ORTHOTROPIC BRIDGE SAVES OLD COVERED BRIDGE

When inspection of the Old Covered Bridge at West Cornwall, Connecticut revealed extensive deterioration of its floor system and trusses, a new bridge was proposed to be built just upstream. The old bridge, dating from 1841, would have been left open to pedestrians only. This proposal angered local residents who wanted the old bridge restored. Because of tight vertical clearance restrictions, structure depth was severely limited. Preliminary computer analyses showed that a slender orthotropic steel deck bridge could be independently built within the old bridge and designed for AASHTO HS20 and alternative loadings. The construction consisted of building a parallel temporary bridge, raising the old structure 61 cm (2-ft.) higher to clear future floodwaters, painting, reshingling and whitewashing the interior and, erecting the steel deck bridge within. A timber floor was bolted to the steel deck plate. The total project cost $360,000 which is a savings of more than $1,500,000 over the cost of the proposed upstream bridge. More importantly, a historic nineteenth century structure was preserved as a heritage for the twenty-first century. /Author/

Media Info

  • Media Type: Print
  • Features: Figures; Photos; References;
  • Pagination: pp 80-85
  • Monograph Title: Bridge Engineering. Volume 1
  • Serial:

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00183750
  • Record Type: Publication
  • ISBN: 0309026962
  • Files: TRIS, TRB
  • Created Date: Dec 3 1978 12:00AM