Monday, June 15, 2026
Featured Agency Session
Details coming soon
Bridge Design 1 Session
IBC 26-04: eBEAM140: Precision Beam Calculations, Simplified for Short Span Steel Bridges
Michael Barker, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
Across the United States, more than 280,000 off-system bridges provide vital local connectivity. Of these, approximately 87,000 require replacement to meet the growing demands of heavier truck loads, including semis, logging, grain, and farm vehicles. The estimated cost of these replacements is $78.4 billion. In response to requests from state and county engineers for a practical solution, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), through the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance (SSSBA), has developed eBEAM140 — a free, Excel-based design tool specifically for off-system bridges. The tool enables engineers to design with steel for any vehicle load, delivering cost-effective, resilient, and efficient bridge replacement solutions nationwide. The presentation will demonstrate the use of eBEAM140 that is available at no cost through the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance.
IBC 26-05: Standardizing Speed: Modular TPGs for Rapid Span Replacement
Jansen Bundrige, HNTB; Manab Medhi, HNTB
Accelerated Bridge Fabrication and Construction plays a vital role in post-emergency recovery efforts, particularly when railroad tracks are out of service. Rapid deployment of bridge infrastructure minimizes service disruptions, restores critical rail connectivity, and supports the timely resumption of freight and passenger operations. The BNSF Modular Through Plate Girder (TPG) Standard addresses a critical gap in emergency railway bridge recovery by introducing a versatile, modular span solution capable of replacing spans ranging from 80 to 152’-6” feet with skew angles up to 60 degrees. Traditional recovery methods rely on shorter spans or reallocation strategies that are often limited by inventory, age, or logistical constraints. This presentation outlines the development of a standardized TPG design that meets clearance requirements, optimizes fabrication and construction efficiency, and supports rapid deployment in emergent situations. Key innovations include prefabricated elements, splice-enabled modularity, elimination of lower lateral bracing, and adaptable detailing for skewed conditions. The presentation will also cover key lessons learned during the fabrication of the spans, as well as the innovative methods used to store the span for rapid mobilization in the event of an emergency. A case study demonstrates the practical application of the standard, showcasing its effectiveness in minimizing service disruptions and enhancing network resilience. The TPG Standard represents a proactive strategy for infrastructure owners to mitigate risk and ensure continuity of service across critical rail corridors.
IBC 26-06: Channel Monitoring Systems – A New Paradigm for Vessel Collision Risk Management
Matt Carter, Arup, New York, NY; Marc Tatarsky, Arup, New York, NY; Travis Rothbloom, Arup, New York, NY; Mingshi Yu, Arup, New York, NY
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge highlighted the vulnerability of many existing bridges spanning navigation channels. With narrow main spans and structurally vulnerable piers, many of these bridges would require hundreds of millions of dollars in environmentally disruptive in-water protection works to meet modern design standards. Given limited funding, upgrading all such structures is not feasible — a new approach to risk management is urgently needed.
Traditional risk assessments rely on decades-old statistical models, extrapolated from sparse data and layered with engineering judgment to estimate the probability of collapse. Meanwhile, shipping traffic continues to grow in both frequency and vessel size, increasing risk year after year. Yet, no one is actively monitoring for near-misses—the early warning signs of potential disasters.
SpanSight is a channel monitoring system that introduces a new paradigm in risk management. It enables real-time detection of near-miss vessel-bridge incidents, transforming close calls into actionable insights that help prevent future collisions, protect infrastructure, and enhance navigational safety.
While historic Automatic Identification System (AIS) data is routinely used in risk assessments, it is usually down-sampled and stale. SpanSight actively fuses data-rich real-time AIS with other sensors to provide enhanced situational awareness. This allows bridge owners to follow up on incidents with navigational stakeholders and build collaborative partnerships to manage risk and prioritize interventions.
This paper also explores the challenges of extending channel monitoring insights into active collision avoidance and traffic control responses because of the low-probability, high-consequence nature of the problem.
Special Sessions
Details coming soon
Workshops
W-01: International Workshop
Nick Burdette, HDR, Pittsburgh, PA
W-02: Advances in Bridge Load Rating, Posting and Overweight Load Permitting
Lubin Gao, USDOT/FHWA, Vienna, VA