UPRR/BNSF Releases Updated Temporary Shoring Guidelines

People, Projects | February 28, 2022

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For the first time since 2004, Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and BNSF Railway sought to update their temporary shoring guidelines. Offering a combination of structural and geotechnical expertise, Benesch team members from across the country worked together with UPRR and BNSF to help complete the revisions.

The goal for these updates was multifaceted:

  • Make the guidelines easier to use and understand.
  • Eliminate any grey areas in the shoring design requirements.
  • Lessen the chance that geotechnical-related design concerns would be overlooked.

“With thousands of projects relying on these guidelines each year, UPRR and BNSF wanted to ensure they were helpful, cohesive and comprehensive,” said Public Projects Group Manager Jordan Card.

While Card focused on updating the structural requirements, Project Manager Jason Herr provided extensive insight into the geotechnical-related shoring design concerns.

“In addition to updating and expanding on existing sections, we provided additional helpful details on the selection of soil parameters for design,” said Herr.

The resulting document boasts a reorganized structure that improves clarity, updated requirements that align with current standards of practice, and references to AREMA and other industry accepted shoring design manuals.

“By playing a significant role in their development, we were able to ensure the guidelines were comprehensive and easy to follow, which will ultimately lead to a more efficient shoring design-and-approval process for UPRR and BNSF engineers, project owners and consultants,” said Card.

Click here to view the new edition of the joint UPRR/BNSF temporary shoring guidelines.