C+S Elevate 2021

CONTENTS

PAGE 16

THE COVER Repairing the Hernando De Soto Bridge – story on page 16

CHANNELS ENVIRONMENTAL + SUSTAINABILITY 12 Addressing Ecological and Coastal Protection in the Gulf Region 13 Interior Department Commits Funds to $22B Parks Maintenance Backlog 15 Modern Design is Inclusive Design STRUCTURES + BUILDINGS 16 Hernando de Soto Bridge Emergency Repairs: Critical, Complex, Collaborative TRANSPORTATION + INFRASTRUCTURE 19 Chongqing and Guizhou Organizations Advance Construction of Taihong Yangtze River Bridge 21 Inspection and Testing for a Safer World 22 The Envision Verification Process Incorporates Sustainability into Infrastructure Projects 23 How Nondestructive Testing and Structural Health Monitoring Technologies are the Key to Creating the “Smart Cities” of the Future 25 Improving Coastal Facilities Resiliency Systematically WATER + STORMWATER 28 Washington Project Restores Water for Farmers BUSINESS NEWS 31 Digitization of the Capital Lifecycle 32 Assessing the Risks and Benefits of COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for Employees SOFTWARE + TECH 34 Bowen Engineering Levels Up Its Game with Mixed Reality 36 Scoring System for Facility Health Assessment 38 A New Bridge Over an Old Canal UNMANNED SYSTEMS 40 Automating Data with Drones SURVEYING 41 Morrison-Shipley Sets New Benchmark for Fast-Turnaround Reality Capture 45 Benchmarks 47 Reader Index Columns 6 A Cause for Celebration Kyle Ahern 7 Looking Back, Moving Forward: Rural Infrastructure: Bridging America Luke Carothers 10 ElevateAEC 2021 – Clear for takeoff Chad Clinehens departments 8 Events

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A Cause for Celebration

By Kyle Ahern

Once again, it is one of my favorite times of year. We are seeing some trends from the Best Firms To Work For Survey . This gives us a good pulse of how employees are feeling within the industry. We are getting to see some impressive growth from our Hot Firm Award Winners. The marketing campaigns that won our Marketing Excellence Awards were first class and continue to impress our panel of judges. Our Rising Stars in the AEC Industry continues to grow and it is getting more and more difficult to select from the outstanding nominations. All of our award winners deserve to be and will be celebrated. We are very excited to bring back the in-person Elevate AEC conference again this year where we will get to host the Awards Ceremony and Black Tie Gala that has become so iconic. Let’s take a quick look at some of what we will be celebrating this year. Numbers overall are up in 2021 when compared to 2020. Not only are they up across the board, but they are up significantly as well. 2021 saw the largest year-over-year increase in our data set dating back to 2018. This is a very good sign. Numbers in 2020 decreased across the board on average as you would expect to happen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only did we see scores rebound from the 2020 dip, they are above where we saw them in 2019. This to me shows that firms are emerging from the strange days of working through the pandemic stronger and in a better position than they were before it started. By no

means do we want working through a pandemic to be the new normal, but hopefully firms have been able to carry some of the positive adjustments they had to make in 2020 to keep improving, and I believe this is evidence of firms doing just that. From the end of fiscal year 2017 to the end of FY 2020, the average Hot Firm grew by $29.7 million. They also grew by an average of 85 percent over that same time period. Both of these are incredible growth numbers especially given the challenges that 2020 produced. This is great news. It shows that there is real growth going on in the industry, helping to create and retain good, high paying jobs. This is something we can all celebrate right now. Celebrating is something we all need to do especially after the difficulties of the last 20 months. We need to celebrate our people, our growth, creating great workplaces, outstanding marketing, and great leaders. I am excited and honored to get to be part of an in-person event that will do just that for an industry that deserves to be celebrated.

KYLE AHERN is the Awards Manager at Zweig Group. He can be reached at kahern@zweiggroup.com.

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Rural Infrastructure: Bridging America

By Luke Carothers

When writing about the history of bridges in the United States, it is easy to focus on the grandiose and spectacular, and rightfully so. Some of the nation’s most spectacular engineering feats are bridges; stories of these projects– such as the Brooklyn and Golden Gate Bridges –fill the pages of our engineering histories. However, solely focusing on the grandiose undermines the full measure of their impact on American society. When Europeans first colonized North America, many of their villages and settlements were scattered along the bays and inlets of the East Coast. As a result, these waterways served as early highways for European settlers who later became the first American citizens. When American settlers expanded Westward they relied more and more on newly laid roads as well as natural waterways. These early American roads, linking growing cities and settlements, struggled to navigate the dense wilderness in many places, and, in other places, had to contend with crossing wide, strong rivers. In some places, such as Philadelphia, these early Americans built bridges in stone, although this was not the preferred method. Due to the expense and expertise necessary to construct a stone arch bridge, builders often opted for wooden structures using timber felled at the crossing site. Most of these early American bridges were simple wooden truss structures. However, because of their importance to the local militias, many of these early wooden truss bridges were destroyed during the RevolutionaryWar. This sparked an intense period of bridge building in the United States as they began to lay the infrastructure that would support a burgeoning population. From the early to mid 19th century, the covered bridge was one of the most popular designs for rural bridge construction. These early covered bridges were timber truss bridges with a roof, deck, and siding. These simple structures were almost always single-lane. As the population grew, it soon became clear that these single lane bridges were not capable of supporting a mobile population. Farmers who were using covered bridges to transport their crops to market were frequently frustrated by having to wait their turn to use the bridge, giving rise to the modern headache of traffic jams. This issue, coupled with improvements in bridge design and cheaper wrought and cast iron, led to the covered bridge falling out of favor. Whereas timber bridges, particularly covered bridges, require significant upkeep of exposed materials, cast and wrought iron are better suited to being exposed to elements. In addition, these stronger materials were better able to support two-lane bridges.

