Bridge Engineering Distinguished Speaker Series

Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering

University at Buffalo, NY
January 25, 2010

Bridge & Infrastructure Management

and Public Policy
TOPICS COVERED:

Challenges and Opportunities in

g and Preserving
g
Building
Our Nations Highway Bridges
M. Myint Lwin
Director, Office of Bridge Technology
Federal Highway Administration
Washington, DC

Introduction Historic Perspective

Introduction

Historic Perspective
U
United
ed S
States
es Code of
o Laws
ws
National Highway Bridge Program
National Bridge Inspection Program
Challenges in Building Bridges
Opportunities in Bridge Engineering

FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAY PROGRAM

1916-1921

ORIGINS OF THE INTERSTATE

SYSTEM

Federal-State partnership.
Each State must have a highway
g
y agency.
g y
50-50 Federal-State funding for projects.
Projects on designated system.
Federal review of each project.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower

1953 - 1961

Broader Ribbons Across the Land

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION

FederalAid Highway Act of 1956

National Commitment to Build
the Interstate System.
Retained Federal
Federal-State
State partnership.
Funding source: Highway Trust Fund.
Cost-to-Complete Guarantee.
High Design Standards.

Eisenhower System of Interstate and

Defense Highways

President

Lyndon Johnson
signed legislation to
establish USDOT in 1966.

Formal

Opening on April 1, 1967

formally opened on same day.
States began to establish State DOTs
FHWA

U.S. Department of Transportation

Safety
Economic Health
Sustainability
Livability
Secretary
Ray LaHood

Deputy Secretary
John
J h P
Porcarii

Safe, Reliable and Efficient Interstate System

Federal Highway Administration

(FHWA)

Victor Mendez
Administrator

Federal Highway Administration

(FHWA)

Every Day Counts

Initiatives

Strategic Goals:

Project Delivery
Innovations
Going Greener

National Leadership
Program Delivery
System Performance
Corporate Capacity
Greg Nadeau
Deputy Administrator

Improve mobility through leadership, innovations and program delivery

Jeffrey F. Paniati
Executive Director

King W. Gee
Associate Administrator
for Infrastructure

Federal Highway Administration

FHWA

Our Vital Few Priorities

38,000 fatalities annual

The U.S. Highway System:

160,000 miles of Highways in the
National Highway
g
y System
y
((NHS).
)
4,000,000 miles of road in the Non
Non--NHS
urban and rural roads
47,000 miles of Interstate System
600,000 highway bridges

Our Vital Few Priorities

Congestion Mitigation
Highway travel
continues to grow

The FHWA Organization,

the State DOTs, and Local Agencies

Safety

Our Vital Few Priorities

Environmental Stewardship and Streamlining

Protect and enhance the environment

United States Code of Laws

(U.S.C.)
Congress

makes the laws

and Permanent Laws are codified
in U.S.C.

General

Federal Division Offices

Resource Centers

U.S.C. 2000 Ed.

Amendments by Acts of Congress
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users
(SAFETEA-LU)

United States Code of Laws (U.S.C.)

50

Federal

Title

General

Titles in U.S.C.
23 Highways
Chapter 1 Federal-Aid System

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

Agencies carry out the laws

and Permanent Rules and
Regulations codified in CFR by Federal
Agencies

Section 104 Apportionment

Section 106 Stewardship and Oversight
Section 144 Highway Bridge Program
Section 151 National Bridge Inspection
Program

CFR Published
P bli h d iin F
Federal
d lR
Register.
i
Revisions and Changes by Public Rulemaking
Process
50

Titles in CFR
Title 23 Highways

Chapter 5 Research, Deployment and

Education

CFR Title 23 Highways

Chapter 1 - Federal Highway Administration
Part 260 Education and Training Programs
Part 420 Planning & Research Program Administration
Part 625 Design Standards for Highways
Part 627 Value Engineering
Part 650 Bridges, Structures, and Hydraulics
Parts 970-971 National Park and Forest Service
Systems

Act and Year

HBRRP Funding in $ Billion

Period

Total

Ave. /Yr

Intermodal Transportation
Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA)

1992-1997
(6 years)

$16.1

$2.7

Transportation Equity Act for

the 21st. Century (TEA-21)
(TEA 21)

1998-2003
(6 years)

$20.4

$3.4

Safe, Accountable, Flexible,

2005-2009
Efficient Transportation Equity
(5 years)
Act: A Legacy for Users of 2005
(SAFETEA-LU)

$21.6

Consolidated Appropriations
Act of 2008

$1.0

2008

$4.3

$1.0

The Highway Bridge Program

Highway Bridge Program

FY2006-2009
Fiscal Year

Authorization

2005

$4.188 B

2006

$4.254 B

2007

$4.320 B

2008

$4.388 B

2009

$4.457 B

Total

$21.607 B

ARRA Highway Funds Authorized

*As of June 24

As of Jan 15

(First 120 Days)

Number of
Projects
Funds
Authorized
% of Total
Highway Funds

5,000

10, 663

$15 70 B
$15.70

$23 28 B
$23.28

59%

87%

The Bridge Inspection Program

*Exceeding 50% 10 days ahead of schedule!

National Bridge Inspection Standards

(NBIS)

Silver Bridge Disaster (1967)

Federal-Aid

Highway Act, 1968

established the National Bridge Inspection
Program:
g
Initially NBIS was limited to bridges on the Federalaid highway system.
Surface Transportation Assist. Act, 1978 extended
NBIS requirements to all bridges on public roads.

Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968

23 U.S.C. 151

Placed national emphasis on safety inspections.

National Bridge Inventory (NBI)

Insure

safety to the traveling public

Distribution of funds for the Highway
Bridge
g Program
g
(HBP)
(
)
Report to Congress on the Status of the
Nations Bridges
NBI

maintains by FHWA

Aging Infrastructure

Construction Problems

140000
120000
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
90s

80s

70s

60s

50s

40s

30s

20s

10s

Construction Accidents
Pre-1909

Bridge Construction by Decade

Construction Problems

Human Factors

Human Factors

Human Factors

Human Factors

Human Factor

Forces of Nature - Earthquakes

15-Minute Break

Forces of Nature

Forces of Nature - Flooding

Forces of Nature

Forces of Nature
Extensive corrosion in
Steel members

Forces of Nature

Corroded PT tendons in
relatively new bridge

Forces of Nature

Forces of Nature

Major corrosion
of strands before
collapse

Close calls
Column supporting a
fracture critical
cross beam on an
Interstate bridge.

Buckled gusset
plate on a fracture
critical truss.

Collapses

Collapses
Boston Central Artery/Tunnel Project
I-90 Tunnel Suspended Ceiling
July 2006

Load related events

Collapses

Challenges in Preserving Existing Bridges

I-35 W Bridge Failure

Opportunities for Creative Designs

Opportunities for Sustainable Designs

High Performance Steels

(HPS)

High Performance Steel Program

Automated

Bridge Fabrication & Inspection

HPS Grade with Enhanced
Corrosion Resistance and weldability
Weathering Steel for a Marine Environment
One Coat Shop Paint System
Others
Improved

Accelerated Bridge Construction

1990

2000

HPS 70W (1996) fy = 70 Ksi

HPS 50W (1998) fy = 50 Ksi
HPS 100W (2003) fy = 100 Ksi

Precast Piers

Prefabricated

Systems
Enhance Safety and Mobility
Faster Construction
Better Quality
Longer Lasting

Precast Cap and Columns

Yorktown Bridge, VA

GET IN, GET OUT, STAY OUT

DELAY
DISRUPTION
COST

High-Performance Concrete
High

Strength 10,000 psi

Modulus of Elasticity
Freeze-Thaw Resistant
Low Chloride Permeability
Higher

TIME
QUALITY
SAFETY

High-Performance Steel
High

Strength 70,000 100,000 psi

Resistant
Improved
p
Weldabilityy
High Toughness
Corrosion

Nebraska-Snyder Bridge

Omaha, Nebraska

FRP ADVANTAGES
Ease

in Fabrication, Manufacturing,
Handling, and Erection
Short Project Time Delivery
High Performance
Durable
Strength-to-Weight Ratio

Hybrid Composite Beams

Bridge-in-a-Backpack

Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC)

No

vibration needed
Less noise
Faster construction
Improved quality and
durability
High strength

SCC Prestressed Girders

Used in Japan

Good HPC,
But poor
consolidation!

Precast SCC Railing

In Spokane, WA

Voids in Drilled Shafts

SCC Railing

FHWA Research Programs

Video

Program

Funds Per Yr
FY06-09

Innovative Bridge Research & Deployment

$13.1M

High Performing Steel Bridge Research and

Technology Transfer

$4.1M

Steel Bridge Testing

$1.25M

High Performance Concrete Technology

$4.125M

Ultra High-Performance Concrete

$0.626M

Long-Term Bridge Performance Program

$7.75M

Seismic Research (FY2005-2009)

$2.5M

A Special Study: Integration through Automation

FHWA/AASHTO Joint Study

(NCHRP Project 12-84)

Bridge Design and Construction

Started in late 2008

Expected completion in late 2010
Objective: Validate the FHWA
Guide and for AASHTO to
develop specifications

AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design and Construction

Specifications
By the American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials

State Standards for Road and Bridge Construction

Project Specific Design Criteria and Special

Provisions

By the State Departments of Transportation

Bridge Inspection and Management

National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS)

Inspection Programs
Frequency of Inspection
Qualifications of Inspectors
I
Inspection
ti Report
R
t andd Inventory
I
t

Recording and Coding Guide

Bridge Management Systems (BMS)

PONTIS AASHTOWares maintained by AASHTO

Important Websites

www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge

www.tfhrc.gov/structur

www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov

www.transportation.org/publications/bookstore.nsf/

Information on bridge technologies

Research programs at FHWA Highway Research Center
Training courses on bridge engineering
AASHTO publications

Training
Training

Courses, Workshops and

Conferences
Structural, Geotechnical and Hydraulic
Engineering
g
g

National

Highway Institute (NHI) develops

and delivers the courses
Office of Bridge Technology organizes and
sponsors workshops and conferences

State of Good Repair!

Challenges and Opportunities are Waiting for You!

Enjoy your study!

Dream big dreams, and keep them
alive!
Find a career that will bring
satisfaction and happiness
to you and your love ones!

Leisure Reading
Whitney, C.S., Bridges - Their Art,
Science and Evolution, Greenwich
House, New York, 1983
Chen, W.F and Duan, L, Editors, Bridge
Engineering Handbook, CRC Press
LLC, Florida, 2000