Victoria Park renovations completed

London’s historic Victoria Park has been restored to its former splendor following the completion of a £12 million, 16 month renovation project.

The project, funded by Tower Hamlets Council and The Heritage Lottery Fund was carried out by family-owned construction, civil engineering and property services firm Osborne, which involved full renovation of the park’s facilities and grounds.

Work on the park included the construction of two large play areas with play equipment, water play features, and a Wheels Park for skateboarding and bikes as well as restoration on the Old English Garden and other landscaping work.

Additional work included restoring the listed Burdett Coutts Fountain; the Rustic Shelter; the Bandstand; and all entrances and gates and Bonner Bridge. Many of the Bonner Bridge balustrades had to be replaced, and were cast from the original panels. More than one third of the materials and labour for this project came from within a 10 mile radius of the site.

The park remained open throughout the renovation work, so the site team worked around staff, residents and the local wildlife, scheduling work around nesting season for the birds and working with English Heritage to obtain approvals for refurbishing listed structures.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, said: “The refurbishment was a once in a life-time opportunity to bring a much loved park up to date and the multi million pound transformation will ensure the park continues to provide excellent facilities for years to come.

I am proud of the investment which has been made as it really is the jewel in the crown for the borough.”

Tommy Chambers, Managing Director of Osborne’s Civil Engineering team, said: “The whole community have joined us in refurbishing this magnificent park, with residents getting involved in planting, and some local school children painting murals to go on our hoardings while the work was taking place. With the park remaining open throughout the renovation works, we made communication with residents and staff a key priority, so they knew what was going on and why. This park has been a key feature of the local landscape and in the lives of its residents since 1845, and these renovations have been designed to improve the experience for visitors while complimenting the park’s Victorian heritage.”

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Construction Cruise planned for North Africa in September 2013

A Construction Cruise is planned for four cities, three countries in the North Africa in September 2013, encompassing stops in Algeria, Tunisia, Tripoli- Libya and Benghazi-Libya.

The sparkling sailing trip is being run by Expotim International Fair Organisation Inc. and is showcased on

Those on the trip will be able to meet with the sector professionals in each country during the 10-day period.

“CONSTRUCTION CRUISE NORTH AFRICA INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION and CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS EXHIBITIONS cultivate firm relationship with related customers, oversee the market&competitors, scrutinize needs and behaviors of professional buyers but also, enables the exhibitors to introduce and promote their company in 3 different countries” the event's website says.

The company says the advantages of the Construction Cruise will include its time efficiency, building brand image in specialised industry events in 3 countries, Luxurious accommodation and its networking opportunities.c

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FB Chain Ltd launches new brand of leaf chain specifically designed for the type of heavy-capacity forklift trucks, reach stackers and container handlers

Hertfordshire-based FB Chain Ltd has announced the launch of a new brand of leaf chain specifically designed for the type of heavy-capacity forklift trucks, reach stackers and container handlers used in and around ports, harbours and other freight terminals.

SEB SuperEndurance chain – which controls a truck’s essential hydraulic mast functions - has been developed to ensure the highest levels of truck uptime while minimising the requirement for routine chain maintenance.

“The initial costs and ongoing maintenance charges associated with leaf chains used on large pieces of materials handling equipment are high,” says Peter Church, managing director of FB Chain.

“Chains are time consuming to inspect and maintain and often require specialist lifting equipment to deal with them. Of more significance, however, is the cost incurred when a large piece of equipment is ‘out of service’ because its chain has failed.

“If, for example, the leaf chain malfunctions on a container handler, reach stacker or forklift, the equipment is out of action until the chain is repaired or replaced and the resultant downtime is costly and disruptive.”

FB Chain’s new SEB SuperEndurance chain has a number of unique features which combine to offer financial, environmental and throughput efficiency benefits.

For instance, the chain has solid seamless bushes pressed in to two inner links. In simple terms, this bush design allows better contact between the chain’s plates and pins, which increases the chain’s resistance to wear significantly.

