Technical Description:
• BEBO
® T-series Bridge Concrete Arch System
• Span: 30’
• Rise: 4'-4.25"
• Length: 30’
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Constructed in 1898 in North Lake Park in Mansfield, Ohio, the original twin-span masonry barrel arch creek crossing is located at the end of the creek just before it flows into the lake. It was deemed structurally deficient and needed to be replaced. In fact, the northern section of the wall on the western side of the bridge had completely collapsed, and the bricks were falling out of the arch barrels.
"The double arches underneath are flattening," Robert Bianchi, the City of Mansfield's Engineer explained. "Arches work under compression, but once they start to flatten, they get outside their compression zone and that starts to show some deterioration." Therefore, although the existing structure needed to be replaced, many of the original stones could be incorporated into the spandrel walls of a new modern concrete arch structure that would span the channel opening.
The city selected Richland Engineering Limited, who has extensive bridge expertise, to design the new bridge. A type study was developed to evaluate structures that meshed with park environments. Several structure type configurations and wall layouts were considered before determining the preferred structure would be a single span arch with sandstone block railing. R&I Construction Inc. in Tiffin, certified by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), installed the 30' x 4'-4.25" BEBO® Bridge Concrete Arch System, 30' in length. It was selected as the best solution for its ability to mimic the look of the original, twin-span, historic structure. The façade on the new precast structure included salvaged sandstone block from both the original structure and local demolished homes. The original date stones above the arch key stones were also reused.
Due to the poor subsurface soils, the typical large mass concrete thrust block foundation at each abutment was not possible. The large lateral loads from a BEBO arch system required multiple rows of battered friction piles to support the reinforced concrete abutments. After the arch segments were set in place, cast-in-place reinforced concrete spandrel walls on the arch and abutments to support the reused original stone were constructed. A reinforced concrete pavement slab with curbs was constructed over the arch to provide a long lasting roadway surface.
The city received a $500,000 grant from the Ohio Public Works Commission, which covered about 65 percent of the cost. The BEBO was a great solution for the site, and the city was pleased with the outcome. “It's a beautiful bridge,” concluded Bianchi.
Technical Description:
• BEBO
® T-series Bridge Concrete Arch System
• Span: 30’
• Rise: 4'-4.25"
• Length: 30’
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