SPECIAL SPECIFICATION SS 348201

SPECIAL SPECIFICATION
SS 348201 Construction Engineering for Bridges

PART 1 – GENERAL

1.1 DESCRIPTION

A. The work under this item consists of furnishing the design and erection plan for the erection
of the steel girders, arch ribs, and cable hangers, including the design of any necessary
falsework, shoring, bracing and cofferdams required during, or in-between, construction
stages as detailed on the plans, show drawings, and Specifications.

B. All work and material for installing, maintaining, modifying or adjusting and removing
shoring, falsework, bracing and cofferdams shall be in accordance with “Temporary Works,
Shoring, Falsework, and Bracing” shall be the responsibility of the Contractor.

1.2 MATERIALS

A. Materials for Temporary Works shall be as described by and the responsibility of the
Contractor’s construction engineer and shall conform to the below reference documents.

1.3 REFERENCES

A. The following references apply to this work and shall be used by the Contractor’s
construction engineer when performing construction engineering and designing Temporary
Works:

1. AASHTO – LRFD Bridge Design Specifications - Customary U.S. Units, 2012.

2. AASHTO – LRFD Guide Specifications for the Design of Pedestrian Bridges,

December, 2009.

3. AASHTO – Standard Specifications for Highway Bridges, 17th Edition, 2002.

(Added only for definition of H-15 truck loading.)

4. AASHTO – Guide Specifications - Thermal Effects in Concrete Bridge

Superstructures, 1989.

5. AASHTO / AWS D1.5/D1.5-2008 – Bridge Welding Code.

6. AASHTO – Construction Handbook for Bridge Temporary Works, 1st Edition (1995)
with 2008 Interims.

7. AASHTO – Guide Design Specifications for Bridge Temporary Works, 1st Edition
(1995) with 2008 Interims.

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8. AASHTO – Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs,

Luminaries and Traffic Signals, 2009, including Interim Specifications.

1.4 CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

A. The Contractor shall furnish and maintain, at his own cost and risk, all tools, apparatus and
appliances, equipment, and power for same, scaffolding, runways, ladders, temporary
supports and bracing, and all other similar work or materials necessary to ensure speed,
convenience, and safety in the execution of the work. All such items shall comply with
OSHA regulations and other applicable codes and standards.

1.5 TEMPORARY WORKS, SHORING, FALSEWORK, AND BRACING

A. In addition to provisions in TxDOT Standard Item 420 “Concrete Structures” and Item 441
“Steel Structures”, the Contractor shall provide temporary bracing and shoring wherever
necessary to accommodate all loads to which the structure may be subjected during
constructing, including erection equipment and operation of the same. Such bracing shall
be left in place as long as necessary for safety. Temporary Works shall be designed for the
most severe combinations of loads that may be encountered. The Contractor is
responsible for identifying the need for any and all Temporary Works. The Engineer will
review and approve the Contractor’s Temporary Works submittals to confirm they produce
no adverse effect to the Permanent Works.

PART 2 – CONSTRUCTION METHODS

2.1 GENERAL

A. The schematic construction sequence shown on the plans is not mandatory. The
Contractor shall prepare a complete erection sequence based either on the construction
sequence shown or a different erection sequence of his own choice. In any case, the
Contractor shall submit design calculations and detailed drawings, supporting all proposed
deviations to the Engineer for review and approval. The redesign and/or modifications, and
any additional materials required by the deviation shall all be at no cost to the City of Austin.

B. The furnishing of such plans, methods and calculations pertaining to the Contractor’s
erection sequence and their approval by the Engineer shall not serve to relieve the
Contractor of his responsibility for the safety of the work and the successful completion of
the Project. The Contractor's proposal must meet all requirements established in regulatory
permits for the Project.

C. The erection equipment and loads shown on the Plans have been assumed to permit
analysis of the structure of the effects thereof. If the Contractor elects to use the
construction sequence shown in the plans, he shall ascertain for himself the practicality
thereof and shall assume complete responsibility for the detailed design of the erection
equipment.

