CULTURALLY ICONIC LINK BREAKS THE ICE IN NORTH DAKOTA

The $55 million Four Bears Bridge over Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota serves as an example of combining exceptional levels of context-sensitive design with environment-specific engineering. Located near the Fort Berthold Reservation, the contract for the 4,500-ft long bridge incorporated panels and images representing the three local Native American tribes. In addition the contract stipulated that 60 percent of the labor force come from the local tribes. Engineering challenges included working in an environment with extreme temperatures. In order to accommodate the resulting creep and shrinkage, sliding modular bearings and expansion joints were used. Conical shaped footings were poured to withstand the 36 in. ice sheets that form in the North Dakota lake in the wintertime. The sloped edges of the footings are designed to allow the ice to slide up and break apart. Despite the various difficulties that were encountered, the bridge was finished on schedule and will be dedicated by three days of traditional ceremonies by local tribespeople. The old bridge, with its two 10-ft-wide lanes and lack of shoulders, is scheduled for demolition by the end of 2005.

Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/08919526
Corporate Authors:
McGraw-Hill, Incorporated

330 West 42nd Street
New York, NY United States 10036
Authors:
- Cho, A
Publication Date: 2005-9-19

Language

English

Media Info

Features: Photos;
Pagination: pp 21-22
Serial:
- ENR
- Volume: 255
- Issue Number: 11
- Publisher: McGraw-Hill, Incorporated
- ISSN: 0891-9526

Subject/Index Terms

TRT Terms: Bridge design; Context sensitive design; Environmental engineering; Native Americans
Geographic Terms: North Dakota
Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways;

Filing Info

Accession Number: 01005606
Record Type: Publication
Source Agency: UC Berkeley Transportation Library
Files: BTRIS, TRIS
Created Date: Oct 19 2005 2:04PM