Buried Steel Bridge Connects Community College Campus

Topics: Case Study, Construction, Economics, Steel

Article provided by the National Corrugated Steel Pipe Association

As part of Guilford Technical Community College’s (GTCC) Master Plan development, the GTCC Connector was needed to connect the proposed new North Campus which was separated from the remainder of campus. The new North Campus was planned to house the state-of-the-art Center for Advanced Manufacturing, a $35.5 million facility, and would provide nearly six acres of new space.

Consulting engineer, Volkert evaluated the potential transportation-related benefits and impacts from a proposed tunnel/connector road that would connect the two parts of campus. After reviewing several different options and evaluating key design criteria including: grade separation – clearance diagram, site geometry, geotechnical conditions, aesthetics, safety and installed cost, Volkert chose the Structural Plate option from Contech Engineered Solutions (SSSBA Member) as the best fit for the site.

Construction Phase of GTCC Project

Specifications and Location of the Project

The new ellipse tunnel is a 45’5” span x 28’ rise, 112’ in length. By using the structural plate the amount of material required was reduced and the overall structure stability was maximized.

The new GTCC would be located under a four-lane North Carolina DOT divided highway. This highway is located close to the Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., the site of the Wyndham Championship golf tournament that is the sixth-oldest event on the PGA Tour. A key project requirement would be that the highway would be open for traffic access to the championship.

As a result of this requirement, phased construction would be needed to complete the project most efficiently. Approximately half of the structure was completed initially and then the second phase was installed.

Completed GTCC Project Photo

Overall, this project provided an innovative, cost effective solution with an aesthetic design that could meet a demanding construction schedule. This structure provides additional safety and security for the campus by providing an alternate access to the site.

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What are buried steel bridges?

Buried steel bridges provide an economical choices for bridge replacement or bridge rehabilitation.

They essentially are a corrugated steel pipe or structural plate pipe systems that is “buried” with backfill to carry loads through soil-structure interaction. This means the bridge structure itself and the backfill soils surrounding the structure interact with each other to support the loads. In effect, the backfill material is part of the bridge.

Because of this interaction, the bridge structure is typically lighter, and there can be significant savings in structure costs.

There are also many cases where buried bridges can carry heavier loads than traditional bridges because of the benefits of spreading vehicle loads through the fill. Buried bridges do not require abutments; and unless foundation soil conditions are poor, do not typically
require deep foundations.

An additional benefit with buried bridges is that they can be tailored to site conditions and geometric requirements. The design includes inputs for site soils and backfill, meaning that locally available materials can often be used in construction and the structure can be tailored to fit the needs of the site and the owner’s requirements.

Learn more about buried steel bridges→

Related Resources: Buried Bridges

Buried Steel Bridge Riverside Iowa Lane Enterprises

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Buried Steel Bridge Preserves Streambed While Supporting Heavy Loads

A new galvanized buried steel bridge in Riverside, Iowa, supplied by SSSBA member Lane Enterprises, replaced a weight-restricted structure and restored direct access for local farmers. Its open-bottom steel design preserves the natural streambed, enhances durability, and provides a cost-effective solution for rural infrastructure.