The bridge integrates durability and aesthetics. It was constructed with cast-in-place high performance concrete segments with a 28-day concrete compressive strength of 6 ksi. Class F fly ash was incorporated to improve durability in the concrete footings, columns, segmental superstructures, and approach pretensioned beams and deck slab. More on the Matagorda bridge.

Bridge Aesthetics—A Key Design Component

One look at the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway Bridge in Matagorda Texas, and it is evident that bridge aesthetics played a major role in the design. The finished structure conveys that visual characteristics, shape, line, and color were key design components.

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) Subcommittee on Bridge Aesthetics (Subcommittee AFF10(2)) has prepared the Bridge Aesthetics Sourcebook. This publication provides background information, design guidelines, and information on how to incorporate bridge aesthetics into the design process.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has also recognized the importance of context sensitive designs. These designs involve stakeholders in the design of transportation facilities that fit their surroundings. The FHWA has sponsored a website dedicated to context sensitive designs and even offers a toolbox for downloading.

2010 Concrete Bridge Conference a Success

The National Concrete Bridge Council hosted the 2010 Concrete Bridge Conference February 24-26 in Phoenix, Ariz. One-hundred-seventy consulting engineers, DOT and Federal Highway Administration officials, contractors, concrete industry professionals, and professors exchanged ideas and information on all aspects of concrete bridge design and construction.

The theme of this year’s conference was “Achieving Safe, Smart, and Sustainable Bridges” and included seventeen technical sessions, a tour of local bridges, a friendly but competitive “Name That Bridge” contest, a reception featuring the presentation of the 2010 Concrete Bridge Awards (see below), and an exhibit area. The conference focused on five areas: Sustainable Bridges, Smart Bridges, Non-Destructive Evaluations of Bridges, Durable Bridge Decks, and Innovative Design and Construction. Concrete experts also presented a half-day workshop on Mitigating Alkali Silica Reactivity in Structures. Proceedings of this conference are available on CD. Click to order a copy.

The conference was co-sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration, and organized by PCA.

2010 Concrete Bridge Award Winners Announced

Seven winners have been named in Portland Cement Association’s (PCA) Twelfth Biennial Bridge Awards Competition. The competition, instituted in 1988, recognizes excellence in design and construction of concrete bridges. Roads and Bridges magazine is a co-sponsor.

This year's winning projects are:

The 2010 program attracted 38 entries from Canada and the United States, covering a variety of structure types and construction methods. All structures were essentially completed between April 2008 and September 2009.

The winners were recognized at the 2010 Concrete Bridge Conference on Feb. 25 in Phoenix, Ariz. Read more about the winning bridges.

Professors Wanted

The “Design of Concrete Bridges by the AASHTO LRFD” is being offered August 5-6, 2010. The purpose of the seminar is to provide professors with background information and tools to introduce a new course in bridge design based on the LRFD bridge design specifications, or to improve an existing design course.

The latest design rules and current technology are presented. Topics covered include, but are not limited to, bridge deck design, girder design (including shear design methods), computer-aided design, and substructure design. Each professor receives a participant notebook with copies of all slides, design examples, and a CD containing PowerPoint files of most presentations and design examples. After attending the seminar, professors are also better equipped to help their state Department of Transportation and offer assistance when bridge design questions arise.

There is no registration fee. Local concrete industry groups from the U.S. sponsor professors to help cover travel costs to Skokie, Ill. (a suburb of Chicago), where the course is held. To maintain a proper educational setting and provide for meaningful interchange of ideas, attendance is limited to 32 professors, on a first come, first served basis.

Contact Caron Johnsen to register now for this year’s seminar.

Nominations Wanted for Sustainable Leadership Awards

All members of the building industry are encouraged to submit nominations for the 2010 PCA Sustainable Leadership Awards. Now in its third year, this initiative identifies and honors government leaders who advance sustainable development in their communities through the use of concrete and cement-based products.

The competition includes four categories: (1) Leadership in Sustainability Policy, (2) Homes and Residential Building, (3) Non-Residential Building, and (4) Infrastructure. More information and to access the nomination form. The deadline to submit entries is June 15, 2010.

AASHTO Subcommittee on Bridges and Structures Annual Meeting will be held on May 23-27, 2010 in Sacramento, Calif., and is sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

Certification of Field Personnel for Bonded Post-Tensioning will be held May 26-28, 2010 in Gainesville, Fla., and is sponsored by the Post-Tensioning Institute.

Third International fib Congress and PCI Annual Convention and National Bridge Conference will be held May 29 – June 2, 2010 in Washington, D.C., and is sponsored by the International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib) and the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute.

International Bridge Conference (IBC) 2010 will be held June 6-9, 2010 in Pittsburgh, Pa. It is sponsored by the Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania.

Super Pile 2010 will be held June 10-11, 2010 in New Orleans, La. It is sponsored by the Deep Foundations Institute and covers driven piles, micropiles, augered cast-in-place/drilled displacement piles, marine foundations, and inspection, testing, and evaluation of piles.

ASBI 2010 Seminar on Construction Practices for Segmental Concrete Bridges will be held June 22-23, 2010 in Orlando, Fla., and is sponsored by the American Segmental Bridge Institute.