Due to the age of the four-span steel rolled beam bridge, the West Virginia Division of Highways denoted the Gerald R. Freeman Bridge as structurally deficient and in need of a full replacement. Using advanced structural analysis and state-of-the-art modeling programs, Mead & Hunt designed a new, 464-foot curved three-span steel plate girders supported on reinforced concrete substructures on drilled shafts to replace the nearly 61-year-old bridge.
The bridge is in rural Braxton County, West Virginia. Because of the bridge’s rural location and a long detour of 84 miles, traffic needed to be maintained during construction. Mead & Hunt incorporated bridge layout upstream of current location into our design, allowing the existing bridge to remain operational throughout the duration of the new construction.
Our team used MIDAS for modeling purposes throughout design and MDX for 2D grid analysis and design. This, combined with our thorough analysis, led to the design of a structure which permits each component to interact at an optimal level.
The team also performed survey, roadway design, hydraulic analysis, utility and agency coordination and environmental permitting for this structure replacement.
