Structures
A Match Made in Schunnemunk State Park: The USMA and OSI
With the USMA cadets providing design, engineering, and construction work, OSI supports the cadets by conducting site preparation, obtaining all necessary environmental clearances from state agencies, and funding the projects, with New York State Parks providing design oversight. This year, the cadets designed and constructed the unique Schunnemunk Meadows Bridge—a 26-foot-long, partially-cantilevered bridge spanning Schunnemunk Meadows, a seasonally wet and muddy area of Schunnemunk State Park. The cantilevered structure of the bridge incorporates a unique, asymmetrical “A” for “Army” and emulates iconic, man-made, and natural structures nearby: the historically important Moodna Viaduct, soaring nearly 200 feet over the meadow; Schunnemunk Mountain, towering more than 1,660 feet in the near distance; and the nearby, nationally recognized landscape sculpture park, Storm King Art Center. “There are not a lot of bridges with a cantilevered design. Our team wanted to make this bridge a landmark for the area. We were all excited to build something that hasn’t been done that much before,” said Cadet Tyler Gregory, a member of the bridge team. The cadets chose weathering steel, a type of steel with a rusted patina that made the bridge more weather resistant and helped it blend into the natural setting. “It’s a stronger material and it reflects the feel of the historic Moodna viaduct,” said Cadet Alex Cummings. After being carefully designed over one and a half semesters, construction on the bridge began in March 2023 and was completed in just four weeks.
By Open Space Institute (OSI)
The unlikely pairing of the US Military Academy (USMA) at West Point and one of the nation's leading land conservation organizations, the Open Space Institute (OSI), is yielding real-world results for emerging military leaders and outdoor recreationalists. The most recent result of the ongoing collaboration is a new pedestrian trail bridge at Schunnemunk State Park in New York’s Hudson Valley. For the past six years, West Point cadets have built bridges in collaboration with OSI to gain hands-on design and construction experience as part of year-long senior capstone projects as they pursue degrees in Civil Engineering and train for their military careers. The projects, which were also supported by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC), require extensive coordination and planning. The cadets refine their construction concepts over the course of several months, according to J. Ledlie Klosky, Ph.D., P.E., Professor of Civil Engineering at USMA, who advised the 2023 cadet team alongside his colleagues, LTC Adrian Biggerstaff and Gary Jordan, Ph.D. “Once generated, the concepts for the bridge are shared with the stakeholder group,” said Professor Klosky. “The concept is broken down, pulled apart, and streamlined to produce the best possible result. After the winning concept is selected, the cadets dive into detailed engineering design to select appropriate materials and ensure the final product supports public safety and welfare requirements.”
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csengineermag.com
October 2023
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