Category: Monthly Webinar Foundation Reuse for Highway Bridges

March 28, 2019 1:00 pm

Frank Jalinoos, Research Engineer, Office of Infrastructure R&D, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA); and Anil Agrawal, P.E., Professor, The City College of New York (CCNY)

Webinar Documents: 
Foundation Reuse for Highway Bridges - pdf of presentation
Foundation Reuse for Highway Bridges,
Publication No. FHWA-HIF-18-055, November 2018
Q&A Session - pdf
News - March 28, 2019 - pdf of presentation

Description: Four options are available when replacing an existing bridge foundation. Option 1 involves the construction of a new foundation on a new alignment while avoiding the existing foundation. Option 2 maintains the existing alignment on new substructure elements. Option 3 reuses the existing foundation as is, with or without minor repairs. Option 4 reuses foundations with some form of retrofitting or strengthening. Options 3 and 4 both illustrate the reuse of existing bridge foundations during reconstruction or major rehabilitation. Foundation reuse can result in significant savings in costs and accelerated project delivery. This presentation features the recently published Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) report on the reuse of bridge foundations. The FHWA report addresses critical issues encountered during the decision-making process, including the assessment of existing bridge foundations for structural/geotechnical integrity, durability, and load-carrying capacity. A case study of the Milton Madison Bridge project is included. The bridge is a preassembled steel truss superstructure (placed on temporary piers) that was moved laterally 55 feet on refurbished piers. The case study highlights the benefits of foundation reuse.

Presentation Photos/Graphics:

1) Foundation reconstruction options

2) Milton Madison Bridge after renovation (©2015 Michael Baker International)