Fulton Bridge, Kansas, Built 1927. Photo: Luke Carothers

In 1839, the first cast iron bridge was constructed in Brownsville, Pennsylvania. Constructed after the original timber bridge was washed away in a flood in 1808, the Dunlap’s Creek Bridge was a vital link along the National Road, which allowed America to continue expanding westward. The Dunlap’s Creek Bridge is still standing today, and continues to carry a heavy vehicle load. As the United States moved through the 19th century, railroads exploded in popularity, and the need for new bridges again reached a peak. Unlike previous bridges, these new bridges had to be capable of supporting the higher loads associated with trains. In order to compensate for these heavier loads, engineers turned to steel, which was easier to produce as a result of the Industrial Revolution. The addition of steel to design allowed for new innovations in design such as cantilevered arches.

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Bridge design was further influenced in the later half of the 19th century with the invention of reinforced concrete, which was originally based on a patent for reinforcing thin clay flowerpots with steel mesh. Concrete, which is significantly cheaper to source and use than stone, could easily be molded and transported. When reinforced with steel, concrete also posed a significant advantage over stone in terms of its load-bearing capacity. These new developments meant that, by the early 20th century in the United States, bridges were stronger and cheaper than ever before. Coupled with the invention and growing popularity of automobiles, these circumstances led to an explosion of bridge construction projects throughout the United States. Particularly amongst rural farming communities throughout states like Missouri, Kansas, and Ohio these early 20th construction projects were vital to the growing mobility of the population and a reliance on vehicular travel. From the 1940s to the 1960s, rural American communities experienced their largest period of infrastructure expansion. As the nation experienced significant economic growth following World War II, rural

communities benefited. In addition, programs enacted by Franklin D. Roosevelt’s government as a response to the Great Depression also came to fruition through numerous rural construction projects. In light of the challenges the United States will face in coming years such as climate change, economic uncertainty, and aging infrastructure, the history of rural bridge construction in the United States is given a new context. Following the Revolutionary War, an investment in rural infrastructure laid the groundwork for expansion West. When the world was in the grips of the Great Depression followed closely by World War II, a large part of the American response was investment in rural infrastructure. Now, as we face new challenges and scramble for solutions, there is evidence to suggest that at least some part of the solution can be found in rural infrastructure investment.

LUKE CAROTHERS is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.

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ElevateAEC 2021 – Clear for takeoff By Chad Clinehens

Conference and Awards Gala was not held in person and instead, the opulent ballroom that would have been filled with voices, laughter, applause, and even some tears, was dark. Despite the disappointment of not getting to see each other in person in 2020, we still gathered virtually and fulfilled our mission. With the launch of our ElevateHer Symposium and the incredible line-up of speakers, our 2020 Virtual Elevate AEC Conference was a huge success. In 2021, we are thrilled to be able to do it all – a virtual conference and an in-person conference. The virtual conference ran from September 13- October 7th . The four-week event was focused on a variety of topics covering every aspect of driving purpose and performance indi- vidually and as a firm. Our 2021 ElevateHER Symposium included an incredible line-up of speakers including, Rose McClure and Yislle San - tos Rivera. Now our in-person conference is here and clear for takeoff. Our Elevate AEC jet is fueled and ready take our in-person audience to new heights in networking, learning, and celebrating.

The Elevate AEC Conference and Awards Gala is an annual tradition where the top performing firms in the AEC industry gather to network, learn, and celebrate. It evolved from separate conferences, such as Hot Firm and Best Firms to Work For, into one large conference with a mission to drive performance and purpose in the AEC industry. Named after Zweig Group’s vision to Elevate the Industry, the conference reached peak attendance in 2019 in Las Vegas; then 2020 happened. After twenty years of growth and expansion, the 2020 Elevate AEC

