ABSTRACT
Over the course of approximately two years, the Macdonald Bridge had the suspended span deck and stiffening trusses replaced with new sections while remaining open to traffic. Cherubini fabricated new deck sections for the project. Deck segments were either 10 m or 20 m long and approximately 18 m wide. The fabrication process is an important phase in any project, but the nature of this work was particularly demanding. The new segments had to be matched to adjacent replacement segments as well as matched to temporary deck connectors to provide continuity with the existing, soon to be replaced, sections. A high level of dimensional control was required. The fatigue sensitive nature of orthotropic decks raised the quality control requirements of the project beyond what is typically expected of bridge construction. The amount of welding required to fabricate the orthotropic panels made the dimensional and quality control an exceptional challenge.
