Monday, June 12, 2023
Special Sessions
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 AMÂ Â —Â Sessions will be updated as details are finalized
Construction SS
Session Chair: John Dietrick, P.E., S.E., Michael Baker International, Cleveland, OH
IBC 23-SS01: UHPC- Construction Methods/Equipment
Michael McDonagh, P.E., P.Eng., WSP USA, Lawrenceville, NJ; Zachary Haber, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL; Nick Dean, Delaware DOT; Dave Czachorowski, Zack Excavating, Inc., Smyrna, Delaware
This session will provide an overview of the UHPC overlay construction market in the United States, the basic construction steps and equipment required, the technical guidance available, and current and needed research. Additionally, the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) will share their experiences with UHPC overlays and why they use them. Finally, a contractor who installed a UHPC overlay on a DelDOT bridge will share their experience including successes, challenges, and lessons learned.
IBC 23-SS02: Wind on Bridges During Construction: An Erection Engineer’s Perspective
Brian Witte, P.Eng., P.E., Parsons, Westminster, MD
Wind loads on bridges can be higher during construction than throughout its entire service life. Although the erection engineer is tasked with developing safe and constructible erection procedures, decisions made during bridge design may significantly impact the erection engineer’s ability to carry out these duties. Bridge owners and designers will benefit from increased awareness of the impacts of wind loads on partially erected bridges to reduce potential issues and challenges during construction.
IBC 23-SS03: Mobile River Bridge and Bayway – Progressive Design Build
John Dietrick, P.E., S.E., Michael Baker International, Cleveland, OH; Edwin Perry, Alabama DOT
The Mobile River Bridge and Bayway Project is a $2.7B construction project which will add capacity to approximately 11 miles of I-10 through downtown Mobile, AL and across the Mobile Bay. This corridor, which currently utilizes a four-lane tunnel under the Mobile River, is one of the most congested interstate corridors in the country. The project will include a new cable-stayed bridge with a main span of 1380 ft. over the Mobile River, the replacement of approximately 7 miles of Bayway structure over Mobile Bay, and the reconstruction of seven interchanges. The Alabama Department of Transportation is using a Progressive Design Build model to procure two separate design-build teams to deliver the largest transportation project in the history of the state. This presentation will include a discussion of the decision making process that led to the selection of the Progressive Design Build procurement method and challenges associated with procurement process.
New Technologies SS
Session Chair: Louis Ruzzi, P.E., WSP USA, Pittsburgh, PA
The New Technologies Special Session will have presentations on the use of drones for bridge inspection, analysis, artificial intelligence and asset management. The session will  also have an update on PennDOT’s BIM/Digital Delivery efforts and their work on Resiliency in Bridge Design. All of the talks will help a bridge engineer understood how the industry’s latest tools can help them perform their jobs in a more efficient and safe manner.
IBC 23-SS04: Drones City of Pittsburgh Bridge Asset Management Program
Seth Zora, Aerdia
In this presentation, we’ll discuss the role of drones in AEC, specifically in bridge inspections. AerdiA’s experience in providing high-resolution media for inspections on some of Pittsburgh’s largest and most challenging bridges will serve as a case study. Drone equipment specifically used for this project will be discussed. With the rapid advancement of drone technology, it’s crucial to know how to choose the right hardware and software for effective bridge inspections.
IBC 23-SS05: Enhancing Bridge Inspection and Analysis with Drones, Artificial Intelligence, and Other Advanced Technology
Michael Giacco, AI Engineers, Middletown, CT
AI Engineers, Inc. (AIE) is pairing the latest AEC innovations with their over 30 years of conventional services experience. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS/drones), light detection and ranging (LiDAR) scanning, wireless monitoring sensors, and more perform or supplement their traditional bridge inspection and evaluation tasks as well as create reality capture models and digital twins. AIE now implements artificial intelligence (AI) to safely monitor infrastructure assets, minimize the risk of failure, prioritize repairs, and optimize infrastructure spending. Leveraging these technologies gives AIE the ability to improve safety, quality, and value for their clients and staff.
