Utilization of Steel in Industrialized Highway Bridge Systems

About the report:

The space frame concept presented in this report represents the results of an effort to minimize on-site construction time while utilizing steel to provide a high quality but competitive type of bridge structure. A necessary part of the effort was the development of a concept which minimizes material and labor requirements but allows for the systematic coordination of fabrication, transportation and construction. The final evaluation of the space frame concept is enhanced by the cost estimates and comments received from qualified bridge fabricators and contractors in Virginia. The basic features offered by the preassembled space frame represent an effort to efficiently utilize steel in industrialized bridge construction. The estimates indicate that the prototype structure can be fabricated, transported, and erected at a cost which is competitive with that of the three conventional alternatives. The future of the preassembled space frame will depend on the success of field implementations and the significance of the economic benefits that can be derived from material savings, in-house fabrication, and reduced on-site construction time.

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