDOT

2018 Michigan Bridge Conference

March 20, 2018
 Overview

• Background
• Guideline Development
• Example: Steel Bridge Plans
 Background
Michigan Local Agency Bridges

• 6675 structures (vehicles, length ≥ 20’)

• 87% owned by County Highway Agencies

• 86% rural

• 97% span over water

• 30% girders; 34% box beam; 23% culvert

Location

• Most (63%) in Bay, Grand,

and University Regions
Traffic Volume

• Most (63%) < 1000 ADT

Span Lengths

43% < 30’

• Most are short: 73% < 50’
98% < 100’
Skew

• 91% < 30˚

Deck Width

• Most (56%) from 30 - 50’

Year of Construction

• Most (58%) built from 1960-2000

• ~ 25% 60+ years old
Condition of Superstructure

• Most (45%) rated good or better

• 17% less than satisfactory
• Over 16% posted < legal
Summary

MI Local Agency Bridges:

• Short Span (98% < 110’)

• Low skew (91% < 30˚)
• Moderate width (87% < 50’)
• Over water (97%)
• Concerning condition (25% age 60+; 17% unsatisfactory & posted)
Previous Bridge Plan Development Efforts
• TRB: Innovative Bridge Designs for Rapid Renewal (SHRP2; TRB 2014):
plans for ABC; used by Iowa, Vermont, New York DOTs

• PCI: Guidelines for Accelerated Bridge Construction Using Precast /

Prestressed Concrete Components (PCI 2006)

• PennDOT: Rapid Bridge Replacement Project replaced over 500

structures (2015)

• MoDOT: Safe & Sound Program: plans used to replace 550

bridges (2013)

• IowaDOT: Plans for prefabricated bridge components (Rossbach 2014).

• SDDOT, INDOT: Plans for fast construction (Rossbach 2014).

• UDOT, Idaho DOT, WSDOT: Plans for precast construction (TRB 2014).

This project: Local agency bridges rather than ABC

 Purpose of Guidelines
Desired outcomes for new bridges
“Low cost, low maintenance, easily constructible”

• Reduce problematic design and construction issues

• Improve quality control
• Increased durability
• Lower life cycle costs
• Efficiency by using recurrent specifications and layouts
Scope of Guidelines
• Provide design suggestions for local agency bridges

• Present recommended bridge geometries, girder selections, and details

Format: bridge selection charts, construction notes, bridge plan templates

Audience
• Local agency representatives and their consultants
What the Guidelines are not

• Not a set of new MDOT standards

• Not required
• Not “off the shelf” plan sheets: templates
• Not complete designs
• Do not cover all cases
• Not meant to lower design costs
 Guideline Development
Initial Concepts (1)

(2, 3)
1) AASHTO/PCI beams
2) Painted steel beams (4)
3) Galvanized steel beams
(5)
4) Spread bulb tees
5) Side-by-side bulb tees (6)
6) Spread box beams
(7)
7) Side-by-side box beams
8) Precast double tees (8)
9) Prefabricated steel/concrete double tees
(9)
10) Slab
11) Timber slab (10)

12) Culverts (11)

(12)
Concept Review
• Focus group meeting (July 2016)

Local agency representatives, engineering consultants,

contractors, fabricators

Discussed performance, cost, constructability,

durability/maintenance, other issues

• On-line survey (advertised in Crossroads Magazine)

• Questionnaire distributed to 2017 MBC

About 90 responses
 Concepts for Plan Development
Bridge Type Some advantages
Galvanized Steel lower weight, small depth for short spans
Spread Box popular, readily available
Side-by-side Box useful when small depth required
Bulb tee efficient for longer spans

Other Competitive Structures

Timber
Folded Plate currently available in prefabricated kits
Culvert
Cost Analysis
• Initial and life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) of superstructure

LCCA

Agency Costs

• Material, personnel, and equipment costs for construction and maintenance

• Cost Events:

Initial construction
Routine and detailed inspections
Deck patch, overlay, & replacement
Beam end repair & replacement
Superstructure demolition & replacement

• Operation, maintenance, and repair events based on MDOT practices

User costs

During construction & maintenance, the costs due to increased:

Travel time
Vehicle operation
Crashes

Life cycle costs

Cumulative yearly costs converted to present dollar value

Probabilistic LCCA

LCCA considering cost uncertainties

Costs expressed as random variables
Analysis conducted with Monte Carlo Simulation
Example Results

Initial construction cost

Life cycle cost

Example Results

Cumulative Cost, 20’ Span

P (Cost Spread Box < Cost Steel)

P (Cost Spread Box < Cost SBS Box)