D. Several assumptions, described in the Plans, have been made concerning the erection
process in order to design the structure. Deviation from these assumptions may require

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reanalysis or redesign by the Contractor. The Engineer will be the judge in determining the
amount of re-analysis or re-design.

E. The Contractor will be responsible for determination of monitoring of forces, and deflections
in the permanent structure at all erection stages as are caused by his proposed erection
process.

F. Modifications of the structure for erection purposes will be permitted with the approval of the
Engineer provided it is demonstrated that the details will have no adverse effect on the
completed structure. Any additional material required shall be provided at no cost to the
City of Austin. Completed details and stress computations will be required for all revision to
the Plans. The Contractor shall present for the Engineer’s approval all proposed
modification to the details shown in the contract documents.

2.2 ERECTION DRAWINGS

The following shall be submitted.

A. Prepare complete shop drawings (in English) showing all information necessary for the
bridge construction including erection and sequence of the girders and arch ribs and the
installation of cable hangers and connection hardware. The drawings shall include the
location, type and size of all cable hangers, fittings, sockets, anchorages and connection
hardware accounting for and clearly detailing for tolerance and field adjustments.

B. The Contractor shall demonstrate all proposed methods and procedures to provide
adequate safety to the general public from construction/erection activities and/or falsework
placed over or adjacent to traveled roadways or walkways, recreational waterways or any
existing commercial, industrial or other facility.

C. Qualifications: The Contractor’s engineer charged with preparing the erection drawings,
calculations and manuals shall have a minimum of 10-years’ experience in the design of
stage constructed cable supported structures and shall be a registered Professional
Engineer in the State of Texas. The Contractor shall furnish the resume of his construction
engineer, which shall include a detailed description of projects worked on, his role in these
projects and owner references, which can verify the experience.

D. The submitted shop drawings shall be signed and sealed by a licensed Professional
Engineer registered in the State of Texas for review and shall obtain acceptance prior to the
start of fabrication or erection.

E. Information Required: Submit detailed shop drawings for both concrete and structural steel,
which are fully integrated depicting reinforcing steel, inserts, electrical and drainage conduit,
and other pertinent items together with calculations and manuals which include but are not
necessarily limited to the following:

F. Construction Engineering Report (with Basis of Design and assumptions for the Erection
Procedure) including:

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1. Sequencing,
2. Stability
3. Pick point,
4. Element properties and material characteristics,
5. Girder and arch rib weights and shapes,
6. Girder and arch rib deformation and roll.
7. Cross-frame and diaphragm connections,
8. Use of oversize holes or slots,
9. Tolerance.

G. Erection Equipment: The Contractor shall submit to the Engineer the detailed design
calculations and data for all erection equipment, screed machine, falsework, temporary
bracing and other items as required for erection.

H. Design Calculations: Design calculations for construction procedures, as required in

Section 10.2 of Division II Construction Specifications of the AASHTO Guide Specifications
for Design and Construction of Segmental Concrete Bridges (hereinafter referred to as
AASHTO Guide Specifications).

1. The design calculations shall include a complete description and stress calculations
of the proposed process and sequence of erection including positions and weights
of equipment at each stage in sufficient detail to allow review of the effects of the
erection procedure on the structure.
2. Details of contemplated elevations, cable hanger length or force adjustment
required shall be shown at each stage.

I. Shop Drawings: Shop drawings, as required in Section 10.3 of Division II Construction

Specifications of the AASHTO Guide Specifications. In addition, the following shop
drawings shall be submitted for details and calculations for any localized strengthening for
concentrated supports, loads, or reaction from any special erection equipment. Any effects
to the permanent works caused or induced by the Temporary Works shall be evaluated.

J. Geometry Control Plan: a manual for the geometry control of the bridge prepared by the
Contractor’s engineer in accordance with the information provided in the Contract
Documents or as required by this specification.

