San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Erection Equipment
Introduction
Designing, developing, and constructing bridges presents engineers with numerous challenges, that typically include a variety of environmental and site conditions such as the span of the bridge and vehicle volume. All this needs to be taken into consideration, as it will dictate the type of bridge that best meets the needs of each specific site, such as a truss, arch, or suspension bridge, among other options. Beyond these design complexities, each bridge configuration and installation site presents a unique set of challenges concerning the actual erection of the bridge.
As a company that started in bridge design more than four decades ago, Allnorth is well positioned to help contractors and municipalities navigate the many complexities and challenges involved in bridge erection. From the environmental challenges of working in the icy waters of northern Canada, to the difficulties of moving, lifting, and placing bridge components that weigh hundreds to thousands of tonnes, Allnorth has the proven experience necessary to ensure bridges are built with safety and structural stability in mind.
More specifically, in recent years, Allnorth has been involved in the erection of two bridges – one arch bridge (Walterdale) and one single-tower self-anchored suspension (SAS) bridge – that each presented several unique challenges. In examining the details of each of these projects we see how the Allnorth team was well-positioned to overcome the environmental and design challenges of each installation.
Presenters
Dragan Majkic, M.Sc., P.Eng.
Dragan Majkic, M.Sc., P.Eng. is a Structural Engineering and Bridge Specialist with 45 years of diversified experience in consulting, engineering, construction management, and project management. He has built expertise with structures such as stadiums, high-rise buildings, bridges, industrial buildings, precast productions, and temporary structures. As a professional engineer, Dragan has worked in various positions of structural design, detailing and construction, and has been directly involved in the design and construction of nearly 50 projects, ranging in value from $50,000 to $250,000,000. He is a licensed professional engineer in Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia, and has published a book on computer programming relating to structural design using Finite Element Methods. He has also authored over 30 papers on Computers Programs (Theory and Structures Application), Steel (Theory and Structures Application), Concrete Structures (Theory and Structures Application), and Technology of Construction. Dragan also holds a US patented design for scaffolding (Fly-Form System Structure). Dragan possesses excellent communications skills and has the ability to manage large teams and projects with multimillion-dollar budgets. Some of Dragan’s involvement with international achievements have included: • San Francisco Bay Bridge SAS • Main outdoor stadium of the Shah Alam Sports Complex and National Sports Complex Bukit Jalil in Malaysia • Vancouver BC’s Lions Gate Bridge and Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Bridge • Edmonton Alberta’s Walterdale Bridge • BC Hydro’s Site C Peace River Bridge