ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT: Once a bridge project enters the construction phase, does involvement by a professional engineer cease? After a bridge is designed and let for construction, the engineering of the project does not simply end. There are many different aspects of construction that should be investigated by a professional engineer, working for a contractor, which will provide for safe and efficient construction. The engineering effort during construction typically consists of both design computations and procedures with figures. This paper will draw upon the experience of the authors with regard to construction engineering for highway bridges, by discussing some of the issues a bridge engineer may face when working on the construction side of a project. This paper will examine design items typically encountered during bridge construction, including temporary shoring walls, erection and demolition procedures and calculations, construction loading, temporary support structures, girder bracing, cranes and construction equipment.