Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
35
ROUTE 49 (PENNS NECK BRIDGE) OVER SALEM RIVER
James E. Maccariella, Jr. and Thomas Griffin, Urban Engineers, Inc., Pennsauken, NJ
Replacement of an existing movable bridge with a new low level fixed bridge would
not accommodate potential future navigation traffic.
Drilled shafts were found to be the most desirable foundation type for the
replacement of the Route 49 Bridge over Salem River. Their ability to resist scour,
be constructed without cofferdams, adequately resist vessel collision forces, and
accommodate conversion to a future vertical lift bridge allowed the project to meet
both the needs of the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the Port of
Salem.
BACKGROUND
The New Jersey Department of Transportation
commissioned the design for the replacement of
the existing Route 49 Bridge (Penns Neck
Bridge) over Salem River. The project's intent
was to replace the existing movable bridge with
a new low level fixed bridge on an adjacent
alignment.
37
suitable for the new bridge pier foundations. water velocities and deep waterway would
Design considerations that contributed to this complicate the pier foundation construction.
decision are described below. In lieu of cofferdam construction, it was
recommended that cased-drilled shafts be
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS utilized as a more cost effective solution. The
Scour drilled shaft casing was designed to be
It was recognized that placement of the new pier sufficiently embedded into the channel to
foundations within Salem River would make eliminate the need for cofferdams. In addition,
them susceptible to scour. In addition, the the drilled shaft casing was specified to be
temporary condition that would result when both coated with coal tar epoxy to help resist the
the existing bridge and the new bridge were in corrosive marine environment.
place would reduce the hydraulic waterway
opening, and increase water velocities and Vessel Collision
potential for scour. The new pier foundations had to be designed to
accommodate potential future vessel collision
forces. Although guide specifications exist for
vessel collision design, the starting point of the
design was unknown - determination of the
design vessel type. Barges, ships and special
vessels were considered as the basis of the
design. Secondly, an appropriate design impact
speed needed to be selected. Given the
uncertainty of the potential future development
of the Port of Salem, selection of the appropriate
vessel design criteria was challenging.
38
consider future force effects associated with the
movable bridge. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Future movable bridge components considered
included: steel towers, counterweights, sheaves,
cross frames, and operating machinery.
SUMMARY
Drilled shaft foundations were found to be the
most desirable foundation type for the
replacement of the Route 49 Bridge over Salem
River. Their ability to cost effectively resist
scour, be constructed without cofferdams,
adequately resist vessel collision forces, and
accommodate conversion to a future vertical lift
bridge allowed the project to meet both the
needs of the New Jersey Department of
Transportation and the Port of Salem.
39