Overview
Horner & Shifrin completed the design of repairs for the rehabilitation of the slab for the double-deck Poplar Street bridge on I-64 from approximately 21st Street to the Mississippi River. The structure is approximately 8,000 feet long and crosses many city streets, rail lines and MetroLink. The goal of the project was to extend the lifespan of the existing bridge decks.
The project included field inspection to determine the scope of work, including deck inspection using infrared thermography and ground penetrating radar to identify areas of delamination. A supplemental chain drag test was conducted to build confidence in the accuracy of the non-destructive test methods. After all information was gathered, Horner & Shifrin evaluated repair options based on budget, existing structure condition, anticipated life of structural components, and traffic control during construction.
Areas of the deck with vertical clearance or dead load concerns had the existing epoxy polymer overlay replaced in-kind. All other areas of the deck were hydro demolished and received a latex modified concrete overlay. MoDOT standard JSPs for this kind of work were modified to encourage the contractor to work quickly while maintaining quality. Thirty-seven expansion joints were replaced, including finger plate, flat plate, compression seal, strip seal and silicone seal.
A novel approach to letting documents using a combination of A+B bidding, incentives and disincentives was also utilized to facilitate completion of the project.
