S 58-SX Takes to the Water to Repair I-40 Bridge 2002

Long boom concrete pumps have come to the rescue of the collapsed bridge in Oklahoma that made the national news due to the extensive loss of life. On May 26, 2002, two empty oil barges steered by a powered tugboat veered 300 feet from the main channel of the Arkansas River and slammed into three bridge supports of the I-40 Bridge in eastern Oklahoma.

The impact of the 400 to 500 ton barges caused a 500-foot span of the 1,988-foot bridge to drop into the river. Another section of the road collapsed and hung from the unharmed section of the bridge, one end resting on a barge. The collision sent several vehicles 62 feet into the river below.

Immediately following the collision, Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District, responded by offering equipment and assistance in the rescue and recovery efforts. By May 29, all known vehicles and individuals had been recovered. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation contracted out the salvage and clearing phase in preparation for demolition.

The redirection of traffic was an immediate concern. The solution was to reroute vehicles to I-70, a twenty-mile diversion around the bridge. I-40 is one of the nation’s busiest east-west routes. The bridge carries over 20,000 vehicles across the river daily and is of part the popular truck route between Barstow, California and Wilmington, North Carolina.

The bridge was constructed in 1967, and consists of two post-tensioned concrete decks atop steel girders. Ten piers support the 13-span crossing with a 300-foot clearance.

Nine of the 13 spans were approved as structurally sound and unharmed by the collision. Repair and rebuild efforts focused on the 4 spans completely disconnected from the rest of the bridge.

Poe & Associates, Inc., Oklahoma City, was contracted to design plans for reconstruction. It was estimated that the complete rebuild would require a $10 million budget,1,553 crew and equipment hours and an early August completion. Since the start of the reconstruction, the cost of the bridge repair has been estimated at $15 million.

The first task was to remove the damaged spans of the bridge without disrupting the structural integrity of the unharmed sections. Demolition contractor Jensen Construction Co., Des Moines, removed the 25-foot-long, 64-foot-wide hanging bridge section while Oklahoma state engineers continued to test the soundness of surrounding spans.

Reconstruction of the I-40 Bridge was given to general contractor Gilbert Central Corporation, Omaha. Omar Fernandez, Gilbert Central Project Engineer, said pumping equipment was mobilized immediately after demolition was completed. Pouring of the substructure began on June 23. A Schwing S 58 SX boom pump with 180-feet of reach was stationed on the shore to pour the drill shafts, crash wall and caps. According to Fernandez, the pumping crew from Brundage-Bone Concrete Pumping, averaged 190 cubic yards per day, completing the phase in 18 pours.

The reconstruction of spans 1 and 2, the western most edge of the damaged area, were also poured from the ground. Three Schwing boom pumps, two S 45 SX models and the 58-meter, completed the deck pours, placing an average of 280 cubic yards per day.

The reconstruction of spans 3 and 4 were over the middle of the Arkansas River, requiring the use of an inter-river supply and pump system. The combined effort of ODOT engineers and the contractor resulted in a pump staging peninsula to support a 45-meter Schwing. This man made section was created with fill and rock and also served as access for ready-mix trucks. The 58-meter boom pump was set up on a barge leased by ODOT officials and sent up river, then maneuvered close enough to the peninsula to hook the boom from the 45 meter pump directly to the 58-meter. The long reach of the largest boom pump in North America fed the crew paving the decks.

I-40 commuters were skeptical of the quick reconstruction and reopening of the bridge. Dedicated engineers from ODOT and steadfast contractors have been working around the clock to make the early August deadline, and actually reopened the bridge the week of July 29, 2