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Awesome Keynotes: Our speaker line up is top notch. Bill McCon- nell, CEO of Vertex, is back to share the industry outlook. Sandra Paret, CEO of STG Design, will share insight into the workplace design of the future. To close out the conference, former architect and now CEO of Janus Motorcycles, Richard Worsham, will share an inspiring story of design and entrepreneurial adventure. We even have a line-up of these beautiful machines on-site so you can experience them yourself. For you bikers, we’ll have an organized ride through the mountains after the conference concludes on Friday. Return to the red carpet: Our highly acclaimed black-tie awards gala returns on the evening of the first full conference day, Thursday. This new schedule will allow you to map out your own Rocky Mountain adventure Friday afternoon, or to head home and get a full weekend in. So pack your bags, dry clean that gala gown and tuxedo, and party hop over to Denver, Colorado. If you’ve ever been to a Zweig Group Awards Gala, you know we like to celebrate success in large fashion. Doing it the best we can: The in-person event takes places in No- vember 3-5 and will be a highly-anticipated return to responsible in- person events with an awesome schedule of speakers and networking sessions. Because of the on-going pandemic, we’ve worked hard to design an event that balances freedom and safety. As such, we have several features you should know about: 1. Plenty of space – We have lots of room indoors and outdoors for our event, so distancing is not an issue. 2. Event space is secluded –The event space is contained and away from the common areas of the hotel. That means our event space is all ours; you will not need to leave our space for any of the learning sessions, and there should not be other hotel guests moving though our space. Additionally, elevators with direct access to the guest rooms are in our space, meaning you shouldn’t have to move through other areas of the hotel if you choose not to. 3. We will adapt as necessary — the space and experience will adapt to current guidelines to keep attendees safe, and to allow us to have a great in-person experience. Hyatt precautions will be in place. So hop on the ElevateAEC jet and let’s take the pillars of our 2021 Elevate AEC Conferecne and Awards Gala – network, learn and cel - ebrate – to the next level as we elevate the industry together. You can read more about those here: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/info/global- care-and-cleanliness-commitment.

CHAD CLINEHENS, P.E., is Zweig Group’s president and CEO. Contact him at cclinehens@zweiggroup.com.

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Addressing Ecological and Coastal Protection in the Gulf Region By Luke Carothers

When it comes to planning for climate change and protecting our com- munities, there are a few regions that are more vulnerable than the rest. As evidenced by several massive hurricanes in recent decades, the Gulf Region of the United States is paramount within these vulnerable regions. Over the course of geologic history, the Mississippi River has served an important purpose for the region, transporting sediment and debris from up-river and depositing it downstream to form new marsh lands. It is this process that formed what we know as the Mississippi Delta. Now, with the river unable to move in a natural course due to human infrastructure such as levees, floodwalls, and guidewalls, this process is being interrupted and no new marshland is being created. In addition, these processes are causing what land is created to settle, which is then pushed under water by rising sea levels, which is known as subsidence. Several projects are currently underway to help curb these issues in - cluding an interesting project in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana where WSP is designing a massive intake structure for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project; the goal of this project is to divert sedi - ment-laden water from the Mississippi River during high flow times. The sediment-laden water from the Mississippi River will travel miles through a series of gates and channels before being deposited in the Delta marsh to create new land. By re-establishing this crucial link between the Mississippi River and the Mid-Barataria Basin, the team at WSP is hoping to solve the chronic loss of Mississippi Delta land stemming from hydrologic alteration, sediment deprivation, subsid- ence, sea-level rise, and saltwater intrusion. According to Ian Chaney, Project Manager for WSP, there have been discussions about the Mid-Barataria Project for nearly a decade; he notes that one of the driving factors behind this project was the forma - tion of a government agency called the Louisiana Coastal Preservation and RestorationAuthority (Louisiana CPRA). This agency was crucial in securing funding for the project, which remained a looming question in the early days of planning. However, funding was procured as a result of a man-made natural catastrophe when BP oil rig Deepwater Horizon spilled over 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The resulting fines from BP are being put to good use and are funding the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project. The resulting cash-in- hand means there is at least enough funding to support two similar sediment diversion facilities along the Mississippi River. For the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Project, WSP is working alongside AECOM and the FTA as well as CPRA and contractor Archer Western. According to Cheney, the project is currently in a value-engineering phase, meaning the team is working to lower the

Franklin-98 staff at shoreline

budget constraint while also being mindful of the hydrologic goals of the project. When it comes to protecting the coastline in the Gulf Region, the teams at WSP are also getting creative in using what they call “nature-based solutions”. According to Jennifer Brunton, National Practice Lead for Ecosystem Restoration at WSP, these solutions not only serve some sort of structural purpose within a project, but also have a secondary function through environmental or ecological impact. Brunton man- ages a team of engineers who focus on areas such as coastal marsh restoration, improving national park visitor centers, dam rehabilitation, and coastal protection. This team is currently working to employ some of these nature-based solutions on a project in the Florida Panhandle’s Apalachicola Bay where 12 miles of living shoreline support a road that serves as a crucial hurricane evacuation route. According to Brunton, up until now, millions of dollars have been spent applying “band-aids” to the shoreline through traditional methods such as adding rock. WSP’s solution was innovative, developing reef balls to solve the problem of an eroding shoreline. From an engineering perspective, these reef balls are essential in that they attenuate wave energy, re- ducing the impact of their force on the coastline. From an ecological perspective, these reef balls also provide a habitat for the local oyster population. Additionally, these structures also provide protection to the marshland between them and the shoreline. In order to determine the optimal shape for the reef balls, the team at WSP used a model called Computational Flow Dynamic (CFD) to develop 31 different versions, testing how the energy dissipates on each structure. While many of these nature-based solutions are innovative and are generally beneficial, Brunton believes that the only way to increase their adoption is to continue to educate clients on their benefits. With the success of these projects, however, more attention can be given to developing solutions that not only benefit the human population of a given environment, but also benefit the area environmentally. LUKE CAROTHERS is the Editor for Civil + Structural Engineer Media. If you want us to cover your project or want to feature your own article, he can be reached at lcarothers@zweiggroup.com.

