West mesquite interchange design-build project
Bridge Slide Event- January 2012
Mesquite Bridge Slide
NDOT on YouTube
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NDOT and contractors W.W. Clyde and Horrocks Engineers premiered accelerated bridge construction (ABC) techniques in Nevada for the replacement of two I-15 bridges in Mesquite on Jan. 10th, 2012, moving a newly-constructed southbound bridge into place over Falcon Ridge and into Interstate 15 as part of the West Mesquite Interchange Project. The bridge slide took approximately 90 minutes beginning at 9:45 p.m. and was moved more than 50 feet into place. The event drew roughly 150 engineers and transportation officials from as many as 23 different states and as far away as Rhode Island. New I-15 bridges were constructed on temporary foundations adjacent to the current bridges. The existing bridges are demolished, and new bridges slid into place using hydraulic jacks, Teflon rails, and liquid dish soap for lubrication. This form of technology reduced construction by approximately six months in comparison to typical bridge construction.
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Bridge Slide and Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC)
NDOT's West Mesquite Interchange Design-Build Project utilizes innovative Accelerated Bridge Construction and bridge slides. During the bridge slides in January 2011, existing I-15 bridges at the west Mesquite interchange were demolished one at a time. The new, replacement bridges that were constructed directly adjacent to I-15 were slid into their place, all within an approximate 56-hour period for each bridge. See a diagram of the bridge slide.
It is an innovative, accelerated construction method that provides improved traffic flow, less construction delays, increased safety and a better final bridge product.
Accelerated Bridge Construction, or ABC, involves using various methods during project planning, design, contracting and construction to significantly reduce the time to construct/replace a bridge, as compared to traditional cast-in-place methods. With ABC, a bridge can be removed and replaced in a matter of days rather than months or even years. ABC includes a range of methods, used individually or in combination. The primary methods for ABC are using pre-fabricated components that are built off-site and can be quickly put in place on-site, or building the entire structure off-site and moving it into place.
ABC can improve safety, productivity and quality, while reducing impacts to traffic and the environment. With ABC, traffic disruptions to motorists are significantly reduced, as roadwork is done in a fraction of the time and long-term work zones can be avoided. Because exposure to work zones is reduced, safety for the traveling public and construction workers is improved. Safety and efficiency can also increase because traffic control installation and removal happen less frequently.
Because ABC often involves building part or all of a bridge in a controlled environment away from live traffic, the end product is generally of higher quality and productivity is often greater as workers can focus on their work with fewer distractions from traffic.
Courtesy: Federal Highway Administration