Chain wear is further reduced by the incorporation of a synthetic O-ring which provides a seal between the plate and the pin and retains lubricant in the part of the chain where it is most needed. This means the chain requires less lubrication – which cuts operating costs – and reduces the amount of oil which is washed off during routine cleaning.

“Many chain oils cannot handle the high internal loads experienced in chains fitted to container handling trucks,” explains Peter Church.

He continues: “This is especially true when trucks are fitted with spreader units that result in the chain being constantly under load even when the truck is not lifting. The O-ring and bush construction of SEB SuperEndurance chain reduces bearing pressure and retains oil in the right place – which extends the chain’s life significantly.”

In addition, to reduce the impact of salt and humidity, SEB chain is treated with a zinc flake coating which offers six times greater corrosion protection than traditional untreated chain.

“The extended life of SEB chain significantly reduces fleet operating costs for any port-based application. The chain’s design not only means that users buy less chain, it also ensures that materials handling equipment spends less time ‘out of service’,” says Peter Church.

All the major dimensions, breaking loads and working loads of SEB SuperEndurance chain are compatible with the standard chain types used by all leading materials handling equipment manufacturers and suppliers.

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Ringway signs a contract with North Yorkshire County Council

Ringway will provide term maintenance and improvement services to North Yorkshire County Council and its highways network.
The signed contract, worth circa £250 million, will begin in April 2012, and could potentially see Ringway servicing the county for the next 10 years.

The contract, which was previously held by Balfour Beatty, will cover all aspects of highway maintenance and highway improvement including gully emptying, grass cutting, bridge repair and maintenance and street lighting maintenance. Ringway has also set up a fleet services workshop which will be responsible for the servicing, repairs and recovery of the council’s commercial vehicles, the fleet of staff company cars and group vehicles in theNorth Yorkshirearea.

Chris Connor, Managing Director of Ringway said, “We are delighted to have won this contract and are very much looking forward to mobilising with North Yorkshire County Council to deliver a variety of highways and street improvement services. We are particularly looking forward to working on a more rural road system and the opportunities available in such a diverse county.”

With contracts across theUK, Ringway has a rich experience of delivering all types of maintenance contracts, from traditional schedule of rates contracts through to managing agent contractor approaches, DBFOs and Private Finance Initiatives.

From small defect repairs to routine maintenance and local construction schemes, Ringway can deploy its range of services, with wide-ranging experience, acrossNorth Yorkshireand with the ability to innovate and grow together with the county’s council and community.

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Construction Safety over time

The Taj Mahal. The Eiffel Tower. Stonehenge. Today, the world’s greatest structures stand against time and oblivion because of the capable hands that built them. Though we marvel at the wonders of construction peppered throughout skylines and cities – on neighborhood corners or offering a gateway to the West – we seldom remember the men and women that built these marvels. Construction safety has been and will continue to be an important part of an industry that is constantly plagued by the specter of death.

A lot has changed since the first bipeds cobbled together stones until they had formed a crude hut to protect their matted, pre-human fur from the cruelty of the elements. Today our buildings are monuments to marriage of the creative mind and sophisticated building design, but if one aspect of construction sites still persists, it’s that the threat of injury or death that looms over every construction job. Federal regulation and safety training offer ways to educate construction workers and the general public on how to be safest in construction situations. Sadly, these types of programs haven’t always been in place.
Construction Site Safety Then and Now

Job site safety is a major issue for workers and employers. Of course, this wasn’t always the case with major building projects of the past. The Great Pyramids of Egypt took 80 years to complete and saw the deaths of thousands of people. Of course, worker conditions and employee safety are much different now than they were in the height of Egyptian rule.
Fast forward to the 1960s, to see a construction project that took the safety of workers very seriously. The Gateway Arch located in St. Louis, Missouri started in 1963 and took 2 1/2 years to finish. Each side of the arch was started at the same time and grew in height together. Massive cranes were attached to the sides of the arch in order to lift each triangular piece in to place. When the last piece of the arch was ready to be put into place, each side of the arch had to push back four feet in order to accommodate the last piece of the monument. Once complete, the arch stood a towering 630 feet into the sky. Not one life was lost during the construction period.