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New funding is available for upcoming projects related to parks and outdoor activities. The Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) , a program overseen by the Department of the Interior, has $900 million to be used for projects at government facilities on public lands and tribal schools. Interior Department commits funds to $22B parks maintenance backlog By Mary Scott Nabers

The objective is to begin to address the Interior’s deferred maintenance backlog of over $22 billion for recreation facilities, dams, water and utility infrastructure, schools, and other historic structures. For fiscal year 2022, the department has selected 63 specific projects and the funding is now available. Some of the upcoming projects are outlined below: Wyoming Yellowstone National Park will have funding for the following projects: • $71 million will go to replacing the structurally deficient Yel- lowstone River Bridge. The new bridge project will include the reconstruction of approach roads as well. • $52 million will be spent to replace wastewater treatment plants serving the Canyon and Grant Village developed areas. Work will include rehabilitation of wastewater collection and treatment systems. • $20 million is earmarked for rehabilitation and upgrades to the Old Faithful water treatment system in addition to the demoli - tion of an abandoned wastewater treatment plant. • $9 million will be used to replace the Mammoth Wastewater Collection System. California The Golden Gate National Recreation Area will spend $36 million to repair a concrete wharf in the Alcatraz Island National Historic Land - mark District. The project includes repair of existing concrete piles, beams, and slabs. At Yosemite National Park, about $19 million will be used to rehabilitate The Ahwahnee hotel. Texas At Big Bend National Park, approximately $22 million is available to rehabilitate the Chisos Mountain Lodge. Another $54 million will be spent to upgrade park water systems and replace water distribution

lines. At the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park, approximately $9 million is available to upgrade the home of the former president. Indiana Indiana’s state parks and preserves will receive $57 million for im - provements statewide. The Legislature released $5 million to start the design process for an inn at Potato Creek State Park. The initial work will provide cost projections. The inn is scheduled to be completed by 2023, and it will include more than 100 rooms, an indoor aquatics center, a banquet, and meeting space. Another $52 million has been released for improvements at multiple Department of Natural Resources properties. These projects include resurfacing trails in 20 locations, renovating rooms and HVAC systems in all seven state parks, and upgrading playgrounds at 40 sites. Pennsylvania Pennsylvania has 121 state parks and plans to use $500 million for projects related to an effort called “Penn’s Parks for All.” A report outlining upcoming projects lists the demolition of buildings and aging facilities that have no historical significance. Another initiative aims to link state parks trails to nearby communities through greenways and ecological corridors. New types of overnight facilities and possibly a nature lodge at Kinzua Bridge State Park may be addressed as well. Missouri Attendance at parks in Missouri rebounded last year. As a result, the governor injected $68 million into the state’s park system. The De - partment of Natural Resources will spend $9.9 million to renovate the existing 12-room lodge at the Shannon County Park and add six cabins on property north of Eminence. At the Edmund Babler State Park, 35 campsites will be upgraded with new sewer, electricity, and water con- nections. Plans call for the $3.1 million renovation of a park lodge. Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park will get two new four-bedroom cabins

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and four, two-bedroom cabins at a cost of $3.5 million. The state also plans to spend $2 million to upgrade the electrical system at Onondaga Cave State Park. Michigan Michigan’s governor has proposed using $250 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for state park expansions, trail improvements and to address a maintenance backlog. Approximately $26.2 million is earmarked for a new Michigan state park in the city of Flint. The governor has suggested that the early phases could include non-motorized trails, unique playscapes, fishing platforms, canoe and kayak launches into the river, and accessible open spaces. The new state park would extend along the Flint River. The construction time - line and funding require legislative approval. Utah The legislature has allocated $120 million for the construction of two new state parks – Utahraptor State Park and Lost Creek State Park. The legislature also announced that $83 million is available for the expansion of existing state parks and creation of 500 new campsites and 1,000 new parking spaces. Construction projects at Utahraptor will include two new modern campgrounds, restroom facilities, trailheads for off-highway access, and a mountain bike trail system. West Virginia The governor has approved $42 million in spending for state park expansion and renovation. The West Virginia Division of Natural Re - sources will use the funds for the construction of 230 new campsites, 25 new treehouse cabins, 20 new cabins, and new bathhouses for every state park. New Hampshire Various funding sources will be tapped for the rehabilitation or replace- ment of the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway in the Franconia Notch State Park. Rehabilitation costs are estimated at $10 million to $15 million, while a total replacement cost would cost somewhere between $20 million to $30 million. The tramway needs a “new primary sys- tem” which includes tram cars, hanger arms, carriage trolleys, electro- mechanical components, and the motor and braking systems. Although the new funding is a huge incentive, states that were not selected for the new program funding are using other revenue sources to begin work on the huge backlog of deferred maintenance of public parks and outside assets. There will be an abundance of upcoming contracting opportunities throughout the country.