Probabilistic Evaluation, 20’ Span

Year
Summary of Recommended Designs
• Balance cost, beam depth, constructability

Deck Width (2 Lane - Shoulder) ADT

30’ 11’ - 4’ ≤ 1500 (+ ag. equipment)
34’ 11’ - 6’ 1500 - 2000
40’ 12’ - 8’ > 2000

Bridge Type Spans Skew

Galvanized Steel 20-60’ 0 - 30°
Spread Box 20-70’
Side-by-side Box 20-70’
Bulb tee 70-110’
Steel
Spread Box
Side By Side Box
Bulb Tees
Design Guidelines
Summary Document

• Summary of design considerations

• Discussion of bridge types & pros/cons of selections
• Initial span/depth selection charts
• Initial and life cycle cost estimates
• Discussion of design assumptions/limitations on plan templates
• Example design
Guide span-depth selections
Guide template use instructions

Summarizes:

• Sheet contents
• Variable-defined items
• Inputs required
• Selections required
• Explanatory notes
Example template instruction information

Sheet 1: Deck Plan

Contains: deck plan, haunch detail

Variable items: span length (L), out-to-out bridge width (a), angle of crossing,
deck reinforcement, structural slab thickness (T), fascia depth (F), haunch
detail

Select: haunch detail (for concrete or steel beams), angle of crossing case

Notes: The left side of the deck plan applies to angles of crossing from 70-
90˚, while the right side applies to angles of crossing 60-70˚. Deck plan
should be redrawn to appropriately match the required angle of crossing. See
section sheets for out-to-out width dimension (a).
Plan Sheet Templates

• 28 sheets for steel, box beam, and bulb tee bridges

• Templates in Mircostation and Autocad formats

• Superstructure templates:

Deck plan Shear reinforcement

Approach slab Beam sections
Abutment back wall Strand layout
End wall Diaphragms
Barrier Camber diagram
Bridge section Bearing pads
Erection diagram Expansion joints

• Selection tables for girder sizes, strands, stirrups, bearings, etc.

Plan Sheet Templates
Example: Steel Bridge Sheets
Sheets needed:

1: Deck plan
2: Abutment back wall
3: Approach slab
4: Barrier and end wall
8: Bridge section
21: Erection diagram
22: Shear studs
23: Diaphragms
24: Camber diagram
27: Bearing assembly
28: Expansion joints
Sheet 1: Deck Plan
Sheet 1: Deck Plan 1) Insert: span
2) Delete: rebar notes, haunch detail
3) Insert width & choose skew case
Sheet 2: Abutment back wall
Sheet 2: Abutment back wall
1) Insert: back wall width (D) [max(1’-8”, f(bearing dim.))]
2) Delete: back wall details
Sheet 3: Approach Slab
Sheet 3: Approach Slab 1) Insert: width
2) Select approach type (concrete, HMA, R-45)

2
Sheet 4: Barrier and end wall
Sheet 4: Barrier and end wall 1) Insert: span
2) Delete: note and end wall elevation
Sheet 8: Bridge section
 1, 2) Insert: bridge width parameters (a, b, c)
Sheet 8: Bridge section
3) Insert: beam spacing parameters (d, e, f)
4) Insert: overhang (h)
5) Select on table: bridge span and width
Sheet 8: Beam size & spacing selection table
Sheet 21: Erection diagram
 1, 2) Insert: bridge length (L; L/2)
Sheet 21: Erection diagram
3) Insert: angle of crossing (θ)
4) Read reactions per bridge type
5) Enter material quantities
1

2 2

3 4

5
Sheet 22: Shear studs
 1, 2) Insert: bridge length (L = b)
Sheet 22: Shear studs
3) Insert: # of studs (a) & length (b)
4) Insert: #of holes (c); spacing (d); tot. dist. (e)
5) Read dimensions per bridge span
1

2 2
3

5
Sheet 23: Diaphragms
Sheet 23: Diaphragms 1) Insert: beam spacing (a) 3) Insert: diaphragm depth (f)
2) Insert: #of holes (b); 4) Insert: angle of crossing (θ)
spacing (c, e); tot. dist. (d) 5) Read diaphragm dim. per beam type
1

2
3

2
4

5
Sheet 24: Camber diagram
Sheet 24: Camber diagram 1) Insert: number of ordinates (a), spacing (b), length (c)
2) Read ordinate location per span
3) Read camber values per span

2 3
Sheet 27: Bearing assembly
Sheet 27: Bearing assembly
1) Insert: bearing dimensions (A-N)
2) Read dimensions from table per girder type

1 1 1 1

1
2

1
Sheet 28: Expansion joints
Sheet 28: Expansion joints
1) Select joint dimensions
2) Enter bridge information

1
2
Wayne State University Alfred Benesch & Co. MDOT