Roebling's Wire Rope #1 Again in 2009

Brayman Construction Corporation received the “#1 Bridge of 2009 Award” for the I-64 Kanawha River Bridge by Roads & Bridges magazine.
By: Brayman Construction - Katie Wells
 
April 20, 2010 - PRLog -- ROEBLING’S WIRE ROPE #1 AGAIN IN 2009
BRAYMAN CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION’S I-64 KANAWHA RIVER BRIDGE
AWARDED #1 BRIDGE OF 2009 BY ROADS & BRIDGES MAGAZINE

Brayman Construction Corporation, headquartered in Saxonburg, PA, received the “#1 Bridge of 2009 Award” for the I-64 Kanawha River Bridge by Roads & Bridges magazine. The record setting bridge, located in Charleston, West Virginia, is a cast-in-place cantilever segmental bridge and is the longest concrete-box-girder span in the U.S. The box-girder construction is continuous over the entire length of the bridge, 2,975 feet, along an “S” curve alignment. The magic is the post tensioning of steel cables, which run through ducts cast into the bridge.

Historical Irony
John Roebling, a pioneer in American bridge building, was recognized for his inventions related to suspension bridge design as well as the materials and methods he used in their construction. Roebling’s “wire rope” was introduced to the bridge construction industry in 1841 when he opened a factory in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania. His invention, a machine able to twist wire rope into cable, was used to mass produce the product as a main component in bridge construction. The wire rope was first used in the construction of a suspension bridge over the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh and by 1854 was being used for bridges in Niagara Falls, Cincinnati, OH and a few years later aided in the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge by serving as the support for a span of 1,595 feet.

As of 2009 Roebling’s wire rope, which was originally manufactured in Saxonburg, is still being utilized in the construction or record setting bridges. The ironic parallel is that Brayman Construction Corporation, headquartered in Saxonburg, has received recognition for the building the record-setting Kanawha River Bridge employing a technology utilizing Roebling’s wire rope.

Problem and Solution
The West Virginia Department of Highways (WVDOH) was confronted with the challenge of creating a low-cost, durable, and aesthetically pleasing structure that would alleviate traffic congestion for commuters in the Charleston area. WVDOH used competitive bidding of the concrete bridge alternative, versus a steel bridge alternative, to determine the most economical solution.  The low-cost alternative was the concrete segmental design, which allowed for longer approach spans, reducing the bridge’s environmental impact.

The unique aspect of this project is something that you don’t see with the naked eye. The intricacies that were completed to construct this new structure are hidden beneath the surface, but provide great support and longevity to the life of this bridge. The main concept, that provided the strength required to support the long spans of the Kanawha River Bridge, was originated by John Roebling back in the 19th century. Roebling developed the wire rope used in the construction of various bridges. He invented his own machinery to twist steel wire into cable – which would replace the chains and rigid supporting rods being used to support the structures. His famous suspension bridge projects, built using the wire rope method, included the Smithfield Street Bridge, Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Roebling’s basic concept of wire rope is to twist individual strands of relatively small diameter wire into a much larger “rope” that exhibits high tension strength due to the additive features of the individual wires plus the added strength due to the wires acting in unison. Normally the individual wires are wound and twisted around a “core wire.”  Many different configurations are used in modern commercial wire rope but the basic principles are the same. The methods used to build the Kanawha River Bridge use the same principles, in a different sense. Each strand, consisting of six individual wires and wrapped around a seventh core wire, is stressed to approximately 485 ton and anchored. There are 22 strands that make up a normal tendon, which is a basic building block of the segmental design. Each tendon is stressed by way of a hydraulic jack and immediately anchored to maintain the stress, or tension, for the life span of the bridge. The total quantity of strand used for the Kanawha River Bridge is approximately 2,040,000lbs (1020 tons) or 3 million linear feet (568 miles).  

The bridge is the first balanced cantilever span ever built by Brayman.  Its record-setting scale “pushed the limits of engineering to provide a clear channel to river navigation,” said Steve Muck, Brayman Construction’s President and CEO. “Its geometry is very challenging, with its curves and slopes.  We were shooting grades and elevations every day at the same time of day, because the bridge moves a little bit daily, due to changes in temperature.  It can raise or lower as much as six inches until the spans are connected.”

Bridge Construction
Finishing touches are being done and the structure will be completely open by the end of 2010 – has sparked local attention. During its peak construction period, in the summer of 2009, the closure of the main span cantilevers was completed by a work force of about 120 individuals drawn from local Charleston trade unions. Once completed, area commuters and visitors to the region will enjoy significant improvements in safety and traffic flow throughout this segment of 1-64.

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About Brayman Construction Corporation: Brayman Construction Corporation (BRAYMAN) is a leading regional, specialty and general contractor guided by values of EQUITY, URGENCY, TENACITY and PROFESSIONALISM. Incorporated in 1947, grown and diversified by the current ownership/leadership since 1992, BRAYMAN has become a nationally recognized provider of complex heavy civil construction projects. BRAYMAN’s competencies include: large scale complex bridges, broad based geotechnical construction, marine and dam construction and rehabilitation, complex and heavy steel erection and rehabilitation and demolition services. The company targets technically challenged projects in all of the above areas of expertise.
www.braymanconstruction.com
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Source:Brayman Construction - Katie Wells
Email:***@brayman.com Email Verified
Zip:16056
Tags:Brayman Construction, General Contractor, Specialty, Geotechnical, Kanawha, Roebling, Saxonburg, Pittsburgh, pa
Location:Saxonburg - Pennsylvania - United States
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