Precast Solutions - January/February 2008 - (Page 4)

PRODUCT PROFILE SHORT-SPAN BRIDGES DURABLE, WHY CONCRETE? • Superior strength and durability • High degree of quality control • Availability and ease of installation • Reduced weather dependency • Aesthetics • Environmentally friendly • Economical ECONOMICAL, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY Whether you want to replace an aging, deficient bridge; span a creek or river for a golf course cart path; expand an airport tarmac over a roadway; develop a tunnel for vehicular traffic; or provide access to land once inaccessible for new development, there are many ways to solve these challenges. But a precast concrete shortspan bridge is the only clear choice for each situation. Precast concrete manufacturers offer a variety of short-span bridge systems. Designs include single-piece arch, two-piece arch and conventionally reinforced flat bridge, parapets, wingwalls, headwalls and endwalls. Each system has its own specification for span length, span height and load capacity. Precast concrete short-span bridges have many advantages over competing materials: PRECAST QUALITY CONTROL Because precast concrete products are produced in a controlled plant environment, they exhibit high quality and uniformity. Problems affecting quality typically found on a job site – temperature, humidity, craftsmanship and material quality – are nearly eliminated in a plant environment. AVAILABILITY AND EASY INSTALLATION Because precast concrete bridge sections are manufactured well in advance of installation, they are ready for transportation to the job site at a moment’s notice. They are quickly set onto the bridge foundation in a matter of hours using a small crew and crane. Backfilling and overlaying can begin immediately rather than waiting several days for cast-in-place concrete to SUPERIOR STRENGTH AND DURABILITY reach proper strength. Projects designed with precast concrete can save weeks or months over cast-in-place concrete construction. The strength of precast concrete gradually increases over time and does not deteriorate when exposed to harsh environments as some other materials do. Other materials can deteriorate, experience creep and stress relaxation, lose strength and/or deflect over time. Studies have shown that precast concrete products can provide a service life in excess of 100 years. Additional design options can extend the service life of products exposed to severe conditions. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY Precast concrete is nontoxic, environmentally safe and made from all-natural materials, making it an ideal material for use over and near natural waterways. Concrete has no proven ill effects on groundwater and surface water quality. Also, with a three-sided precast concrete bridge, disturbance of creek and river beds is significantly reduced, allowing the water environment to return to normal more quickly than other alternatives. ECONOMICAL Precast concrete bridges offer lower long-term costs when compared with other materials. Additionally, because precast bridges require significantly less construction time, overall project cost savings can be realized. If the precast manufacturer provides a bridge design, the owner’s consultant needs only to specify the design criteria, foundation and geotechnical requirements, saving on project design costs. 4 PRECAST SOLUTIONS | JAN/FEB 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Precast Solutions - January/February 2008

Precast Solutions - January/February 2008 Contents Precast Concrete Short-Span Bridges Precast Micro-Reinforced Concrete A Winning Edge The Creative Edge TMI: Too Much Infiltration! Architectural Details Cast in Stone

Precast Solutions - January/February 2008

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