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MARY SCOTT NABERS is president and CEO of Strategic Partnerships Inc., a business development company specializing in government contracting and procurement consulting throughout the U.S. Her recently released book, Inside the Infrastructure Revolution: A Roadmap for Building America , is a handbook for contractors, investors and the public at large seeking to explore how public-private partnerships or joint ventures can help finance their infrastructure projects.

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Modern Design Is Inclusive Design By Phil Forzley, PE and Shannon Beaumont, PE

So what does this mean for the overall project? Inclusive and consider - ate design. Structural capacity and safety are always paramount, and safety is never compromised. But the addition of viewpoints that are trained to think about how nature interacts with the structure and how the structure interacts with nature yields enhanced design. The following projects demonstrate the power of collaboration and multidisciplinary design. Brookside Drive Culvert Replacement, New London, NH The existing stream crossings were constructed in the early 1980s and consisted of three 49” x 33” galvanized corrugated metal arch-pipes that had deteriorated and were categorized as structurally deficient by NHDOT. The design team consisted of civil engineers, transportation engineers, structural engineers, and natural resource specialists.

Bridges, culverts, and other water-conveying structures serve more than just people. These structures may serve motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians; they must accommodate both normal stream flows and flood flows; and they must not negatively impact fish, animals, and plant life. Furthermore, the effects of climate change must be consid- ered. Effective modern design requires a multidisciplinary approach. Historically, rainfall data used to size structures were from the mid- 1900s. During the past decade, the engineering community recognized how changing climate conditions have impacted rainfall amounts and intensity. Our design approach has to adapt to the changing climate and consider future conditions. Culverts and bridges are critical to our transportation infrastructure and serve an important role in public safety, ecological health, and climate resilience. This is not simply a coastal concern; inland communities need to consider the effects of increased temperature and precipitation as well. As such, many states and agencies are incorporating climate change impacts into design standards and hazard mitigation planning guidance. Climate change impacts are just one component of the multidisci - plinary modern design approach. Natural resource needs must also be understood and accommodated. Repair and replacement structure designs now provide fish and wildlife habitat connectivity. Designs include natural stream bottoms and banks that attract fish and wildlife and that facilitate passage of aquatic organisms. This is particularly important when watersheds upstream and downstream of crossings merit contiguous habitat and wetland functions such as groundwater recharge or discharge and nutrient retention. If improperly designed, engineered systems can actually endanger natural systems. Undersized hydraulic openings or openings that are not geometrically consistent with a stream corridor can result in loss of wetland and associated upland habitat. Poorly designed structures can also result in significant morphological changes and scour on new improvements. For all needs to be considered, proper design requires a multidisci- plinary approach. A modern design team typically includes structural engineers that consider design loads on the culvert or bridge; civil engineers that ensure slopes are stable and resistant to erosion from normal and flood flows; geotechnical engineers that understand the bearing capacity of soils or rock that will support the structure being designed; wetland and natural resource scientists who determine how much of a stream corridor should be spanned, what aquatic organisms are present that need to be accommodated, and what the impacts are and how to mitigate them. Teams may include hydrology and hydraulic experts who determine the magnitude of low, normal, and flood flows, as well as any impacts on those flows from climate change. They may develop hydraulic models that determine the size of any opening to ac - commodate flood flows, design low-flow channels for fish passage, and determine potential wildlife passage opportunities that animals may use during normal flows to pass through the structure.

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US Route 2 Culvert Replacement, Lunenburg, VT Design of a 20-foot precast concrete arch on a mat foundation to replace a partially crushed 27” CMP upstream with a 4’ x 4’ box downstream. Due to the severely undersized structure, the roadway was overtopped during Tropical Storm Irene. The design team consisted of structural engineers, transportation engineers, surveyors, water and natural re- source engineers, and civil engineers.

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PHIL FORZLEY, PE is a Vice President at Fuss & O’Neill with more than 35 years of experience designing, managing, and executing civil and environmental engineering projects throughout New England. Currently managing the firm’s White River Junction, VT office, Phil specializes in stormwater management, hydrology and hydraulic structures design, dam engineering, site planning and engineering, wastewater treatment and disposal, construction services, and regulatory compliance. SHANNON BEAUMONT, PE is a Senior Bridge Engineer in Fuss & O’Neill’s Man - chester, NH office. Her 20+ years of technical experience include the design of steel, reinforced concrete, and precast concrete structures, bridge ratings, and bridge inspections. She is an experienced hydraulics engineer and is proficient at sizing bridges and culverts using accepted methods to calculate flood flows and elevations.

