Answering a call from the Federal Highway Administration, a group of steel-bridge advocates have introduced a new type of tub girder that requires less fabrication and installation time.
The Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance, in conjunction with West Virginia University and Marshall University, began developing the pressed-brake-formed tub girder (PBTG) system about five years ago, says Karl Barth, an engineering professor at WVU. “The FHWA in 2009 issued a challenge to us to develop a cost-effective accelerated bridge construction system for steel bridges 140 feet or less. We explored a variety of concepts, from twin-tub girder types to orthotropic deck systems,” he notes.