What Makes a Construction Site Safe?
Scholars estimate that 27,500 people died in the process of building the Panama Canal. Some died from illnesses while others perished from construction accidents. Since that time, there has been a serious shift in the way certain buildings are constructed. In the early 1970s, personal protective equipment (PPE) standards went into effect. Nearly two decades later, after discovering that workers continued to be injured whether or not they were wearing PPE, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revised the standards to reflect changing construction methods. The standards include guidelines for various protections including head, foot, hand and eye and face along with general requirements of worksites.

There are different methods that are used when constructing different types of buildings. Hardhats and utility vests are standard procedure for most construction sites. For skyscrapers, guardrails are sometimes placed around dangerous corners to prevent falls and tether lines are used to keep welders and workers from falling to their deaths. But what about single story buildings? There really is no need for tether lines or large pieces of machinery for building the structure. Smaller construction sites still have to play it safe. Each worker still have towear colored vests for safety. In addition, workers may be required to wear steel-toed boots to keep their feet from being crushed and, like every project, there are regular inspections that take place to make sure each step of the process meets the coded standard. Job site construction safety is very important, and looking back on history, it’s easy to see why.

As freeways continue to expand and dazzling buildings continue to reach for the heavens, it’s important to remember the human cost of our modern construction marvels and take every step to keep them as low as possible in the future.

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Terex Finlay 984 Makes Its Debut With Installation From Finlay Plant SW

The awesome, next-generation Terex Finlay 984 has made its debut in England, where it is doing the work of three machines - transforming the screening of limestone in the West Country.

Representatives from the Kelston Sparkes Group visited France to see one of the machines in action before specifying it for their screening operation in Frome, Somerset, where the company is contracted by Tarmac to handle dry stone production at Halecombe Quarry.

Supplied by Finlay Plant SW, the machine is currently operating at a rate of 300 tonnes per hour, although Terry O’Callaghan, General Manager of Kelston Sparkes Group, says the machine could run up to 320 tonnes per hour if required.

The economic benefits are compelling – as well as removing the need for two screens and their associated running costs, the machine is also producing 50 tonnes per hour more than was previously achieved on the site.

To aid productivity, Kelston Sparkes Group worked with Gareth Johnson, Managing Director of Finlay Plant SW, to develop a larger hopper to shovel-load 75 mm aggregate in.

Terry O’Callaghan said: “The 984 was the only type of machine on the market that could do what we needed.

“It does the tonnage and has accomplished what we set out to achieve.

“The need for two screeners has also been taken out, which were previously used to take out the dust on 4mm decks, as this new machine takes out the dust sufficiently well.”

Representing the latest in high volume screening technology, the Terex Finlay 984 is a horizontal, three deck screener that is easy to set up, versatile and ideal for handling large volumes of material in quarrying, mining and recycling applications.

It incorporates the 6100mm x 1930mm Terex Cedarapids 6203 triple shaft screen, enabling the screening of four sizes of products for maximum output.

Despite its power, the machine is easy to move between sites, with the four on-board product conveyors - which provide generous stockpiling capacity - able to fold hydraulically into one of the smallest transport envelopes for this class of machine.

Other features include an oval-throw action, which makes the horizontal screen virtually non-plugging, and the ability to fine tune stroke angle, amplitude and the speed of the screenbox, to allow throughput of materials up to 800 tonnes per hour.

Over the years, Finlay Plant SW has worked with Kelston Sparkes Plant Hire to deliver nine machines into the business, which has been established for 60 years.

Terry added: “Finlay Plant SW has always given us good service.

“We do our own maintenance and back-up support and advice is always available.

“Access to spare parts is also reliable and the machines we’ve had over the years have all been good.”