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Spanning the Mississippi River with a distinctive profile, the Hernando de Soto bridge not only carries Interstate 40 (I-40) across the Mississippi River between Memphis, Tennessee and West Memphis, Arkansas, but also serves as an iconic landmark for the region. As one of only two crossings of the Mississippi River in the Memphis area, the steel-tied arch bridge is a vital transportation, commerce, and defense link. On May 11, 2021, inspectors from Michael Baker International were conducting a routine inspection of the upper portions of the Hernando de Soto Bridge (areas of the bridge below the deck are the respon - sibility of Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) inspec - tors and outside of Michael Baker’s scope of work) when a fracture was observed in the tie girder of the arch over the primary navigation channel. Initial shock and disbelief quickly turned into swift action to ensure the safety of the traveling public and the 18 rope access inspec- tors climbing the upper portions of the bridge. The team confirmed the critical finding and from there, moved quickly, focusing on doing the next right thing at each step. ARDOT, Tennessee Department of Trans - portation (TDOT), and 9-1-1 were immediately contacted by Michael Baker staff to alert them of the situation and request support to close the bridge to both automobile traffic moving across the bridge and river traffic on the Mississippi River below. The next few minutes were critical. Michael Baker’s rope access in- spectors were called down and as the team awaited support from local authorities to close the bridge, they moved off the structure down each of the westbound and eastbound lanes dressed in neon colors, waving their hands and stopping traffic. With the assistance of the Memphis police, the bridge was quickly evacuated. As I-40 stood empty, much was unknown, but one thing was certain: the team’s #1 objective at all times was safety. Initial Assessment The fracture critical tie girder, the main tension element in the tied- arch bridge, left the structure in a precarious state. Both vehicular and barge traffic were immediately halted. With nautical traffic paused for three days, initial physical and analytical assessments were completed. Once the structure was deemed stable, the U.S. Coast Guard decided to reopen the river for navigation. Vehicular traffic across the structure remained halted for the duration of the repairs. The Michael Baker team first leveraged their considerable experience with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) – or drones – to fly the fracture Hernando de Soto Bridge Emergency Repairs: Critical, Complex, Collaborative By Aaron Stover, P.E., S.E., Ted Kniazewycz, P.E., and Rick Ellis, P.E.,

Hernando de Soto Bridge. Photo: Michael Baker International

location to inform ARDOT and TDOT of the apparent extent of the damage. The initial UAS video confirmed that the fracture included the complete loss of one of the two web plates, one of the two flanges, and partial fracture of the second flange. More than 50 percent of the member cross-section was lost in the fracture. Within hours, engineers fromAR - DOT, TDOT, and Michael Baker were working toward the ultimate goal of safely repairing the fractured tie girder. At this time, Michael Baker was contracted for design of an emergency repair by TDOT. Thorough analysis and evaluation of the bridge began immediately. Within a single day, Michael Baker assembled teams across numerous offices to gather data, perform calculations, and increase the team’s understanding in order to better evaluate the bridge’s condition. En- gineers generated detailed finite element models of the bridge and the local fracture to begin to shed light on the criticality of the bridge’s condition. Field inspection teams assisted with obtaining critical infor- mation to support early investigative efforts obtained by UAS. Michael Baker, alongside ARDOT’s UAS pilots, monitored the fracture to track any changes during those first critical hours. To support the initial temporary repairs, additional measurements of the crack, tie distortion, and other critical field measurements were needed. This information was gathered by a Michael Baker rope access inspec- tor on the bridge. During the inspection, Michael Baker established a live feed via UAS video linked to a web meeting. This allowed design engineers in multiple locations to communicate in real-time with the inspector while he took measurements and allowed them to request additional information and clarifications as needed. This creative use of technology gave designers real time results and a first person un - derstanding of the implications of the distortion that would need to be considered in the repair design. A Collaborative Process The team recognized that collaboration and efficiency in design and schedule would be important to repairing the fracture and reopening the bridge as quickly as could be properly accomplished. TDOT se- lected the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) project delivery method, recognizing the benefit to the project as it allowed

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Initial Find. Photo: Michael Baker International

