MANUAL: FRACTURE CRITICAL INSPECTION PROCEDURES FOR THE BRIDGE OF LIONS

Designed by the late Dick Wallace of RS&H, this 1,500-foot-long bridge over the Matanzas River consists of arched steel plate girder approach spans on concrete piers with a rolling leaf bascule main span to accommodate river vessel traffic.  Although the post-rehabbed bridge was designed to preserve the original bridge’s appearance (mid-1920’s), the structural system and thus the load path of forces has changed considerably.

Responsibility on the project entailed the development of the Fracture Critical Bridge Inspection Proceduresdocument.  This document outlines the fracture critical members and fatigue prone details associated with the new structural system and the procedures for which these elements should be inspected.