Tarmac’s Halecombe Unit manager, Garry Wason, said: “We’re really pleased to have a machine on site that so greatly improves our productivity, and we are happy to be working with Kelston Sparkes to achieve maximum efficiency and maintain a high quality output.

“The extra tonnage per hour makes our production targets more achievable while keeping in line with our company's cost reduction plan.

“Sustainability is an important consideration for Tarmac, and the 984 has had a big impact on this by allowing us to dispense with two other machines, improving our specific energy consumption and reducing our carbon footprint.”

Gareth Johnson, Managing Director of Finlay Plant SW, which is part of the Finlay Group of companies, said: “The introduction of the 984 has transformed the volume of aggregate produced at Halecombe.

“The plant can work with other Terex Finlay machinery at the site, and offers maximum performance.

“This is the first installation of the 984 in England and Wales and we are sure its unique qualities will soon see it become increasingly valued across the quarrying, mining and recycling sectors.”

ENDS
Notes To Editors
Finlay Plant SW is part of the Finlay Group – which comprises of eleven stand alone companies offering the most modern and diverse range of material processing equipment available in the marketplace today.

With its headquarters in Stafford, the company has a national reach across England and Wales.

The Finlay Group acts as dealers for Terex Finlay as well as other brands including Trio, Baioni and Pilot Crushtec.

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Laterally Loaded Vertical Piles

Vertical-pile resistance to lateral loads is a function of both the flexural stiffness of the shaft, the stiffness of the bearing soil in the upper 4 to 6D length of shaft, where D=pile diameter and the degree of pile-head fixity.


The lateral-load vs. pile-head deflection relationship is developed from charted nondimensional solutions of Reese and Matlock. The solution assumes the soil modulus K to increase linearly with depth z; that is, K= nh ,z where nh coefficient of horizontal subgrade reaction. A characteristic pile length T is calculated as:

T=(EI/nh)1/2

where
EI= pile stiffness.

The lateral deflection y of a pile with head free to move and subject to a lateral load Pt and moment Mt applied at the ground line is given by

y=Ay Pt T3 / EI+ By Mt T2 / EI

where
Ay and By are nondimensional coefficients. Non- dimensional coefficients are also available for evaluation of pile slope, moment, shear, and soil reaction along the shaft.

For positive moment,

M=Am Pt T+Bm Mt

Positive Mt and Pt values are represented by clockwise moment and loads directed to the right on the pile head at the ground line. The coefficients applicable to evaluation of pile-head deflection and to the maximum positive moment and its approximate position on the shaft, z/T, where z= distance below the ground line and are given in the tabular form


Percentage of load Transmitted To Rock Socket

Er /Ep

Ls /ds 0.25 1.0 4.0
0.5 54 48 44
1.0 31 23 18
1.5 17 12 8
2.0 13 8 4

Estimated by interpretation of finite-element solution for Poisson’s ratio 0.26.

The negative moment imposed at the pile head by pile- cap or another structural restraint can be evaluated as a function of the head slope (rotation) from



where
theta rad represents the counterclockwise ( + ) rotation of the pile head and A? and B? are coefficients . The influence of the degrees of fixity of the pile head on y and M can be evaluated by substituting the value of Mt from the preceding equation into the earlier y and M equations. Note that, for the fixed-head case,

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In seismic liquefaction, what is the difference of pile failures mechanism between lateral spreading and buckling?

Most of design codes assume that pile fails during strong earthquake by lateral spreading. Lateral spreading is based on bending mechanism where the inertia and slope movement causes bending in piles. In essence, piles are considered as beams which are subjected to lateral loads such as slope movement leading to pile failure.

Piles are slender columns with lateral support from foundation soils. When the length of pile increases, the buckling loads decrease with the square of pile length. For buckling failure, soils around the piles lose the confining stress during earthquake and can hardly provide lateral support to piles. As such, the pile serves as an unsupported column with axial instability. It will buckle sideways in the direction of least bending stiffness under axial load.

