Demonstration Projects

In-Progress

Start Date: 2015

Design and Construction of a Glued-laminated Timber Girder Bridge on GRS Abutments

About the Research:
The objective of this study is to design, construct, monitor, and evaluate a glulam girder bridge superstructure placed on Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil Integrated Bridge System (GRS-IBS) abutments. The bridge replaces a solid-sawn timber stringer bridge that was built in 1930. Instrumentation will be installed to monitor several performance parameters of the new structure in order to evaluate performance characteristics of the bridge superstructure, approach roadway, and GRS-IBS abutments. This project is a cooperative effort between Iowa State University, U.S. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Federal Highway Administration, Buchanan County, Iowa and Laminated Concepts Inc. of Big Flats, New York.

Cooperators:
Iowa State University, Institute for Transportation
U.S. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory
Federal Highway Administration
Buchanan County, Iowa
Laminated Concepts, Inc.

Start Date: 2015

Performance Monitoring of a GRS/Timber Bridge

Principal Investigators:
Travis Hosteng
James Wacker
A. Senalik

About the Research:
The primary objective of this study is to design and build a bridge system that will be instrumented to re- cord several performance parameters used to evaluate and understand the behavior of all parts of the GRS– IBS abutments and bridge superstructure (deck super- structure, approach roadway, abutment back wall, and reinforced soil abutment). The construction phase will be documented with photographic and video equipment so that it may be publicized by the FHWA’s Every Day Counts Initiative.

Project Documents:
Research in Progress Report (PDF)

Start Date: 2012

Development of a Smart Timber Bridge – Phase V: Development of a Vehicle Characterization System

Principal Investigators:
Travis Hosteng
Brent Phares
James Wacker

About the Research:
The purpose of the project is to develop automated techniques for determining vehicle characteristics as they cross the smart timber bridge. By determining vehicle characteristics–such as vehicle weight, axle weights, axle spacings, travel lane, speed, and so forth–it will be possible to enhance other algorithms for predicting usage and induced damage or deterioration. Two different vehicle characterization approaches will be investigated: 1) use of conventional instrumentation, and 2) Use of non-conventional instrumentation including the sensing skin.

Start Date: 2009

Construction of a Field Test Bridge for Evaluating Deck Design Details

Demonstration bridge located in Delaware County, Iowa

Principal Investigators:
Brent Phares
Travis Hosteng

About the Research:
The objective of this project is to construct a timber bridge with one of the developed and laboratory-tested design details.

Project Documents:
Demonstration in Progress Report (PDF)

Cooperators:
Iowa State University, Institute for Transportation
Bridge Engineering Center
U.S. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory

Complete

End Date: 2012

Design and Demonstration of a Timber Bridge with Improved Deck Details: Phase II

Principal Investigators:
Travis Hosteng
Michael Ritter
T. Williams

About the Research:
The objective of this research is to investigate the techniques for identifying changes in structural stiffness in the smart timber bridge.

End Date: 2011

Development of a Smart Timber Bridge — Phase IV: Development of Data Processing Techniques for Determining Changes in Structural Stiffness