Short Span Steel Bridges Economics
Short Span Steel Bridges are Cost-Effective on Several Levels.
A local crew from Buchanan County, Iowa, replaced the Jesup South bridge with steel.
Steel provides an economical choice for the repair or replacement of short span bridges.
- Due to the light weight of steel, cost savings can be significant: smaller abutments, use of local crews, fast installation, lighter equipment – when you add them all up, steel provides significant cost savings.
- Studies show that weathering, galvanized, and other corrosion resistance steels like A709-50CR reduce both initial and life cycle costs.
- Steel can compete and even save costs when compared with nearly identical concrete structures. A side-by-side comparison of steel versus concrete bridge showed a 19 percent savings by using steel in the total cost of the structure.
- Steel bridges also have long lives, decreasing the need for replacement. New press-brake-formed steel bridges have life expectancies of 100 years or more.
- Steel’s high strength permits longer spans, minimizing disruption to underlying habitats. In some cases, this can eliminate the need to undertake costly environmental impact studies.
- Steel is highly resistant to extreme natural disasters such as earthquakes. An example is the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake, which destroyed the surrounding transportation infrastructure but left 96% of the existing steel bridges completely undamaged, even though they were designed using 1940s technology.
- Steel is the world’s most recycled material and is infinitely recyclable, so it can be repurposed from one bridge project to another. Ohio’s Muskingum County Engineer’s Office (MCEO) estimates that $51,000 was saved in superstructure costs for replacement of the Green Valley Road Bridge.
- Short span steel bridges can be designed with prefabricated elements which provide a simpler installation and cost savings.
Education
Steel Bridges for Smarter, Faster Construction – On-Demand Steel Bridge Video Series
This three-part on-demand video series covers integral abutments, simple for dead continuous for live designs and prefabricated bridge options.
Case Study
Bridges of Franklin County: Why Missouri is Turning to Steel
Franklin County, Missouri, saved $283,000 by selecting steel over concrete for four short-span bridge projects, demonstrating that simplified designs combined with a competitive bidding process can deliver exceptional value, durability and long-term performance.
Decks
Pennsylvania County Selects Hot-Dip Galvanized Steel for Urgent Bridge Project
For a recent bridge replacement, Mercer County chose a hot-dip galvanized steel bridge to ensure a durable, cost-effective solution that could be delivered quickly and withstand a corrosive environment.
Case Study
Whitman County Saves 32 Percent with Steel Superstructure
By choosing a steel beam girder bridge, the county reduced the overall project costs and decreased the time for construction.
News
Report Finds $198 billion Needed to Repair America’s Rural Transportation System
A new report from TRIP indicates the U.S. faces a $198 billion backlog in funding for needed repairs and improvements to the rural transportation system.
Case Study
NCSPA Project Spotlight: Corrugated Steel Used for Culvert Rehabilitation Project
The National Corrugated Steel Pipe Association (NCSPA) spotlights a project that used galvanized corrugated metal pipe to rehabilitate a damaged culvert.
Economics
Building a Sustainable Future for America’s Infrastructure
The American Iron and Steel Institute’s construction program is dedicated to providing resilient and sustainable steel-based solutions designed to meet the needs of the U.S. construction market.
Case Study
Buried Steel Bridge Connects Community College Campus
The National Corrugated Steel Pipe Association (NCSPA) spotlights a project that used corrugated structural steel to connect a North Carolina college campus.
News
House Subcommittee Holds Hearing Focused on Rural Interstate and Transit Programs
The Subcommittee on Highways and Transit within the House of Representatives held a hearing on March 21 focused on rural interstate and transit programs.
News
Panel Discussion Provides Insights for Winning Grant Applications
In late 2023, a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) panel discussion provided tips and resources to industry stakeholders applying for USDOT grants.
Case Study
Corrugated Steel Pipe Safeguards Rail System from Excessive Storm Water
The National Corrugated Steel Pipe Association (NCSPA) spotlights a project that used corrugated steel pipe to provide a storm water solution in only 8 hours.
News
President Biden Highlights Infrastructure in Address to the National Association of Counties (NACo)
President Biden emphasized the significance of collaborating with counties and prioritizing infrastructure investment during the NACo Legislative Conference.