This question is taken from book named – A Self Learning Manual – Mastering Different Fields of Civil Engineering Works (VC-Q-A-Method) by Vincent T. H. CHU.

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For typical pile bents in marine piers, how is vertical loads related to horizontal capacity of the pile bents?

Let’s consider a pile bent with a top slab supported by two ranking piles, each inclining at an equal angle to the pier slab. In designing such a system, truss action is normally adopted to analyze the pile bent. When the reaction forces of these piles, horizontal forces (e.g. due to berthing and deberthing of vessels) and vertical forces (e.g. superimposed deck loads) are analyzed by drawing a force polygon, it is noted that lateral resistance of the pile bent is dependent on the vertical load, i.e. lateral resistance is small when vertical loads are high.



This question is taken from book named – A Self Learning Manual – Mastering Different Fields of Civil Engineering Works (VC-Q-A-Method) by Vincent T. H. CHU.

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Is mild steel or high yield steel suitable as lifting hoops in precast concrete?

The strength of high yield steel is undoubtedly higher than mild steel and hence high yield steel is commonly used as main steel reinforcement in concrete structures. However, mild yield steel is commonly used in links or stirrups because they can be subjected to bending of a lower radius of curvature.

For lifting hoops in precast concrete, it is essential that the hoops can be bent easily and hence mild steel is commonly adopted for lifting hoops because high yield bars may undergo tension cracking when it is bent through a small radius.

This question is taken from book named – A Self Learning Manual – Mastering Different Fields of Civil Engineering Works (VC-Q-A-Method) by Vincent T. H. CHU.

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Tying wires for reinforcement adjacent to and above Class F4 and F5 finishes should be stainless steel wires. Why?

If plain steel tying wires are used for reinforcement adjacent to Class F4 and F5 finishes, it poses the problem of rust staining which may impair the appearance of exposed concrete surfaces. The rate of corrosion of plain steel tying wires is similar to normal steel reinforcement. However, for tying wires with very small diameter, upon long exposure it stands a high chance of rusting completely and these rust will stain the formwork and significantly affect the concrete finish. Therefore, stainless steel tying wires are specified for locations in the vicinity of high quality of finishes to avoid rust staining by corroded typing wires.

Note: Tying wires are wires used for fixing and connecting steel reinforcement bars.

This question is taken from book named – A Self Learning Manual – Mastering Different Fields of Civil Engineering Works (VC-Q-A-Method) by Vincent T. H. CHU.

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Does the presence of rust have adverse impact to the bond performance of bar reinforcement?

In fact, the presence of rust in bars may not have adverse impact to the bond performance and it depends on the types of bar reinforcement under consideration.

For plain round bars, the rust on bars improves the bond performance by the formation of rough surfaces which increases the friction between steel and concrete.

However, for deformed bars, the same theory cannot apply. The presence of rust impairs the bond strength because corrosion occurs at the raised ribs and subsequently fills the gap between ribs, thus evening out the original deformed shape. In essence, the bond between concrete and deformed bars originates from the mechanical lock between the raised ribs and concrete. On the contrary, the bond between concrete and plain round bars derives from the adhesion and interface friction. With such differences in mechanism in bonding, the behaviour of bond between deformed bars and plain round bars in the presence of rust varies. Reference is made to CIRIA Report 147.

This question is taken from book named – A Self Learning Manual – Mastering Different Fields of Civil Engineering Works (VC-Q-A-Method) by Vincent T. H. CHU.

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What is the effect of rusting on steel reinforcement?

The corrosion of steel reinforcement inside a concrete structure is undesirable in the following ways:

(i) The presence of rust impairs the bond strength of deformed reinforcement because corrosion occurs at the raised ribs and fills the gap between ribs, thus evening out the original deformed shape. In essence, the bond between concrete and deformed bars originates from the mechanical lock between the raised ribs and concrete. The reduction of mechanical locks by corrosion results in the decline in bond strength with concrete.

(ii) The presence of corrosion reduces the effective cross sectional area of the steel reinforcement. Hence, the available tensile capacity of steel reinforcement is reduced by a considerable reduction in the cross sectional area.