K. Check Points: The contractor shall prepare a table of elevations and alignments required at
each stage of construction, at the top and bottom cable hanger work points and along the
length of the girder interior top flange. The movement of the substructure at the base of the
arch rib and the top of the thrust blocks shall also be monitored.

L. Camber: The amount by which the roadway and arch ribs profile at erection must differ from
the theoretical geometric profile grade to compensate for all structural dead load, hanger
cable stressing, and all the intermediate erection stages and effects (the opposite of
deflections). The determination of camber values and erection elevations are dependent
upon the Contractor’s erection sequence, schedule, construction loads, hanger cable
stressing scheme and achieving the material properties as specified. The as-constructed
roadway vertical alignment for the bridge shall match the theoretical vertical alignment at

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the end of construction (Day = 5000), including subsequent long-term and time-dependent
deformations after the bridge is opened to traffic.

M. Temporary Works: Provide calculations, materials, and details for Temporary Works
including shoring, falsework, bracing, blocking, and cofferdams. Falsework at the midspan
of the bridge shall be provided to support the bridge girders and arch rib and temporary
blocking shall be provided to resist longitudinal thrust. These elements maybe removed
once the hanger cables have been installed and stressed to maintain stability and geometry
control of the structure during erection.

N. Complete detailed erection sequence drawings are required showing full details of the
proposed construction cycle with time required for each separate operation. The
Contractor's sequence of construction shall insure the intermediate static and dynamic
stability of the structure for the various stages of the construction.

O. Erection, erection wind, and erection temperature stresses at each stage shall be
calculated for both permanent and temporary members. The reactions at the abutments,
thrust blocks and falsework shall be determined for each stage. Moments, shears, and
axial loads and other forces and stress summaries shall be computed and tabulated for the
superstructure and substructure at a sufficient number of points to demonstrate that the
loading demands will not exceed the member capacities and allowable stresses limitations
for all members at erection stages and final stages.

P. Time Dependent Analysis: The Contractor’s erection analysis shall account for the
Modulus of Elasticity of concrete, creep and shrinkage of concrete, and the age of concrete
at initial loading.

Q. Cranes Supported by the Permanent Structure: If the Contractor elects to use cranes
supported by the permanent structure, design calculations shall include, as minimum, the
crane lifting capacity and self-weight (with maximum counterweight), maximum loads
applied from the crane to the structure, maximum substructure unbalanced moments and
stresses with corresponding footing cap and substructure calculations for receiving cranes
loads. The calculations shall include the wind loading effects from the crane to the
permanent structure.

R. Geotechnical Information: The Contractor shall review the “Geotechnical Engineering

Report, Second Street Bridge over Shoal Creek” dated August 22, 2013, prepared by
Terracon Consultants. The Contractor is responsible to obtain any additional
recommendations for: 1) soil bearing or pile capacities; and, 2) passive and active soil
pressures induced on temporary shoring. These recommendations shall be signed and
sealed by a Professional Engineer registered in the State of Texas.

In general, any revision to materials, components, erection methods or construction sequence indicated
on the plans and/or to previously approved shop drawings shall require submittals prepared and sealed by
a Professional Engineer registered in the State of Texas for approval by the Engineer. The Engineer’s
review of the above data will in no way relieve the Contractor of responsibility for the efficacy and safety of
the construction methods and equipment employed, and for conformity of the completed structure to the

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plans and specifications. The Contractor shall meet with the Engineer to discuss the proposed erection
procedure, erection design criteria, and structure capabilities to support the proposed erection scheme.

The Contractor shall be required to document acceptance of shop drawings received from the Contractor’s
engineer prior to submitting drawings for approval. The inspection personnel will use shop drawings
approved by the Engineer for fabrication and inspection control.

