Statewide Off-System Railroad Bridge Inspections
Benesch performed inspection and load rating services for the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Off-System Railroad Bridge Inventory.
The program involved the inspection of over 100 railroad bridge structures and the load rating of approximately 60 of the structures along the following rail lines:
- Pan American Railways
- Providence & Worcester
- Naugatuck Railroad
- Housatonic Railroad
- Central New England Railroad
- Springfield Terminal Railway
Bridge structure types included steel built-up through girder and deck girder structures, steel through-truss and deck-truss structures, stone arches, concrete deck structures, concrete culverts and timber trestle bridge structures. Inspection and load rating services were also performed on a multi-span truss bridge over the Connecticut River, including a swing span. Load ratings for the truss structures included analysis of all primary gusset plate members. Additionally, fatigue analyses were performed for all steel structures.
The project also included the underwater inspection of 13 bridges and the mechanical and electrical inspection of one bridge. Inspections were performed in conformance with National Bridge Inspection Standards, the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA) and the Department’s Bridge Inspection Manual. Load rating analyses were performed in accordance with AREMA standards.
