historic context of maryland highway bridges built between 1948 ...

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SECTIONTHREEHistoric Contextof outsiders (Brugger 1988: 654). Even so, when completed the Bay Bridge succeeded indrawing the Eastern and Western Shores together by (Calcott l985: 105-106).The 1952 structure is multi-span, consisting of concrete beam approaches, Weichert and simpledeck trusses, and two types of cantilever trusses, which form a suspension bridge at the maincrossing, allowing large ocean-going ships to continue to pass beneath the bridge (Bruder2000:16). Bethlehem Steel directed the bridge‘s erection using a design from Greiner(Engineering News-Record: August 7, 1952: 42). A team of contractors worked to accomplishvarious components of the job including marine contractors Merritt-Chapman & Scott Corp,Frederick Snare Corp, and J. Rich Steers, Inc. Onshore contractors included Booth & Flinn Co.and Baltimore Contractors, Inc (Engineering News-Record, October 26, 1950:32).The bridge was unique due to its length of 21,286 feet from end to end and for Greiner‘s designof a coffer dam that reduced foundation construction costs (Engineering News-Record, October26, 1950:32-34). The project included a timesaving innovation developed by cablemanufacturer, John A. Roebling & Sons, of Trenton, New Jersey, who refined methods formeasuring the tension and length of the cable strands (Engineering News-Record, January 8,1953:43). Other design and construction innovations included new methods for the cablespinningprocess and the completion of sections of the suspension bridge off site at a pier inBaltimore before being floated to the site (Engineering News-Record, August 7, 1952:40-42).The scale of the project inspired an innovative cantilevered scaffold system devised by theKaufman Construction Company, which had the contract to pave 67 approach spans(Engineering News-Record, September 6, 1951:48). The suspension bridge was completed onJune 2, 1952 and the first traffic crossed the bridge on July 30, 1952.By 1960, Maryland‘s highway system was entirely rebuilt and a vast improvement on theoutdated network of roads that existed at the end of World War II. The improved system of roadsand bridges was one of the country‘s most modern systems of limited access highways withhigh-level bridges spanning every major body of water and unifying the entire state into anintegrated and efficient transportation network. The political and financial support at the statelevel for a modernized highway system set the stage for the increased sub-urbanization thatcontinued unabated after 1960. Formerly isolated rural areas and disconnected communities wereintegrated as never before, enabling dramatic economic growth as the twentieth century came toclose.\15-SEP-11\\ 4-18
5. Section 3 THR EE Post W orld W ar II T echnolog ical Dev elopment s Asso ciated W ith Maryland Bridge Con structionSECTIONFOURPost World War II Technological Developments5.1 DEVELOPMENTS IN DESIGNThe most important technological development in bridge design and construction after WorldWar II was bridge design standardization. This phenomenon occurred years before the postwarperiod but design standardization paved the way for the rapid-fire, postwar technologicaldevelopments that increased the economy, quality, and quantity of bridge construction.In the late nineteenth century railroad bridge designers began to standardize their plans in theinterest of efficiency. Roadway bridge designers followed suit in the early twentieth century. Theroadway bridge standardization movement began as a component of the Good Roads movementin the early twentieth century. State and municipal roadway bridge design systems becamehighly standardized between 1900 and 1960. Bridge standardization increased constructioneconomy. Lower construction costs and rapid construction rates enabled bridge constructors tokeep better pace with the demands of increased road usage.Consultant engineers did continue to be hired by states and municipalities when the realities of aconstruction plan required uniquely intensive study and design planning efforts. In these casesconsultants were hired to do the work that states and municipalities could not balance alongsideregular workloads. A notable example of the type of contribution that consultants added tounique bridge design and construction in Maryland is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge project (1949-1952) (Spero and Berger & Associates 1995: 29-30).After World War II, technological innovations had an immense impact on bridge projectplanning. Advances included the introduction of the computer, the tellurometer, andphotogrammetry. An electronic computer was installed in the Road Design Division in 1957.The computer could make calculations 10 times faster than the engineers could and the newtechnology assisted with design problems; its effectiveness led to the expansion of itsapplications and its adoption by other divisions. A tellurometer used microwaves to measuredistances. In 1958, the Bureau of Public Roads chose Maryland as one of three highwaydepartments to test the tellurometer‘s usefulness in plotting new highways. The State RoadsCommission found the tellurometer to be extremely accurate. The new tool was proven to befaster and less expensive than conventional triangulation or traverse methods (LeViness1958:200).Aerial photography and photogrammetry were applied to the preparation of new highway plansbeginning in the 1950s. Photogrammetry allowed engineers to survey alternate routes withoutsending out survey parties. The first use of photogrammetry in Maryland was applied to theplanning of the Rising Sun Bypass, a three-mile relocation of US 1, opened in 1957 (LeViness1958: 200, 195 – 198).5.2 MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUE DEVELOPMENTSDuring the postwar period, advances in bridge building materials and building techniquesassisted in the improvement, development and construction of many types of bridges. Theseadvancements are in evidence along roadways throughout Maryland.The development and availability of high-strength and corrosion-resistant steel to bridge buildersincreased both bridge capacity and lifespan. Fabrication was further empowered by the adoptionsof welding technology and the introduction of the high-strength bolt (Burroughs 1975: 463-464).\15-SEP-11\\ 5-1
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SECTIONSIXResults of Field Investig
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SECTIONSEVENConclusion and Recommen
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SECTIONEIGHTReferences CitedCorddry
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SECTIONEIGHTReferences CitedKaszyns
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SECTIONEIGHTReferences CitedSeely,
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Appendix A1948-1960 Maryland Bridge
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Appendix BMaryland Bridges By Type
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Appendix CResumes of Key Personnel\
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Appendix DNotes From August 25, 200
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Appendix DNotes From August 25, 200
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