OLD MISSISSIPPI RIVER BRIDGE AT VICKSBURG Challenges Maintaining a Vital East-West Rail Corridor Rudy McLellan, P.E. GEC, Inc., Baton Rouge, LA For Vicksburg Bridge Commission, VBC
River Crossings at Vicksburg Vicksburg, Miss East Bank R/R-Hwy 1930 I-20 Hwy 1973 Delta, LA West Bank
Bridge Plan, Elevation & Section
Thru Truss Section
Thru Truss Section 1921 Steam Engine
Piers with Lateral Movements
Recorded Pier Top Movements Pier 1 12.2 West Pier 2 35.3 West Pier 3 10.2 West Pier 4 3.7 West Pier 5 5.2 West Pier 6 1.5 West Pier 7 0 8 7 6 5 Pier 4 Pier 3 Source: Pier 2 VBC Historical Records Pier 1 HNTB or Predecessors (1929-2009) GEC (2010-2012)
Bridge Repairs 1996 To 2012 1996 & 2007 Pier 2 Bearing Reset, Wind Anchor Reset, Conc. Support Enlarged 2002 Pier 2 Bearing Reset, Pier East Side Enlarged, Anchor Eyebar Reset 2002 Pier 6 Bearing Reset, Steel Expansion Joint Reset 2002 & 2011 Pier 1 Span 1 Lifted, 3.5 & 3.0 Thick Shims Added 2004 East Approach Steel Column Strengthening & Support Brackets 2005 Span 3 Truss Removed 7 From Truss, Stringers, Deck, Rails 8 7 6 5 Pier 4 Pier 3 Source: Pier 2 VBC Historical Records Pier 1 HNTB or Predecessors (1929-2009) GEC (2010-2012)
Vicksburg Pier 2 Wind Anchor Offsets 2006 2012 Date Measurement Total Movement 1930 to 1993 10.3 West 10.3 West 11-02-1994 13.0 West 13.0 West 02-06-1997 Reset 0.0 13.3 West 01-23-2001 4.6 West 17.9 West 11-05-2004 7.2 West 20.5 West 12-01-2008 10.0 West 23.3 West 03-26-2009 Reset 0.0 23.3 West 11-20-2012 1.8 West 25.1 West
Vicksburg Pier 2 Bearing Reset Reset 1997, 2002 & 2009 2012
Pier 2 Bearing Support Enlarged Vicksburg 2012
Pier 2 Anchor Eyebar Reset Vicksburg Anchor Eyebar (50 Ft Long) 1.25 Thread Bars (Grade 150 Ksi) 2012
Pier 2 Wind Anchor Enlarged Vicksburg 2012
Pier 1 & 2 Tilt Measurements East toward Vicksburg Upper CL Cut Mark Pier 2 Lower CL Cut Mark Pier 1 Date Pier 2 Pier 1 1939 No Record 7.0 East 8-22-2001 4.0 East 9.1 East 9-16-2002 3.1 East 9.5 East 8-22-2003 2.8 East 9.6 East 8-17-2007 2.8 East 10.4 East 12-19-2012 5.7 East 12.8 East
Pier 4 Plumb Bob Measurements East toward Vicksburg Pier 4 Plumb Bob (35 Ft Long) 1993 To 2001 1 West Tilt
Bridge East Approach Elevation East toward Vicksburg Pier 3 Bent DR Bent ER Bent CR Pier 2 Pier 1 Bent BR Bent AR 1936 Steel Support Added 1929, 1943 1952 Heavy Rock Revetment & Dikes
Pier 2, Pier 1, Bents ER & DR
Pier 2 East Side Enlarged Anchor Eye Bar Reset East toward Vicksburg 2012
Pier 1 Vertical Settlement Steel Shims Steel Bearing Date Total Shim Thickness Total Settlement 1929 to 1930 No Record 4.2 1930 Plans 1987 to 2003 2.50 Existing 4.2 02-19-2003 6.00 (+3.5 ) 7.7 05-23-2011 9.00 (+3.0 ) 10.7
Pier 1 Span 1 Jacking Total 400 Ton Dead Load Lift 6-Temporary 50 Ton Hydraulic Jacks at Each of the Two Bearing Permanent Steel Pipe Jack Support
Bent ER Vertical Settlement ER North Shims 2012 2012 Total Shim Thickness (Settlement) Dates ER South ER North Prior To 1998 Existing 4.0 0.5 03-11-1998 7.5 (3.5 ) 1.2 (0.7 ) 11-01-2006 16.4 (14.4 ) 6.8 (6.3 ) 09-14-2012 19.0 (15.0 ) 9.2 (8.7 )
March 2011 Barge Collision Video Year 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Strikes 2013 Louisiana 1 0 Transportation 1 2 2 Conference 0 2 Old Vicksburg 5 1 Railroad 1 4 Bridge 1
Questions Rudy McLellan, PE Email: rmclellan@gecinc.com