2.3 STEEL FABRICATION REQUIREMENTS

A. General: All materials, details, and procedures shall be as specified herein, as noted on the
plans, or as directed by the Engineer. Fabrication of steel components and cable hangers
shall not begin until the shop drawings pertaining to the Construction Sequence, required
computations, have been approved by the Engineer. The basic structure schedule requires
that girders and arch ribs are supported on temporary falsework prior to cable. The work
shall be in accordance with the AASHTO Standard Specification.

B. Construction Sequence: The structural design has been based upon the construction
sequence shown on the plans. The sequence of segment erection indicated on the plans
was prepared for design purposes only. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to determine the
sequence which will best enable him to construct the bridge within the time permitted, and
in accordance with the details shown on the plans and specifications. Any proposal by the
Contractor to depart from this sequence will require the prior approval of the Engineer, and
shall be accompanied by design calculations and detailed drawings supporting all proposed
deviations.

2.4 ERECTION

A. The Contractor will be responsible for determination of and recording the monitoring of
forces, and deflections in the permanent structure at all erection stages as are caused by
his proposed erection process so that the completed structure will conform to the lines,
grades, and dimensions and hanger cable stresses on the plans. A record shall be
furnished to the Engineer at the time each check is made. The erection procedure shall be
such that cable hanger loads do not exceed 70% of the Minimum Breaking Load.

B. The Contractor shall furnish competent engineering and surveying personnel and
equipment as well as a detailed plan to establish and verify elevations and alignment of the
structure and cable stays at every stage of construction. Survey data along the top and
bottom cable hanger work points and along the length of the girder interior top flange shall
be collected as a minimum after at the following stages:

1. Bare girders are erected, field spliced, and cross-frames and outriggers installed;

2. Bare arch ribs are erected and field spliced;

3. Placement of the deck slab and sidewalk slabs. Use this information to confirm
elevations for:

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a. Stay-in-place forms;
b. Screeding the main deck; and,
c. Sidewalk slabs.

4. Hanger cable tensioning or restressing;

5. Removal of the falsework supports; and,

6. Completion of the bridge finishing works including placement of traffic barrier rails,
pedestrian rails, installation of bridge mounted utilities; and sidewalk pavers.

C. Measurements shall be made in the morning, before thermal effects are developed. The
Contractor shall be responsible to determine the need for the amount of correction, which
may be required in the erection stages. The Contractor shall be responsible for correcting
any misalignment at no additional cost to the City of Austin, and shall submit to the
Engineer for approval an explanation of the cause of such misalignment and a plan for
correcting it. The plan shall include calculations of any stresses, which will result from
misalignment corrections.

D. The structure shall have a geometric configuration, at 70 degrees F. normal temperature, in

general conformance with the dimensions shown on the plans for the dead load condition.
The Contractor shall provide sufficient computations and analysis for the structure to
reasonably assure that final adjustments can be made to obtain the dead load cable hanger
stress and deck elevations within the following tolerances:

E. Girder and Arch Rib:

1. Elevation of hanger cable work points shall not exceed +/- 1” from the specified
coordinates.

2. Maximum camber and sweep at the mid-point of the girder and arch rib elements
per AASHTO/AWS D1.5:

a. Sweep tolerance not to exceed L/1000 or 2 inches; and,

b. Camber tolerance not less than zero and not to exceed or 2 inches.

F. Cables:

1. Cables shall be adjusted for the dead load condition such that each individual cable
shall not exceed values of + five percent (5%) of the cable dead load computed from
approved shop drawings. It is possible that one or more cables may have to be
adjusted to lesser tolerances to prevent stress in other cables from exceeding the +
five percent (5%) tolerance.

2. The cable cross-sections and geometric lengths shown on the plans are for the
convenience of the Contractor only. The Contractor shall calculate final fabrication
lengths after erection loads and methods are known, strand testing has been
finished, and detailed erection stress calculations have been completed.

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G. Prior to erection, hoisting equipment shall be proof loaded to 120% of the estimated
maximum lift.

H. Upon completion of the bridge finishing works the cables shall be readjusted, as approved
by the Engineer, as necessary to achieve their planned tension.

End

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