The Rocks Village Bridge over the Merrimack River is the oldest moveable bridge in Massachusetts with original construction in 1883. This six span steel truss bridge in northeast Massachusetts has a swing span for Span 3. After rehabilitation of steel truss structure and mechanical systems, a Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) deck was installed to minimize the dead load. FiberSPAN decking was selected because it is a prefabricated product that assisted the contractor to meet an aggressive construction schedule. The deck was installed in cold winter months as bridge construction continues to be a year-round activity.
Design and construction coordination for older truss structures is important and especially critical for the swing span. As-built dimensions and thermal expansion had to be carefully considered so swing span ends fit correctly over a temperature range greater than 100°F.
The FRP deck for Rocks Village Bridge incorporated many features to meet operational bridge requirements and provide as much pre-fabrication as possible to minimize the on-site construction effort.
February 2 - 5
Ohio Parks & Recreation Association Sandusky, Ohio
April 14 - 17
International Trails Symposium Scottsdale, Ariz.
June 8 - 12
International Bridge Conference Pittsburgh, Pa.
If you are attending any of these events and would like to schedule a meeting with Composite Advantage, please call Scott Reeve at 937-723-9031 or email info@compositeadvantage.com