Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/521868
EquipmentWorld.com | June 2015 69 a new composite material. It consists of three main components: the rein- forced soil foundation, the abutment, and the integrated approach. The reinforced soil foundation is composed of granular fill material that is compacted and encapsulated with a geotextile fabric, provid- ing embedment and increasing the bearing width and capacity of the GRS abutment. It also prevents water from infil- trating underneath and into the GRS mass from a river or stream cross- ing. This method of using geosyn- thetic fabrics to reinforce founda- tions is a proven alternative to deep foundations on loose granular soils, soft fine-grained soils, or soft or- ganic soils, according to research*. The abutment uses alternating, closely spaced (less than 12-inch deep) layers of compacted fill and closely spaced geosynthetic rein- forcement to provide support for the bridge, which is placed directly on the GRS abutment without a joint and without cast-in-place concrete. GRS is also used to con- struct the integrated approach to transition to the superstructure. This bridge system therefore alleviates the "bump at the bridge" problem caused by differential settlement between bridge abutments and ap- proach roadways. The GRS-IBS is easy to build and maintain, FHWA says, and is 25 to 60 percent more cost effective than con- ventional construction methods. in Follow us on social media for regular updates from Montabert! Montabert breakers sense the hardness of material, adapting their power and strike frequency to deliver just the right amount of energy. You get the best possible performance every time, without all the wear and tear. More breakups… Fewer breakdowns. That's Montabert. Tougher Than Everything. 2905 Shawnee Industrial Way Suwanee, GA 30024 ussales@montabert.com 866-588-8690 fax: 866-472-4950 Engineering Innovation since 1921 See our attachments in action! montabert.com Montabert and the Montabert logo are registered trademarks of Montabert S.A.S. in the United States and various countries around the world. Untitled-36 1 2/19/15 3:22 PM SHRP 2 RESEARCH Last October, SHRP 2 released a guide to accelerat- ed bridge construction – Innovative Bridge Designs for Rapid Renewal (search for Report S2-R04-RR-1) – that provides guidance for highway agencies and their contractors and engineers who seek to imple- ment ABC projects. * Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Integrated Bridge System Synthesis Report (FHWA- HRT-11-027 January 2011). Also in 2014, SHRP 2 released Bridges for Service Life Beyond 100 Years: Innovative Systems, Subsystems, and Components (Report S2-R19A-RW-1). This was followed in early 2015 by Bridges for Service Life Beyond 100 Years: Service Limit State Design (Report S2-R19B-RW-1). The latter document carries the practical aspects of its predecessor report into a theoretical realm.