I-94/I-69 Interchange Bridge Construction

General Project Information

• Let in August 2013

• Cost of $76 million

• Prime Contractor – Walter Toebe Construction Company

• Reconstruction of I-94 from Griswold to Lapeer Road and I-69 from Range Road to 32nd Street in Port Huron. Including the construction of 6 freeway to freeway ramps and 6 new structures.

• The project included 4 new structures with continuous composite steel plate girders and 2 new structures with tight box beams and carbon fiber post tensioning.

• Construction began in 2013 and was completed in October of 2015.

Continuous Composite Curved Steel Plate Girders

• Two or more plate girders which are spliced together to span the entire bridge length and function as one continuous beam.

• This replaces the use of pin and hangers and eliminates mid-span expansion joints in decks.

• Allow for longer spans which reduces the number of piers needed.

Continuous Steel Plate Girders

• 4 new structures – S15, S17, S23 and S28

• Overall structure lengths ranged from 326’-0” to 610’-0”

• Longest Span length – 238’-0”

• Beam webs ranged from 66” to 96”

S15 of 77023 – EB I-69 over I-94General Structure Information

• 96” Continuous Curved Steel Plate Griders

• 3 Spans ranging from 238’-0” to 134’-0”

Structural Steel Details

• 6 Beams w/ 5 Field Splices each

• Web thickness varied from 11/16” to ¾”

• Flanges varied in dimension from 1-1/4” x 24” to 2-3/4” x 30”

• 159 Cross Frames

• Over 20,000 High Strength Steel Bolts

• Over 2.2 Million lbs of Structural Steel

OEC Plan Review

Structural Steel Erection at OEC

• Steel Erection per section 707 of the Spec Book

• 15 minute traffic stoppages to set beams

After the OEC MDOT Construction staff met with the MDOT Bridge Field Services to perform a comprehensive review of the structural steel erection

• Overlaid splice locations on MoT staging plans

• Reviewed staging to assure adequate time was provided for bridge construction

Structural Steel Erection at Letting

• Steel Erection per the Special Provision for Complex Steel Erection

• Nightly Closures and detours for setting beams

Special Provision for Complex Steel Erection, Shoring & False Work

• Include the special provision, Complex Steel Erection, Shoring and Falsework, when one of the following situations may occur during the erection of structural members:

• A. Construction of continuous spans > 200’.

• B. Girders with horizontal curvature.

• C. Field assembled suspension, movable bridge, cable-stayed, truss, tied arch, or other non-typical spans.

Steel Erection Plan

Erection Sequence for all structural steel for the S15 Bridge and included:

• Temporary Supports design and plans

• Erection Stages with step by step sequence

• Bolting and Cross Frame installation requirements

• Steel Weights and Center of Gravity

• Temporary Hold Down and Counterweight Details

• Jacking Details

Submittal Review

• The Special Provision requires submittal a minimum of 21 days prior to beginning work

• The submittal was reviewed by the following parties:

• MDOT Bridge Design Unit

• Consultant Bridge Designer

• MDOT Bridge Construction Field Services

• MDOT Structural Fabrication Unit

• MDOT Construction Engineer

• MDOT Geotechnical Engineering Unit

Temporary Supports and Counter Weights

• Temporary Concrete Barrier Wall used as counterweights

• Temporary Hold Downs

S15 Beams Cantilevering over Pier 2

S15 Steel Erection between Abut B and Pier 2

Erection of Beams Between Abut A and

Pier1

• Beams offset on Abutment A centerline by 4” to allow space for drop in section

• All crossframes were installed snug-tight

• Cribbing and 50 ton jacks installed between backwall and beam end

• Steel erection done at night due to proximity to traffic

Erection of Beams Between Piers 1 & 2

• This span was above existing WB I-94 where both bound of traffic were maintained.

• Work needed to be performed at night.

• 120’ beam was installed between already set girders.

• The girders between Abutment A and Pier 1 were then jacked laterally to close the gap between beams and fit up splice plates.

Inspection Responsibilities

• Inspect construction of temporary shoring towers

• Assure the contractor is following the stages and steps of the erection plan

• Inspection of Turn of the Nut Procedure for High Strength Steel Bolts

• Verify all structural steel members have the required MDOT APPROVED stamp

Challenges

• Limiting Impact to Traffic

• Locations of Cranes on the Construction Site

• Beam Delivery and Storage on Site

• Coordination between bridge contractor and steel erector subcontractor

Questions????