Parkwood Road Bridge press-brake tub girder vamont

Press-Brake Tub Girder Delivers Modern Upgrade for Historic Alabama County Bridge

Topics: Accelerated, Case Study, Innovation, Press Brake & Folded Plate

The following article was provided by SSSBA member Valmont Structures.

Bessemer, Alabama, often called “The Marvel City,” is a vibrant community of about 27,000. Founded by a famous industrialist and named in honor of a pioneer in the steel industry, Bessemer has been a hub for industry and innovation since its beginnings. As part of Jefferson County, home to more bridges than any other county in Alabama, the city continues to grow and innovate into the 21st century.

One key example of this growth is the recent upgrade to the Parkwood Road Bridge, a vital connector for nearby neighborhoods. The bridge spans Shades Creek and has seen over eight decades of daily use by hundreds of vehicles. The years of wear and tear resulted in a concrete deck that was heavily deteriorated, prompting the Jefferson County Roads & Transportation Department to launch a $1.5 million improvement project in 2022.

Part of a more significant effort to enhance the county’s traffic infrastructure, this project plan included replacing the concrete superstructure, performing approach work, and installing new guardrails — all while ensuring the surrounding environment remained protected by using fencing to avoid erosion.

Innovative U-BEAM™ Technology Delivers Strength and Speed

Valmont was tapped to partner with the county, the project contractor, The Bridge Builders of Alabama, LLC, and the project’s engineering team at Barge Design Solutions to develop the new bridge. Together, they implemented Valmont’s innovative U-BEAM™ solution, marking the company’s first four-span bridge project.

The Parkwood Road Bridge included 12 custom-fabricated U-18 press brake steel tub girders.

The U-BEAM solution created for the Parkwood Road Bridge included 12 custom-fabricated U-18 press brake steel tub girders tailored to fit the bridge’s slight skew. These ensured structural integrity while adding an extra foot of width on both sides of the bridge for a safer road shoulder.

Valmont’s U-BEAM provided several critical advantages, including hot-dip galvanization, which provides over 60 years of maintenance-free protection against corrosion. The lightweight design reduced the weight, or dead load, on the existing substructure and required fewer augmentations to the substructure making the U-BEAM the more affordable option. The system’s efficient installation also accelerated the construction timeline, enabling the project to be completed in just three months—from June to August 2024.

“Valmont is a global leader in addressing today’s infrastructure challenges while preparing for tomorrow’s demands. Our U-BEAM™ bridge solution delivers durable, low-maintenance infrastructure that enhances safety and reduces long-term costs. We’re proud to use our expertise as a partner for projects like the Parkwood Road Bridge to conserve resources and improve the quality of life for communities like Bessemer.”

– Kay Jimison, National Sales Director, Valmont

A Modern Bridge Reflecting a Vision for the Future

Valmont’s custom U-BEAM bridge solution resulted in a modern 133-foot, two-lane bridge that conserves resources and improves the lives of Bessemer residents today and tomorrow. The new bridge is more than a single infrastructure improvement — it perfectly reflects Bessemer’s forward-thinking approach and ongoing commitment to growth.

PROFILE: After over 80 years of wear from daily traffic, the Parkwood Road Bridge in Bessemer, Alabama, underwent a much-needed upgrade to enhance safety and reliability for future residents. Valmont’s advanced U-BEAM™ system delivered a durable, low-maintenance solution that streamlined construction and strengthened bridge infrastructure.

CHALLENGES: Replace the deteriorating Parkwood Road Bridge with a safer, more reliable structure while minimizing costs and environmental impact.

SOLUTION: Valmont delivered its first-ever four-span U-BEAM™ bridge, custom-built to meet the unique design needs, providing a durable, low-maintenance solution that enhanced safety and streamlined construction.

Download the PDF version of this article.

Learn more about Press-Brake Tub Girders

For More Information:

Kay Jimison
National Director Business Development and Sales
North America Transportation – Structures – Bridge
Valmont Industries, Inc.
15000 Valmont Plaza
Omaha, NE 68154 USA
Phone: +1 (503) 207-6400
Mobile: +1 (971) 416-7316
kay.jimison@valmont.com
www.valmontstructures.com

What are Press Brake Tub Girders?

Press-brake-formed tub girder (PBTG) is a new technology for short span bridge applications. It consists of modular galvanized shallow trapezoidal boxes fabricated from cold-bent structural steel plate (watch fabrication video). A concrete deck is recommended to be precast on the girder and the modular unit can be shipped by truck to the bridge site.

The system utilizes standard plate widths (based on availability) and is optimized to achieve maximum structural capacity, with most of the steel in the bottom flange and increased torsional stiffness. It is a closed system, since the girder is closed at the bottom. It is versatile for multiple-deck options.

The system utilizes Accelerated Bridge Construction practices, since it:
- Can be installed in one or two days
- Is modular, allowing the use of a precast deck
- Is cost-effective―as much as 1/3 less than a standard concrete girder structure
- Is simple to fabricate, requiring very little welding.
The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance has developed standardized plans using standard plate sizes (60”, 72” 84”, 96”, 108”, 120”). The designs were developed to achieve maximum structural capacity and are available to use in the free-to-use, web-based design tool eSPAN140.

The press-brake-formed tub girder system is open source.

Learn more about press brake tub girders→