(iii) The corrosion products occupy about 3 times the original volume of steel from which it is formed. Such drastic increase in volume generates significant bursting forces in the vicinity of steel reinforcement. Consequently, cracks are formed along the steel reinforcement when the tensile strength of concrete is exceeded.

This question is taken from book named – A Self Learning Manual – Mastering Different Fields of Civil Engineering Works (VC-Q-A-Method) by Vincent T. H. CHU.

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What are the three major types of reinforcement used in prestressing?

(i) Spalling reinforcement
Spalling stresses are established behind the loaded area of anchor blocks and this causes breaking away of surface concrete. These stresses are induced by strain incompatibility with Poisson’s effects or by the shape of stress trajectories.

(ii) Equilibrium reinforcement
Equilibrium reinforcement is required where there are several anchorages in which prestressing loads are applied sequentially.

(iii) Bursting Reinforcement
Tensile stresses are induced during prestressing operation and the maximum bursting stress occurs where the stress trajectories are concave towards the line of action of the load. Reinforcement is needed to resist these lateral tensile forces.

This question is taken from book named – A Self Learning Manual – Mastering Different Fields of Civil Engineering Works (VC-Q-A-Method) by Vincent T. H. CHU.

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What is stress corrosion of prestressing steel?

Stress corrosion is the crystalline cracking of metals under tensile stresses in the presence of corrosive agents. The conditions for stress corrosion to occur are that the steel is subjected to tensile stresses arising from external loading or internally induced stress (e.g. prestressing). Moreover, the presence of corrosive agents is essential to trigger stress corrosion. One of the main features of stress corrosion is that the material fractures without any damage observed from the outside. Hence, stress corrosion occurs without any obvious warning signs.

This question is taken from book named – A Self Learning Manual – Mastering Different Fields of Civil Engineering Works (VC-Q-A-Method) by Vincent T. H. CHU.

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Akashi Kaikyo Bridge

The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge also popularly known as the Pearl Bridge, has the longest central span of any suspension bridge. The central span is staggering 1,991 metres (6,532 ft) making it a truly marvelous civil engineer wonder. Located in Japan, Akashi Kaikyo Bridge was completed in 1998 with the purpose of linking the city of Kobe on the mainland of Honsho to Iwaya on Awaji Island by crossing the busy Akashi Strait.

Construction Details
Central span – 1,991 metres (6,532 ft)
Steel – 181,000 tonnes ( It is said that total stell cable used in this bridge could encircle the entire world 7 times.)
Workers – 2 Million
Time- 10 years
Concrete – 1.4 million cubic metres

The bridge is constructed by using two main cables which strech between two towers. The road is supported by other cables which are eventually tied up with main cables. Two large anchor blocks on either end support this gigantic structure.

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Suspension bridge blueprint re-examined

PhysOrg.com) -- A team of structural engineers from the University of Sheffield in the UK say the assumptions originating with 17th century Dutch engineer Christiaan Huygens may need to be re-examined. Huygens assumed the best design for a suspension bridge was based on towers and simple cables hanging between them to support the weight, but the Sheffield group say a more complex design using less material would be more efficient.

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Steel bridge kicks off infrastructure stimulus program

Steel bridge kicks off infrastructure stimulus program

In late February, an $8.5 million steel replacement bridge in Miller County near Tuscumbia, Mo., was approved under the new federal economic stimulus package for construction as a top priority for the state of Missouri. Because of the desire for rapid and economical construction, steel was selected for the bridge's main span.

"Today, the Show Me State again showed the nation we are leaders in transportation by having the first economic recovery act project in the country under construction," said Missouri Department of Transportation director Pete Rahn. "We promised we would be ready to go to make the best use of every dollar we receive through the economic recovery act to create jobs and make our highways safer. We delivered on that promise and then some."

