Railroad & Transportation Bridge Construction

With the vast landscapes of Kentucky, bridges provide safe crossing over streams, rivers, lakes, ravines, railways, even over other highways, roads and pathways. Bridges offer safer and more convenient alternative routes, as opposed to ferry crossings or lengthy detours. Thus, bridges reduce travel time, distance, and the risk of accidents, improving overall transportation efficiency and reliability.

Bridges also facilitate transport of goods and commerce, supporting the local economy and providing a safe and more direct route to deliver needed food, resources, and supplies to towns and cities across the Commonwealth and all over the country.

Precast Concrete Superstructure Bridge:

A precast concrete superstructure bridge is a type of bridge where the main load-bearing elements of the bridge, such as the beams and deck panels, are prefabricated off-site before being transported to the construction site and assembled. The main horizontal load-bearing elements of the bridge, such as beams, are cast in a precast concrete plant and then typically reinforced with steel to provide strength and durability to handle high traffic load.

• Advantages:  Precast concrete superstructure bridges offer several advantages, including faster construction times, improved quality control in a factory setting, reduced on-site labor and disruption, and enhanced durability and performance due to the use of high-quality materials and controlled production processes.
• Usage:  These advantages make them a popular choice for various bridge projects, ranging from small highway overpasses to large-span river crossings.

Structural Steel Plate Girder Bridge:

A Structural Steel Plate Girder Bridge is a type of bridge constructed using steel girders with steel plates welded or bolted together to form the main structural elements. The primary load-bearing members of the bridge are steel plate girders. These girders typically have a box-like or I-beam shape and are fabricated from steel plates welded or bolted together to form the desired cross-sectional shape and size.

• Advantages:  Structural Steel Plate Girder Bridges offer several advantages, including high strength-to-weight ratio, durability, versatility in design, and relatively fast construction times compared to other bridge types.
• Usage:  These bridges are commonly used for medium to long spans and can be found in various applications, including highway, railway, and pedestrian bridges.

Steel Truss Bridge:

A steel truss bridge is a type of bridge constructed using a truss framework made primarily of steel components. Truss bridges are known for their characteristic triangular truss structure, which provides strength and stability to span long distances. Trusses are the primary load-bearing elements of the bridge, consisting of interconnected steel members arranged in a triangular pattern.

• Advantages:  Steel truss bridges offer several advantages, including high strength-to-weight ratio, durability, versatility in design, and relatively fast construction times compared to other bridge types. The triangular shape of the truss provides strength and stability, allowing the bridge to span long distances without the need for additional support structures.
• Usage:  These bridges are commonly used for highway, railway, and pedestrian crossings and can span long distances.

Post Tension Concrete Bridge:

A Post-Tensioned Concrete Bridge is a type of bridge construction method where high-strength steel tendons or cables are placed within concrete elements and tensioned after the concrete has hardened.

• Advantages:  Post-tensioning increases the strength and load-carrying capacity of the concrete, allowing for longer spans and reduced material usage. The compression induced by post-tensioning helps control cracking in the concrete, enhancing its durability and resistance to environmental factors such as freeze-thaw cycles and chemical corrosion.
• Usage:  Post-tensioned concrete is often preferred for long-span bridges where traditional construction methods may be impractical or uneconomical. With their high traffic load capability, they are suitable for highways, interchanges, and other high-traffic environments where durability and long-term performance are critical.

Railroad Bridges:

A railroad bridge, also known simply as a railway bridge or a railroad trestle, is a structure built to carry railway tracks over obstacles such as rivers, valleys, roads, or other railway lines. Railroad bridges are essential components of railway infrastructure, providing safe and efficient passage for trains while overcoming natural or man-made barriers.

A railroad bridge can consist of different types depending on the location and geographical variables of where it’s being placed, so the above four types of bridges can be used to construct a railroad bridge, with similar planning, design and construction procedures. The only difference is the bridge is designed for increased loads for the heavier weights of trains and rail transport.

coming soon …