AIR FORMED ARCH CULVERT CONSTRUCTION. WASHINGTON COUNTY. CONSTRUCTION REPORT

Iowa's secondary roads contain nearly 15,000 bridges which are less than 40 feet in length. Many of these bridges were built several decades ago and need to be replaced. Box culvert construction has proven to be an adequate bridge replacement technique. Recently a new bridge replacement alternative, called the Air-O-Form method, has emerged which has several potential advantages over box culvert construction. This new technique uses inflated balloons as the interior form in the constuction of an arch culvert. The objective of research project HR-313 was to construct an air formed arch culvert to determine the applicability of the Air-O-Form technique as a county bridge replacement alternative. Post construction inspection of the air formed arch culvert showed the Air-O-Form method can be used to construct a structurally sound arch culvert. However, this method must become more economical if it is to compete with box culvert construction for county and state culvert projects.

• Corporate Authors:

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010
• Authors:
  • Huber, R G
  • Callahan, M
• Publication Date: 1989-2

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: 32 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Balloons; Box culverts; Bridges; Concrete arch culverts; Construction management; Economics
• Uncontrolled Terms: Replacing
• Old TRIS Terms: Arch culverts; Inflatable devices
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Economics; Highways; I53: Construction of Bridges and Retaining Walls;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00481014
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Project HR-313
• Files: TRIS, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 31 1989 12:00AM