Accelerated method expedites Florida bridge removal

When the elimination of a bridge above occupied I-95 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was deemed necessary to widen the interstate highway’s lanes, construction supervisors from Archer Western and De Moya Group initially envisioned a two-stage demolition approach demanding 30 days.

Rather, significant lifting and transportation contractor Mammoet arrived up with an substitute strategy that involved shutting down the highway for just eight several hours overnight, lifting the 1,082-ton bridge span from its moorings and transporting it south along I-95 to an offramp for demolition. 

6 trains of eight-line self-propelled modular transporters geared up with 250-ton jacks hoisted the bridge off its abutments in May perhaps for relocation south together I-95 to an offramp for demolition. This method took just three hours, lessening disruption to website traffic by many weeks’ time.

Mammoet’s use of its Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) process not only slashed the job agenda, but sidestepped the basic safety hazard of possessing crews carry out demolition do the job although traffic moved under.

The removal of the State Road 94 bridge represented section of the I-95 Express Lanes Stage 3C venture, supposed to enable lanes beneath the bridge to be widened and effectiveness of the SR 84 interchange improved. Reconstruction of the westbound SR 84 bridge will be carried out right after the lane-widening and interchange enhancement work’s completion.

Many hurdles

In accordance to Charlie Fernandes, marketplace enhancement supervisor for Mammoet, the task associated much more than a single obstacle. A quick turnaround between the time the ABC plan was greenlit and its execution represented the initially obstacle. 

“We had remaining drawings [and] an execution system all approved and on web-site in just three months notification,” he explained. “An extra challenge was the traffic detour itself. Even though Mammoet did not have any scope in this, it was a large deal for DOT to near down a single of the busiest interstates in the nation for a quick window of only 8 hrs.”

For the reason that Mammoet taken out the bridge in a three-hour time body — less than fifty percent the time allotted for lane closures — the workforce was in a position to reopen lanes earlier than prepared, he explained.

According to the Federal Freeway Administration, ABC systems are changing the strategies state DOTs operate. Most notably, DOTs can replace bridges in just 48 to 72 several hours and lower preparing and bridge development endeavours by decades, the agency says.

In addition, ABC scheduling and building strategies, patterns and supplies make safer, extra long lasting bridges with more time service lives than typical bridges, according to FHWA. 

Safety and collaboration

The challenges on the Fort Lauderdale job have been surmounted by “wonderful teamwork and communication,” Fernandes stated. Mammoet’s functions staff, led by venture manager James Butler, arranged for delivery of all expected parts as well as the devices mobilization and crew desired for the assembly of machines.

Crews used Mammoet’s security policy, named Mammoet Minute, that encourages staff members to take a very last-moment chance evaluation to examine and manage challenges right before work starts every day.

“Our discipline execution staff always puts protection 1st though functioning subsequent to the open up site visitors roadway,” Fernandes mentioned. “We utilized our Mammoet Minute to choose the time, use the correct resources and have spotters all functioning alongside one another to be certain a risk-free, on-time supply.”