Constructability Analysis of the Bridge Superstructure Rotation Construction Method in China

Constructability analysis can provide valuable input to optimizing urban bridge construction in terms of reducing impacts on traffic, safety, and overall project budget and duration. This paper presents a constructability analysis of the superstructure rotation method for bridge construction. The method includes building the bridge parallel to the obstacle being overpassed (a river or a highway) and then rotating the superstructure into place. The method has been used successfully in over one-hundred bridges (mostly in China). The paper documents two case studies of bridges that used this method and provides an analysis of the constructability of the method. This includes identification of the factors influencing the constructability of the methods and lists of design and construction objectives/strategies that support the constructability of bridges using this method.