owners, engineers, and contractor to collaborate on repairs. As lead designer for all phases of repair, Michael Baker called on more than 60 engineers from 20 of the firm’s offices around the country to contribute to the project in design and review/oversight roles to ensure that timely and prudent decisions were made at all phases of the work and that multiple phases could be advanced in parallel to minimize the overall project schedule. Within a week of the fracture being discovered, Gen - eral Contractor Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. had also been brought onboard. All partners on the project proceeded in lockstep as repairs commenced, with daily working meetings to resolve challenges and frequent status meetings held throughout the entirety of the project. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) was also a key partner throughout the project, aiding with the repair plans. Three-Phase Design With the team in place, ARDOT and TDOT collaborated on a three- phase repair plan – created and executed in collaboration with Michael Baker and Kiewit – with design and construction overlapping between the phases. The plan included: Phase 1: Stabilization The team took a “do no harm” approach to the initial repairs as there was concern that the bridge was severely compromised. The initial evaluations found the remaining section was dangerously close to yielding. The team found no evidence from the structure that the load had not found an alternate path beyond the opposing web and remaining flange. Stabilizing the member was not a long-term fix, but it was the first step toward the repair, ensuring the safety of subsequent phases of work. The Michael Baker team established safe working load levels for construction crews and equipment staged on the bridge. Within the first week of the closure, a stabilization splice was designed to temporarily restore the capacity of the fractured section of the tie and the fabrica- tion of roughly 30,000 lbs. of structural steel plates began by Stupp Bridge. To install the splice, Kiewit assembled a suspension platform and secured the plating with nearly 450 temporary bolts. The splice provided additional redundancy to the partly severed member without applying any corrective twist or loading to the damaged tie. The sus- pended platform allowed the contractor greater access to establish a more permanent repair in Phase 2. Phase 2: Member Repair Knowing that time was of the essence to get this vital transportation

Inspection. Photo: Michael Baker International

Michael Baker rope access and UAS bridge inspectors. Photo: Michael Baker International

link re-opened, analysis and design of the longer-term fix began im - mediately with Michael Baker engineers evaluating ways to repair this bridge. Faced with a range of potential repairs from reconstruction of the bridge to temporarily supporting the structure for the repair, the project participants found a creative solution to repair the structure in place and collectively cut significant cost and schedule impacts out of the project timeline. Advancements in the understanding and applica - tion of concepts in fracture mechanics and redundancy allowed for the fractured member to be repaired rather than completely replaced. The last solution consisted of using external post-tensioning to reduce tension in the existing tie, lessening its level of stress and possibility for further damage. Eight 3” diameter high-strength steel bars were connected to steel weldments at either end of the fractured tie. High- pressure rams were utilized to deliver the required force to partially de- tension the tie. Extensive real-time monitoring of the post-tensioning operations was implemented to ensure success. While the tie was partly unloaded, the temporary Phase 1 stabilization plates were removed and new strengthening plates were installed that have nearly the capacity of a completely intact tie by themselves.

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These new plates, acting in tandem with the existing steel, provided a redundant load path in the unlikely event of future fracture. The team worked closely with Kiewit and fabricators W&W/AFCO and G&G Steel to design the repair around readily available HPS70Wmaterial. During the completion of the work, an 18” section of the tie containing the fractured web and flange plates was removed for further forensic examination. Once the strengthening plates were installed and fully bolted, the post tensioning was removed, signifying successful repair of the damaged tie girder. Phase 3: Overall Tie Girder Repair While Phase 2 repairs were going on, extensive nondestructive test- ing (NDT) of all similar welds in the tie girders was completed and provided information leading to what became the Phase 3 repairs of the tie. NDT discovered indications ranging from very small to very large. The remedy for many of these smaller indications was to either core or grind them out, thereby removing the potential flaw. Larger indications were plated over to provide a redundant solution. The details used in Phase 2 were readily adaptable for Phase 3 and Kiewit worked with supplier AFCO/W&W Steel to obtain the necessary HPS70W plate. Tests were conducted on a portion of the damaged member that was removed as part of the Phase 2 repairs. The removed portion is cur- rently undergoing forensic examination at the labs of Wiss Janney Elstner Associates Inc. (WJE) in Northbrook, Illinois. The WJE team is conducting various tests on the material to document its properties, as well as microscopically examining the weld and the fractured surfaces to determine where and how the fracture began. By having the frac- tured component in their possession, the engineers at WJE were able to provide guidance for field-testing of other welds that were completed as part of the inspection in Phase 3. All Eyes on Memphis The emergency closure quickly gained attention across the country from the public, media outlets, and politicians alike. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, and U.S. Secretary of Trans- portation Pete Buttigieg all visited the bridge in the days following the closure, with Secretary Buttigieg noting “We want to make sure that national attention and resources are available to help the state and local authorities who are resolving this and working toward a safe reopening of the bridge…Even for people outside this region, it is important that we restore this connection quickly because like so much about the Mem- phis region, it is an area of national logistical importance.” The impact of the shutdown of the Hernando de Soto Bridge on the economy was felt almost immediately. River traffic below the bridge had resumed by May 14, 2021, but all automobile traffic had to be diverted to the nearest crossing on Interstate 55 (I-55). The added traffic resulted in bottlenecks and delays, with the Arkansas Trucking Association estimat- ing that the additional travel time attributed to the closure was costing the trucking industry more than $2.4 million each day that the bridge was not in operation. This further reinforced that the timely, proper, and safe completion of the repairs was critically important. As the team moved through the initial find and into inspection, design and repair, it was of the utmost importance to maintain transparency and communication with the public impacted by the closure. A public

