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ABC, or accelerated bridge construction, entails innovative planning and design and the use of methods and materials that reduce onsite construction time. This method can be used for new or replacement bridges, as well as bridge rehabilitation.

Fremont, CA: Engineers who design bridges research previous bridge failures to learn how to build better bridges in the future. Despite the fact that bridges have been built for centuries, every new bridge design and technology has evolved from lessons learned throughout the history of bridge construction. Bridges were made of wood once upon a time. Eventually, iron took the place of wood, and then steel took the place of iron. Concrete structures were thought to be cutting-edge in recent generations, but cracking concrete has given way to aggregate mixtures and new compounds. Poor aerodynamic design and strange problems like torsion and resonance have joined the list of things that can cause bridges to fail, such as destructive weather conditions.

Here are some new advances in bridge design:

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVS)

UAVS can collect imagery and data from a bridge construction site. Clients receive information that is concise and timely, introducing them to new aspects of project management and monitoring. The UAVS can conduct site inspections by gathering photography and video, surveying and mapping, as well as planning routes and infrastructure. On behalf of clients, these drones can save time and provide accurate data about bridge construction sites.

Thermoplastic Bridges

These bridges are made almost entirely of post-consumer recycled and industrial plastics. The thermoplastic material was created by Rutgers University scientists in collaboration with Axion International, Inc. It was first used in railroad ties. However, in 2009, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, became the home of the world's first thermoplastic bridges. The thermoplastic structural components included pilings, girders, pier caps, railings, and decking. The structures could support a tank weighing 71 tonnes.

Fast Bridge Construction Techniques

ABC, or accelerated bridge construction, entails innovative planning and design and the use of methods and materials that reduce onsite construction time. This method can be used for new or replacement bridges, as well as bridge rehabilitation. The Federal Highway Administration of the US Department of Transportation provides online resources, including an Analytic Hierarchy Process, to assist transportation specialists in determining whether traditional or ABC methods are the most efficient for a specific bridge construction project.

New geotechnical and structural solutions are used in ABC projects. The Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Integrated Bridge System is one of these (IBS). For bridge support, the GRS-IBS technology alternates geotextile reinforcement fabric sheets with layers of compacted fill material. It offers a seamless transition from the roadway to the bridge and saves construction costs and time.