The new 1,000-foot-long, 28-foot-wide steel bridge will replace the existing 75-year-old Osage River Bridge, which is the same length and just 20 feet wide. The bridge crosses a Missouri River tributary near the middle of the state, where the average daily traffic is more than 1,000 cars per day. However, it has been off-limits to large trucks since 2007 because of its poor structural condition.

The new bridge, built by general contractor APAC of Kansas City, will use 395 tons of structural steel for the bridge's 570-foot main span and will be positioned just upstream from the existing bridge.

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Short and Medium Span Bridge Conference

Short and Medium Span Bridge Conference

Sponsors of the 8th International Conference on Short and Medium Span Bridges—2010 issued a first announcement and call for papers. The conference, Aug. 3-6, 2010, in Niagara Falls, Ontario, has been held every four years in Canada. Sponsors include the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering and the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering.

Individuals wishing to contribute a technical paper or poster presentation are invited to submit an abstract (maximum of 300 words) relating to the conference themes:

Innovative design and construction;
Inspection, evaluation, and rehabilitation;
Advanced materials in bridges;
Accelerated bridge construction;
Research and development;
Management of bridge assets;
Bridge aesthetics; and
Engineering history.
The deadline for abstract submission is Sept. 15, 2009. More information is available on the conference website (www.bridgeconference2010.com); or contact Kwong-Yiu Chu at 905-704-2371 or via e-mail at smsb2010@ontario.ca.

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Woodrow Wilson Bridge wins Lindenthal Medal

Woodrow Wilson Bridge wins Lindenthal Medal

The Woodrow Wilson Bridge (WWB) Project, which spans the Potomac River connecting Virginia and Maryland, won the 2009 Gustav Lindenthal Medal. It was honored for resolving a renowned transportation bottleneck through technical innovation, environmental stewardship, capacity and efficiency improvements, and transit alternatives. The project was completed in 2008 on-time and within its $2.5 billion budget.

The award, sponsored by Bayer MaterialScience LLC, was presented to the Maryland State Highway Administration (MSHA) and the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) by Karsten Danielmeier, Ph.D., vice president, business development, Coatings, Adhesives and Specialties, Bayer MaterialScience LLC, during the annual International Bridge Conference (IBC) in Pittsburgh.

Potomac Crossing Consultants (PPC), a joint venture of Parsons Brinckerhoff, URS, and Rummel, Klepper & Kahl, LLP, provided program and construction management support to the primary partners—MSHA and VDOT—as well as the project's many other sponsors and consultants.

The bridge is noteworthy structurally, as well as aesthetically. Structurally, the bridge features the largest movable span in the world, and each of the structure's eight drawspans is designed to close within a 1/8-inch tolerance. Aesthetically, the design of the river crossing features an arch appearance that calls to mind other bridges in the Washington, D.C. area, as well as other "monumental" structures in the area. The V-piers maintain the arch theme, while functionally serving to minimize horizontal loads.

The bridge is environmentally significant, as well. As part of the project, five artificial reefs were created in the Chesapeake Bay. Additionally, more than 52 acres of new wetlands were created and more than 94 acres were restored or preserved. Also, the project reestablished streams for fish spawning and developed a contained bubble-curtain system to eliminate fish mortality during pile driving.

The culmination of the WWB Project is a functioning six-lane highway spanning the Potomac, reduced traffic congestion, renewed wetlands, and an on-time, on-budget signature structure.

"The Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project is an excellent example of how approaching a mega-project such as this one holistically—from a social, economic, and sustainable design perspective—can result in an achievement that is successful on many fronts," said Danielmeier. "For all its achievements, we are pleased to add the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Project to the elite group of this prestigious award's past winners."

One of five awards given annually at the IBC, the Gustav Lindenthal Medal was created in 1999 to honor a recent outstanding achievement that best demonstrates technical and material innovation together with aesthetic merit, harmony with the environment, or successful community participation.

Gustav Lindenthal was one of America's most celebrated bridge engineers, and is widely admired for his innovative ideas, vision, and foresight during the technology boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

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