Members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and graduate researchers from West Virginia University conduct repairs on the East Fork Bridge in East Lynn, W. Va. March 27, 2014. The two entities partnered on the research and development of new applicat...
World-renowned composites expert, Dr. Hota V. GangaRao, P.E. of West Virginia University, explains how composites were used in repairs at East Fork Bridge to Col. Leon Parrott, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District commander, March 27, 201...
John Clarkson, a licensed professional engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District shows visitors at the East Fork Bridge, East Lynn, W.Va. some of the composite material used in the rehabilitation of the bridge. Advantages to ...
EAST LYNN, W. Va. -- A small, but significant research and development project in East Lynn, W. Va. has won the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes and Ohio River Division's Engineering Excellence Award for 2014.
The award recognizes excellence in sustainability, design, construction and innovation throughout the division's area of operations which touches 17 states including West Virginia.
Corrosion had severely damaged piles and weakened the utility of the 40-year-old East Fork Bridge which links State Route 37 to a popular recreation site. Through a grant from the National Science Foundation and the Federal Highway Administration, composites science experts at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University partnered to investigate and identify materials, including reinforced fibers and resins, which could be used to develop long-lasting, lower-cost repairs to the bridge. Called the East Fork Bridge Rehabilitation Project, it bested six other impressive projects to clinch victory.
"The East Fork Bridge Rehabilitation Team not only demonstrated excellence in engineering; the team is a clear example of the innovation, cost savings and time savings that can happen when you partner with creative minds in academia, within the Corps and throughout other agencies," said Khalid K. Durrani, P.E., a senior regional civil engineer with the Great Lakes & Ohio River Division and one of the judges of the competition.
"Some of the advantages to using composites beyond the substantial cost savings compared to more traditional methods for bridge repairs include shorter construction schedules and longer-lasting repairs with less maintenance required," said Rich Lampo, a materials engineer from the USACE Construction Engineering Research Laboratory.
The composite materials used in the bridge repairs will not corrode.
In a pilot program process, USACE is implementing composites, including fiber-reinforced polymers, in a few civil works projects nationwide as part of its ongoing R&D activities. USACE consults with world-renowned experts, such as Dr. Hota V. GangaRao P.E., of West Virginia University's Constructed Facilities Center and makes use of graduate students' research and labor through grants.
At East Fork Bridge, the Huntington District's East Lynn Lake maintenance team composed of Jeremy Leslie, Howard Dyer, Bill Riffe, David Blankenship and Bart Fink used their skilled crafts and trades expertise to accelerate repairs and complete the work in May, just in time for the 2014 recreation season. Visitors have returned to camping, boating, fishing, hiking and picnicking at the recreation site accessed via the bridge.
"It really was a group effort among the engineers and tradesmen throughout USACE, professors and graduate researchers with West Virginia University and the grant-making agencies that made this innovation possible," said John Clarkson, P.E., a member of the project team from the Huntington District. "This project afforded USACE the opportunity to fix the bridge at one third the cost of traditional methods and we funded research and development that can now be applied to other civil works projects around the world. It pays to partner," he said.
Members of The East Fork Bridge Rehabilitation Project include Rich Lampo, Jeff Ryan and Henry Diaz-Alvarez from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center. John Clarkson, Chris Chandler, Patrick Luff, Jerry Casto, Anna Hayes, Dale Smith, Leslie Stone, Jeremy Leslie, Howard Dyer, David Blankenship, Bartley Fink, William Riffe, Waitman Jay Davis Jr., Justin Pyles, Stacy Turner, Willie Mills, Bryce Davis, Aaron Harmon, Scott Kinzel and Jake Pauley from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Huntington District. Dr. Hota GangaRao, Mark Skidmore, Dr. Ray Liang, P. Vijay and Dr. Udaya Halabe of West Virginia University.
Related Links:
Huntington District on Facebook
Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources (WVU)
Social Sharing