Q Bridge

Design Project 1:

West Approach to Q Bridge (Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge) I-95 over Quinnipiac River & Ramp 1

  • West Approaches = 127 disc bearings
  • Ramp 1 Bridge = 34 disc bearings
  • Total = 161 disc bearings

Owner: Connecticut DOT
Designer: URS Corp. (Now AECOM)
Contractor: Cianbro Corporation/Middlesex Corporation, Joint Venture
Cost: $137M
Construction Completed in August, 2011

Bearing Details (West Approach):

Vertical Load ranges from 231 kips to 861 kips
Horizontal Load ranges from 10% to 65% of the vertical load
Service Rotation = 0.0250 radians
Longitudinal Movement ranges from 0.11” to 7.87”
Transverse Movement ranges from 0.11” to 1.96”

Bearing Details (Ramp 1):

Vertical Load ranges from 233 kips to 1,245 kips
Horizontal Load ranges from 10% to 47% of the vertical load
Service Rotation = 0.0250 radians
Longitudinal Movement ranges from 0.11” to 6.61”
Transverse Movement ranges from 0.11” to 3.93”

Design Project 2:

The 2nd part of this project was awarded to a joint venture of Walsh Construction and PCL Construction. This phase included the construction of the main span bridge, East Approach span, and a temporary bridge.

  • Main Span = 20 disc bearings
  • East Approaches = 175 disc bearings
  • Temporary Bridge = 10 disc bearings
  • Total = 205 disc bearings

Owner: Connecticut DOT
Designer: URS Corp. (Now AECOM)
Contractor: Walsh Construction/PCL Construction, Joint Venture
Cost: $554M
Construction Completed in June, 2015

Main Span Bridge

  • 10 Lanes wide, 3-span, Extradosed Bridge (Hybrid Concrete Cable-Stressed Girder/Cable Stayed Bridge). Overall length of 1,013’
  • 1st Extradosed bridge in USA
  • 515’ Main Span
  • Biggest disc bearings manufactured by R. J. Watson, Inc. at 10,700 kips (21 tons each)

Bearing Details (Main Span):

Vertical Load ranges from 865 kips to 10,700 kips
Horizontal Load ranges from 10% to 32% of the vertical load
Service Rotation = 0.0225 radians
Longitudinal Movement ranges from 0.125” to 11.75”
Transverse Movement ranges from 0.125” to 3.14”

Bearing Details (East Approaches):

Vertical Load ranges from 221 kips to 1,120 kips
Horizontal Load ranges from 10% to 13% of the vertical load
Service Rotation = 0.0250 radians
Longitudinal Movement ranges from 0.11” to 6.49”
Transverse Movement = 0.19”

Bearing Details (Temporary Bridge):

Vertical Load ranges from 269 kips to 1,079 kips
Horizontal Load = 10% of the vertical load
Service Rotation = 0.0250 radians
Longitudinal Movement ranges from 0.125” to 4”
Transverse Movement ranges from 0.11” to 4”

TOTAL for West Approach, East Approach, Ramp 1, Main Span, and Temporary Bridges = 366 Disc Bearings!