Feasibility Investigation of Segmentally Precast Bridge Piers for Accelerated Construction

Project Details
STATUS

Completed

START DATE

05/01/06

END DATE

05/31/08

RESEARCH CENTERS InTrans, BEC, CTRE
SPONSORS

Iowa Department of Transportation
Iowa Highway Research Board

Researchers
Principal Investigator
Matt Rouse
Co-Principal Investigator
Terry Wipf
Co-Principal Investigator
Wayne Klaiber

About the research

The proposed research is to investigate an innovative precast pier system that, when successfully developed, could result in a significant leap forward in terms of reduced construction time, costs, and structural performance of bridge piers. The system under investigation offers a radically different design approach and details that can reduce the construction time and improve structural performance. Key features include steel belts at the ends of segments, external refinforcement of segment joints that have bolted connections, and bearing pads between segments to avoid labor-intensive grouting procedures. The primary objective is to simulate, evaluate, and test several component materials, connection details, and componenet configurations to identify the most cost effective and structurally advantageous means of constructing the pier.

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