Tufts Buildable Bridge

Segmental Box Beam Bridge Construction Manual

Professor Brian Brenner, PE

Tufts University
Medford, MA – 02155

Kevin Walsh
Ishmael Alleyne
Mark Pinkos
Jason Karp
 History of Segmental Bridges
First pre-cast pre-stressed segmental concrete bridge

The first pre-cast pre-stressed segmental concrete bridge

constructed was the Choisy-le-Roi Bridge in France from 1962 – 1965.

The Choisy-le-Roi Bridge, which was designed by Jean Muller, is a road

bridge that crosses the Seine River, has a total length of 131m,

individual spans of 38m – 55m – 38m, and a deck width of 28.4m.

First cast-in-place segmental concrete bridge

The first cast-in-place segmental concrete bridge constructed was the

Balduinstein Bridge in 1950 in Germany using the balanced cantilever

method. The Balduinstein Bridge, which was designed by Ulrich

Finsterwalder, is a road bridge that crosses the Lahn River and has a

main span of 62 m.

First U.S. pre-cast segmental concrete bridge

In 1973, the first U.S. pre-cast segmental concrete bridge was built

and opened to traffic in Corpus Christi, Texas. In 1974, the first U.S.

cast-in-place segmental bridge was built and opened to traffic near

San Diego, California.

 Where & When to use Segmental Bridges
• Environmentally sensitive areas where disruption to the
ground surface must be minimized (e.g., wetlands, slopes
subject to erosion or areas with hazardous materials).

• Reconstruction of large-scale urban expressways where

disruption to existing operations must be minimized or
eliminated.

• Repetitive bridge projects that lend themselves to

standardization of structural components and
construction activities, such as long transit viaducts or
elevated expressways.

• Long-span bridges over navigable waterways, long

crossings over water or crossings over waterways subject
to scouring or unique hydraulic features.

• Bridges over areas with poor construction accessibility,

such as steep terrain or canyons.

• Large-scale projects where a bridge’s construction

schedule needs to be compressed to fit overall project
schedule limitations.
 Assembly Procedure

Balanced Cantilever Method:

Step 1:

Place Pier A-B on table

top.

Step 2:

Locate:

- 6 wooden dowels
- Segments A1, A2, A3
and B1, B2, B3
Step 3:

Place segment A1 against

A-Side of pier.

The pier’s wooden pegs

will insert into the holes
in segment A1.

Step 4:

Put one dowel through

the top rubber band on
pier. Stretch rubber band
outward from pier.

Step 5:

Let rubber band pull

dowel into slot on outer
edge of segment A1.
Step 6:

Repeat steps 3, 4, and 5

for each segment in the
following order:
B1, A2, B2, A3, B3.

Note: Each segment

added should use the
highest unused rubber
band on the pier.

This will keep the weight

of the segments balanced
on each side of the pier.

Progress Check:

Your bridge should now

look like this.

Notice how the bridge

sags under the weight of
the segments.
Step 7:

We will now add the final

support.

Locate:
(1) Steel threaded rod
(1) Nut and Washer
(1) Wing Nut

This will give the bridge

more bending support so
that it does not sag.
Step 8:
Remove Wing nut from
threaded rod and insert
the rod through the
bridge deck entering
from the B-Side of the
pier.

Note: Make sure the nut

and washer are in the
counter-sunk hole.
This step should be
completed by an adult.
Step 9:

Tighten wing nut on A-

Side of bridge. Hold nut
stable on the opposite
side while tightening.

Progress Check:

Your bridge should now

look like this.

Notice how the bridge no

longer sags under the
weight of the segments.

Step 10:

Repeat steps 1 through 9

with Pier C-D and
segments C1, C2, C3, D1,
D2, and D3.

D C B A
Step 11:

We will now connect the

two halves using the
Keystone.

Line up the bridge halves

and place the Keystone in
the gap. The notches in
the Keystone fit around
the pegs in segments B3
and C3.

Step 12:

Now we install the final

support, a very long
rubber band.

Stretch the colored

rubber band from the C-
Side of the first pier to
the B-Side of the second
pier. It hooks onto the
white hook on the pier
face.
Congratulations:

Your bridge is now complete and should look like this:

Cast-in-Place Method:
Step 1:

Locate the scaffolding.

Step 2:

Place the scaffolding

beneath where the next
segment will go.

Step 3:

Place the incoming

segment on top of the
scaffolding. And secure
the segment using the
wooden pegs.
Step 4:

Fully install the segment

using the dowel and
rubber band as done in
balanced cantilever
method steps 3 through
5.

Note: Repeat this

sequence for all segments
in the bridge.
Gantry Crane Method:

This construction technique can only be used for

the segments between the two piers on this
model.

Step 1:

Place Gantry crane so that

the four legs sit on the
two piers.

Step 2:

Place any interior segment

on table top beneath the
gantry crane.

Attach segment to the

hooks under the segment’s
deck. (There are small
holes)
Step 3:

Lift segment using crane

wires to appropriate
height.

Then follow normal

procedure to secure the
segment against pier or
previous segment.

Step 4:

Repeat this sequence for

all segments in the bridge
until bridge is completed.