FHWA NDE CENTER RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Steel Bridge Fabrication
Shop assembly of fabricated steel bridge members is currently
required by most states. This assembly comes at the expenditure of great amounts of manpower and shop space by the fabricator.
Elimination of the necessity to shop assemble a bridge could significantly reduce the cost of steel bridge fabrication. The
FHWA NDE Center is currently attempting to address this issue by applying existing technologies.
The driving factor for the majority of states requiring shop assembly is the assurance that bolted splices in the steel girder
will assemble correctly in the field. Current practice has many fabricators sub-drilling splice holes, assembling lines of
girders, then reaming the girder and splice plate holes to fit.
The FHWA NDE Center is exploring the possibility of remotely measuring splice plate holes in sections of girders and performing virtual
assembly with computer software. Highly accurate measurement of girder and splice plate hole locations could ensure proper fit
without the need for any shop assembly.
Recently, the FHWA NDE Center performed a proof-of-concept test with High Steel Structures, Inc. at a fabrication plant in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania. The FHWA NDE Center laser system was used to determine splice plate hole locations in a girder in the shop assembly yard.
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Figure1: The test location - a steel girder fabrication plant, Lancaster, PA |
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Figure 2: The FHWA NDE Center Laser System in use at the test site |
Other applications of the FHWA NDE Center Laser System:
Bridge Load Testing
FHWA Curved Girder Bridge Study
GRS Abutments
For more information, please contact either by e-mail or telephone.
Frank Jalinoos (202) 493-3082
frank.jalinoos@fhwa.dot.gov
