CSX Elvira Railroad Bridge Replacement

This accelerated bridge construction project included replacing the existing 182-foot pin truss main span over the Cahaba River and the two 80-foot plate girder approach spans with three new deck plate girder spans. The scope of work included offline preassembly and erection of 1.32 million lb of structural steel, track work, existing bridge removal and disassembly, selective substructure demolition and modification, and pier scour protection work.

Using accelerated bridge construction techniques, the replacement and erection operation involved sliding the new 182-foot main span transversely and longitudinally inside the envelope of the existing truss, removing the ends of the truss to clear the piers, lowering the combined weight of the truss and new span using specialized self-climbing jacking towers, and removing and replacing the approach spans using two 300-ton crawler cranes. The project team self-performed the grading and preparation work required to access the bridge site, installation of the temporary works needed to support the preassembly and erection, installation of the structural concrete, erection of the structural steel, and removal and disassembly of the original bridge.