UAS Inspection 3. Photo: Michael Baker International

awareness campaign was carried out in conjunction with the bridge’s repair activities. Project information and updates were shared via media efforts (press releases and press conferences), as well as daily across the TDOT and ARDOT websites and social media channels. To support this, Michael Baker developed a 3D visualization of the repairs as they were being developed. Reopening the Hernando de Soto Bridge For several weeks, activities progressed 24-hours a day, supported by extended shifts. Initially, the eastbound and westbound lanes of I-40 crossing the bridge were initially scheduled to open on August 2 and August 6, 2021 respectively, but the eastbound lanes were opened ahead of this date on July 31, 2021, while the westbound lanes opened on August 2, 2021 – traffic was again flowing 83 days after the fracture was discovered. The project highlighted the importance of transparency, accountability and collaboration and exemplifies how two DOTs can work together to accomplish a common goal. All agencies and firms involved in the project brought a deep understanding of structural engineering to the work, and the commitment and partnership amongst them facilitated the analysis, design and construction needed to safely, effectively, and efficiently repair the fracture.

AARON STOVER, P.E., S.E. is Vice President and Great Lakes Regional Practice Lead – Bridge at Michael Baker International. TED KNIAZEWYCZ, P.E., S.E., is Structures Division Director at Tennessee Depart- ment of Transportation (TDOT). RICK ELLIS, P.E. is Division Head-Bridge Division at Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT).

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New Bridge Completes Economy Boosting Expressway The Taihong Yangtze River Bridge is a CNY 900 million construc - tion project along the 77-kilometer highway network linking the Nanchuan District and Lianjiang New Area in China’s Chongqing municipality. The 1,436-meter-long bridge crosses the Yangtze River and is the final component of the expressway, which is expected to reduce travel time between the two districts to 50 minutes and boost Chongqing’s economic development. The bridge features a two-way, six-lane roadway with a width of 39.6 meters. Designed as a suspension bridge, it includes an 808-meter steel box beam with a complex structure required to sustain a high- load capacity amid complicated terrain. The scale and complexity of the project necessitated pushing the boundaries of engineering data to ensure construction quality and safety. Manual Processes Undermine Dynamic Bridge Construction Recognizing that bridge construction is a dynamic process, the proj - ect owner hired China Railway Changjiang Transport Design Group (CRCTDG). Working with Guizhou Communications Construction Group and Guizhou Bridge Construction Group, as well as numerous other components and contributors in various disciplines, CRCTDG had to determine how they could use the engineering information to increase the performance, quality, safety, scheduling, and cost of each stage of the life cycle. They also realized that they needed to digi - tize engineering workflows and avoid irreversible and costly errors. CRCTDG knew that traditional manual and paper-based data exchange and construction methods would not be sufficient to achieve the ac - curacy and public safety they targeted. “Traditional infrastructure- related data mainly uses estimation statistics, manual compilation and reports, and document transmission,” explained Fengmin Chen, head of CRCTDG’s BIM technology department. They explored using 3D BIM methodologies and reality modeling to perform construction simulation and enable seamless, real-time data exchange and intelligent information management. More specifically, during the design stage, they sought to achieve parametric modeling, improve design efficiency, integrate multidiscipline data, and gener - ate a unique data source. CRCTDG desired digital pre-assembly of steel box beams during construction and 3D laser scanning to monitor construction progress for high-precision quality control. However, Chongqing and Guizhou Organizations Advance Construction of Taihong Yangtze River Bridge Bentley’s Interoperable Reality Modeling Applications Help to Save CNY 1.8 Million in Construction Management Costs By Amy Heffner

they faced data collection, integration, and coordination challenges as- sociated with incorporating digital survey methods and BIM modeling. They also needed to overcome software incompatibility to simulate construction and establish a digital foundation for lifecycle operations and management. Leveraging BentleyApplications for ConstructionManagement CRCTDG selected ContextCapture to process unmanned aerial survey data and establish a highly precise 3D model. They also used the ap- plication to create a terrain model of the bridge site, display contours as lines or triangular meshes, and produce effective elevation and slope analysis. The use of high-precision orthophoto maps, point clouds, or reality scanning technologies generated terrain models of the bridge site and greatly improved the efficiency and accuracy of the work. MicroStation was used to streamline and integrate models from mul- tiple software applications, providing a single data source throughout the entire project lifecycle. They performed 3D laser scanning of the complicated terrain via unmanned aerial vehicles for rapid and detailed data collection. Using ContextCapture, they processed the point clouds and survey data to generate geological models of the bridge site. These digital survey and 3D modeling methods also helped them obtain accurate 3D mea- surements of the steel box girder components to simulate assembly, “CRCTDG has made the Taihong Yangtze River Bridge project an essential case for digital design and construction with its forward- looking research and exploration of the application of Bentley software.” – Fengmin Chen, Head of BIM Technology Department, China Railway Changjiang Transport Design Group Co., Ltd. The Taihong Yangtze River Bridge is a CNY 900 million construction project along the 77-kilometer highway linking the Nanchuan District and Lianjiang New Area in Chongqing. Image courtesy of China Railway Changjiang Transport Design Group Co., Ltd.

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