Analysis of the lifting process of bridge segments

Abstract

The paper deals with the dynamics of the lifting of deck segments for constructing a bridge over water, with segments being brought by barge and lifted by an erection traveler while the barge and the bridge are undergoing the motions induced by the sea state and the wind. To investigate the process, a model was generated that included the barge and the mooring system, the supporting plinths, the bridge segment, the lateral restraints, the lifting strands, the erection traveler, and the bridge deck with its associated stiffnesses. Nearly 400 simulations were conducted, covering combinations of wave, wind, and current forces, as well as other aspects like the deck length and the cracked or uncracked state of the section. The analyses allowed establishing whether the success criteria were being satisfied, the influence of the various parameters, and the potentially more hazardous phases of the lifting process.