IBC 23-SS06: Resiliency Research and PennDOT Policy Changes
Nick Vivian, P.E., Pennsylvania DOT, Harrisburg, PA
IBC 23-SS07: BIM/Digital Delivery
Allen Melley, P.E., Pennsylvania DOT, Harrisburg, PA
Emergency Response SS
Session Chair: Matt Bunner, P.E., HDR, Pittsburgh, PA
IBC 23-SS08: Emergency Response to Hurricane Ian including Pine Island and Sanibel Island Bridge Repairs
Christina Freeman, P.E., Florida DOT, Tallahassee, FL; Natalie M. Rodriguez, P.E., TranSystems, Fort Lauderdale, FL; James Phillips, P.E., Hardesty and Hanover, Tampa, FL
The damage from Hurricane Ian will continue to be felt in Southwest Florida for some time – yet the FDOT team and partners helped reconnect communities in unprecedented time. Pre-storm preparations allowed immediate response. Industry partners successfully worked in tandem to restore access to Pine Island in less than three days and rebuild the Sanibel Causeway in just 15 days.
IBC 23-SS09: SR 51/I-70 Bridge Hit
Jeremy Hughes, Pennsylvania DOT, Uniontown, PA
IBC 23-SS10: PennDOT Emergencies
Jason Zang, P.E., Pennsylvania DOT, Pittsburgh, PA
Young Attendees SS
Session Chair: Richard Runyen, P.E., Pennsylvania DOT, Harrisburg, PA
In a time dominated by terms like “retirement wave” and “succession planning”, having an opportunity for young individuals to present to their peers at the International Bridge Conference is more vital now than ever. This forward-thinking session features presentations by potential future leaders in our industry on projects that have advanced their careers down the right path. Those attendees new to the industry are encouraged to listen to their peers and take home lessons learned while those with more experience are welcome to provide feedback to our up-and-coming engineers. It is a great opportunity for all to leave a lasting mark on our industry.
IBC 23-SS11: Scudder Falls Bridge Project
Ryan Opel, Trumbull Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA
IBC 23-SS12: Rehabilitating the Historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge
Kody Oliver, P.E., HDR, Charleston, WV
Spanning 1008.5-ft across the Ohio River, the Wheeling Suspension Bridge opened in 1849 as the longest suspension bridge in the world. During its more than 170 years in service, this bridge experienced numerous rehabilitations but inspection findings over the last decade prompted major repairs including the replacement of stay cables and a retrofit to a main suspension cable anchorage. This presentation will cover a brief history of the bridge and the design challenges faced during its recent rehabilitation to implement modern solutions into a National Historic Landmark.
IBC 23-SS13: The Sky’s the Limit: Turning Bridge Engineers into Drone Pilots
Kevin A. Wilson, EIT, Pennoni, Newark, DE
This presentation will introduce you to the possibilities and benefits of using a drone to supplement your workflow. This will be balanced with important limitations to consider before investing in a drone and pilot. We will then cover the pilot certification process, as well as the wide range of deliverables drones can unlock. My goal is to provide you with key factors for deciding if you should pursue an in-house drone pilot and supply a guide for certification to help you take off.
IBC 23-SS14: Planning and Managing a Large Bridge Inspection ProjectÂ
Binh Pham, P.E., TranSystems, Philadelphia, PA; Jason Booty, P.E., TranSystems, Cherry Hill, NJ
Bridge inspection management is a complex and challenging task with many factors to consider. It is important to have a clear understanding of the goals of the project, to develop a well-thought-out plan, and to communicate effectively with everyone who is involved. This presentation will discuss the key elements of bridge inspection management from every stage of the project: starting with planning the inspections, to ending with delivering the final reports.
Keynote Session
Time: 10:15 AM – 12:00 PM