Innovative Precast Arch Bridge Technology: A Case Study in India

Construction of structures over water bodies poses a serious challenge to design engineers as various potential cost and options must be considered by the project stakeholders. It is a challenge for designers, site team, contractors, etc., as the construction needs must be precise and meticulous in such difficult ground conditions. TechSpan® is a buried precast concrete arch. It generally consists of either single or half arch units that meet at the crown, supported by a footing sized for site specific conditions. The backfill around the arch contributes to the resistance of the entire structure, constraining lateral deflections of the arch under vertical loads (soil–structure interaction). This paper focuses on a case study which involves the construction of TechSpan® structures spanning three water bodies over challenging ground conditions. This article covers safety, design, engineering and construction methods.