Structural Project Highlights
SHAWNEE BRIDGE
WARREN COUNTY HIGHWAY Department
WARREN COUNTY, INDIANA
Warren County’s Bridge No. 36 gave a local truck driver the scare of his life when it snapped underneath him one afternoon. A structural member had failed, causing the bridge to shift approximately two inches. The bridge held together and the truck made it across, but Warren County had a problem. The break was creating stresses on the other structural members in the bridge structure; stresses that would eventually lead to more damage if not repaired. The County was advised by another consulting firm that, based on their visual inspection, the repair process would require shoring from the river. But the cost of the shoring would push the overall cost of the project out of reach.
Warren County’s Shawnee Bridge, Indiana built in 1905 spanning the Wabash River.
A structural member had failed, causing the bridge to shift approximately two inches. The break was creating stresses on the other structural members in the bridge structure; stresses that would eventually lead to more damage if not repaired.
TLF conducted an inspection of the bridge that included crawling on, through, and under the structure. Armed with details and information garnered from that inspection, TLF designed a repair solution that didn’t require shoring. That saved the county an estimated $100,000, which in turn allowed the bridge to be repaired. TLF’s design utilized threaded rods to repair the bridge. Initially, the rods were used to pull the structure back to its original position. Once there, though, the rods were left in place, taking on the loads of the member that failed. This repair allowed the bridge to once again safely carry traffic, though even TLF engineers may be hard pressed to convince a certain truck driver.
TLF's solution for Shawnee Bridge.
With the rods in place, taking on the loads of the member that failed, this repair allowed the bridge to once again safely carry traffic.