News
FHWA Announces $729 Million to Repair Roads and Bridges Damaged by Catastrophic Events
FHWA announced an additional $729 million in funding for road and bridge repair needs following catastrophic events.
Case Study
NCSPA Project Spotlight: Corrugated Steel Used to Rehabilitate Railroad Bridge Piers
The NCSPA spotlights a project that used galvanized corrugated steel forms to rehabilitate a railroad bridge.
News
Report Finds $180 Billion Needed to Repair U.S. Rural Transportation System
A new report from TRIP indicates the U.S. faces a $180 billion backlog in funding for needed repairs and improvements to the rural transportation system.
Buried Bridge
Mason County (WA) Installs Buried Steel Bridge With Local Crews, Saves Money
Mason County (WA) provided cost savings to their residents by installing a Contech 30′ 8″ span x 9′ 8″ rise deep corrugated steel box culvert bridge with their local road crew.
Economics
Steel Bridge Economics
Presentations from a five-part webinar series covering topics essential to the design and installation of steel bridges are now available on-demand.
Buried Bridge
Steel Culvert Saves Minnesota County Time and $15,000 Over Concrete Options
Olmsted County needed a cost-effective solution to quickly replace a concrete structure before it collapsed – steel saved $15,000 and took less than 2 days to install.
Buried Bridge
Buried Steel Bridge Saves $500,000 and Three Months Versus Concrete Option
Contech wins the NCSPA Project of the Year award for the I-44 EB & WB buried steel bridge in Missouri.
News
FHWA Announces Additional $1.14 Billion for Bridges, Update to Inspection Standards
FHWA announced an additional $1.14 billion in funding for bridge repair and replacement, and updates to the National Bridge Inspection Standards
Case Study
Five Game-Changing County Steel Bridge Projects
These 5 county projects are changing the way bridges are designed and constructed.
News
Steel Story – FF Journal
Poised for an infusion of cash, America’s infrastructure looks to steel for low maintenance, lightweight solutions that are quick to install.
Sustainability
Research Report: Sustainability of Rural Steel and Concrete Bridges
The University of Wyoming conducted a study to evaluate the life cycle sustainability of two functionally equivalent steel and concrete rural bridges.
Buried Bridge
Flexible Buried Bridges: Advantages and Applications (Part 1)
Learn why flexible buried steel bridges are widely considered an attractive and economical alternative for conventional bridge crossings.
Economics
The Life Cycle Cost of Galvanized Steel Bridges
In this video, Dr. Michael Barker provides a summary of a study to measure the financial benefits of hot dip galvanized steel in comparison to concrete bridges.
Case Study
County Saves $30,000 Using a Prefabricated Steel Bridge Instead of Concrete
Whitman County, Washington installed a prefabricated steel bridge using a local county crew and saved $30,000 over a concrete structure.
News
Engineer Conducts Study to Evaluate Life Cycle Costs
Dr. Michael Barker explains why both steel and concrete should be considered for bridge projects.
Blog
Ohio County Accelerates Cost-Effective Bridge Replacements With Steel
County saves over $10,000 using galvanized steel beams over concrete box beams.
News
“Long-Term Analysis for Short-Span Bridges” – Modern Steel Construction
A recent life-cycle cost analysis compares steel and concrete short-span bridges.
Design
Video: Suggested Fabrication Details, Part 2
This video provides an overview of simple and economical practices specific to girder fabrication.
Design
Video: Suggested Fabrication Details, Part 1
This video provides an overview of simple and economical fabrication for framing system layouts.
Case Study
Short Span Shake-Up
Missouri short span bridge study finds steel saved 25% over concrete.
Economics
Research Report: Life Cycle Costs Matter When Comparing Steel and Concrete Girder Bridges
Dr. Barker developed a database to determine and compare the life cycle costs of steel and concrete girder bridges.
Economics
Smart Ways to Save Time and Money on Short Span Bridge Design and Construction
The SSSBA offers many proven cost-effective and time-saving solutions to improve infrastructure.
Press Brake & Folded Plate
County to Save $100,000 Using Innovative Steel Design for Bridge Replacement Project
Press Brake Formed Tub Girder (PBTG) provides cost-effective option for a County in Iowa.
Case Study
Missouri DOT Selects Steel for 45 Foot Span Bridge in Scott County
Galvanized rolled steel beam beat out concrete by 2.5 percent in this Missouri DOT project.