Self-consolidating concrete in beams speeds Biloxi Bay Bridge construction

摘要

U.S. Route 90 is one of the Souths most traveled scenic highways and a major Gulf Coast artery. So when Hurricane Katrina destroyed the existing four-lane bridge between Biloxi, Miss., and Ocean Springs, Miss., the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) realized it had to be rebuilt as quickly and durably as possible. To expedite the process, they engaged the services of an ocean engineering firm, OEA Inc., which developed a computer model to predict the storm surge plus maximum wave height to ensure sufficient elevation for the new bridge to clear water levels expected from a catastrophic hurricane. With this information in hand, the agency advertised and awarded the $338 million design-build contract to GC Constructors, a joint venture of Massman Construction Co. of Kansas City, Mo.; Traylor Bros. Inc. of Evansville, Ind.; and Kiewit Southern Co. of Fort Worth, Tex. Standard Concrete Products of Columbus, Ga., was contracted to supply the pre-stressed concrete beams that the project would require.