NATIONAL BRIDGE PRACTICE

NATIONAL BRIDGE PRACTICE

Innovation Opportunities in Transportation Structures

Zoli

Philosophy - Engineering & Innovation

Innovation does not proceed through

major breakthroughs by specific

individuals, but rather through the

collaboration of different people who,

through small and cumulative

improvements, yield novel and useful

artifacts over time

- George Basalla,

Agenda

Philosophical Underpinnings

Innovation Opportunities

– Enhanced Safety

– Enhanced Efficiency

– Enhanced Speed

Barriers to Innovation

– Internal (HNTB)

– External (Client based)

Implementation Strategies

Philosophy – Innovation & Vulnerability

Sociologist Brene Brown:

“Vulnerability is the

birthplace of innovation,

creativity and change”

Vulnerability is necessary

for courage and is not

weakness.

Philosophy – Innovation & Mindfulness

Psychologist Ellen Langer:

“Mindlessness is the

application of yesterdays

solutions to todays

problems”

Evolving Clients

Design Paradigms Evolving Public Needs

1880's - 1930's

Cost

Safety

Longevity

Speed1980’s -present

Lessons from Recent Failures – Long Span Bridges & Extreme Events

Lessons from Recent Failures Texas Transportation Institute 1966-2005

Vehicular Impact – No Code Provisions

Hydrocarbon Fire & Bridge Damage

Malfunction Junction, Birmingham AL

January 5, 2002 & October 21, 2004

Lessons From Failures - VBIED’s

Prestressed Concrete Beams & Abrupt Collapse

Innovation for Safety – Network Arches

Fractured

Web

Fractured

Flange

PL 1 3/4

PL 1

1/8

4'-0"

7'-0

"

Innovation for Safety – Network Arches

X

Y

Z

Moment Z

Load HALF

FEET-KIP

VAL 4.170E+04

LOC 2.049E+00

X

Y

Z

Moment Z

Load HALF

FEET-KIP

VAL 3.222E+04

LOC 1.046E+00

VAL 2.188E+04

LOC 1.492E+0021,900 kip-ft

32,200 kip-ft

41,700 kip-ft

23,800 kip-ft

Innovation for Safety – Network Arches

X

Y

Z

Moment Z

Load HALF

FEET-KIP

VAL 5.644E+03

LOC 1.150E+01

VAL 6.004E+03

LOC 8.852E-01

X

Y

Z

Moment Z

Load HALF

FEET-KIP

VAL 3.897E+03

LOC 1.255E+01

VAL 6.207E+03

LOC 1.846E+00

Bending Moments With Network Hangers

6,000 kip-ft

5,600 kip ft

6,200 kip-ft

3,900 kip-ft

Innovation for Safety – Network Arches

Network Arch - Arch Rib Dynamic Response

-2500

-2000

-1500

-1000

-500

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

4 104 204 304 404 504 604 704 804

Distance

Str

on

g A

xis

Be

nd

ing

1 Cable Mz 2 Cables Mz 3 Cables Mz

Innovation for Safety – Network Arches

Design Paradigms Evolving Costs

1900's

Materials

Fabrication

Transportation

Erection

2000's

Memorial Bridge Replacement

Memorial Bridge Replacement

Fabrication Process – Nesting Diagrams

Memorial Bridge Replacement

Memorial Bridge Replacement

Memorial Bridge Replacement

Memorial Bridge Replacement

Barriers – Internal to HNTB

Forced (Stacked) Ranking

– Only 5% of High Performing Corporations as of 2011

– Negates Creativity / Risk Taking

– Reduces Teamwork (Employees don’t want to share ideas)

– Weakens Ethics of Corporate Culture

Barriers – Internal to HNTB

SSA

– Does the SSA create sufficient

opportunities for innovation?

– How about brand?

– What is the right mix of

projects?

– What about new clients / one

time clients?

Brand & Market Share

Bridge Name Original Budget As Bid Cost Redesign

Bob Kerrey $ 23 M $ 47 M $ 19 M

Mary Avenue $ 6.0 M $12.6 M $7.3 M

Happy Hollow $ 3.5 M $ 7.3 M $3.5 M

Pedestrian Bridges – Ideal Opportunities for Innovation & Brand

Barriers – Internal to HNTB

Risk Management

– Does innovation create risk

implicitly?

– Innovate to reduce risk?

– Enhanced Safety

Enhanced Inspectability

Enhanced Repairability

Ease of Fabrication,

Transportation, Erection

External Barriers to Innovation

Codes

– Section Design

– Not System focused

– Reliability Inconsistencies

External Barriers to Innovation

Inadequate Knowledge

– Fabrication

– Transportation

– Erection

External Barriers to Innovation

Procurement Methods &

Prescriptiveness

– Design Bid Build

– CMGC

– Design Build

– P3

Implementation Issues?

Where can we make progress?

– Internal / External Barriers

– How to engage?

Which Projects

– By Size, Type, Procurement Method?

Which owners/clients?

– DOT’s, Toll Authorities, Contractors?

What should we do about brand?

– Is there a client shift?

– Is brand more important than ever?