Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Technical Sessions
Railroad Session
IBC 26-07: Design and Construction Challenges Overcome for Partial Replacement of Baltimore Metro Pier 2720
Karl Stegmann, RK&K, Baltimore, MD; Govind Sulibhavi, Maryland Transit Administration, Baltimore, MD; John Hudacek, Maryland Transit Administration, Baltimore, MD
Large cracks and leakage through the pier supporting Baltimore Metro Pier 2720 adjacent to West Cold Spring Station was observed in November 2015 and crack monitors were installed to determine growth or movement of the cracks. A study was performed which included thermal monitoring of the girders and verify if the storm water drain running through the pier was clogged.
Pier 2720 supports the track girders and there is a reinforced concrete beam that is framed into the pier that is being used to support part of the platform located above the pier. Design challenges include designing a shoring system that would temporarily support the track girders and the platform supporting members during construction of the pier. The four legged shoring tower was designed to support the track girders and allowed enough space for workers to work on the pier and a separate shoring system was designed to temporarily support the platform support beam.
Construction progressed utilizing multiple crews as well as night and weekend work. As the engineer of record and reviewer of construction, the design team engaged in a special agreement where submittals, RFI’s, and shop drawings would be reviewed and returned to MTA as soon as possible, rather than following the standard timelines for submittals. This would allow the contractor to accelerate construction and eliminate any delays that could be caused by the review process. In addition to expedited reviews, the design engineers were available for contact by MTA any time during the day or night.
IBC 26-08: The Rehabilitation of Five Bridges on SEPTA’s Chestnut Hill East Line
Lee Wolfe, GFT, Philadelphia, PA; Kyle Stanley, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, Philadelphia, PA
Facing a budget crisis, aging infrastructure, and ridership dependent on its regional rail system, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) was forced to make tough decisions on how to rehabilitate or replace five deteriorated bridges along the Chestnut Hill East (CHE) Line. Through an innovative approach involving creative engineering solutions, robust public outreach and partnering with the contractor, all five bridges were extensively rehabilitated. Ridership on the CHE Line, extending from northwest Philadelphia to Center City, was approximately 1,700 passengers a day. The five bridges included a 2-span concrete/masonry arch and four riveted steel girder structures, including the oldest bridge in SEPTA’s inventory, the Wayne Avenue bridge, constructed in 1895.
An eleven-week service shutdown (June 15st – September 8th) was instituted permitting the bridges to be rehabilitated simultaneously including steel repairs, concrete substructure and deck repairs, deck waterproofing once the ballast was removed on steel or concrete deck systems, drainage repairs and cleaning and repainting. Although these repairs followed standard techniques, unforeseen deterioration was repaired through an intensive partnering initiative where the engineers worked hand-in-hand with the contractor to develop additional details which could be accommodated within the timeframe of the line shutdown. The concrete/masonry arch spans required innovative repairs including the installation of internal stabilization measures for the spandrel walls and wingwalls. Tie-back anchors with deadmen were utilized within the structure to avoid extensive masonry or concrete reconstruction. In addition to this project, the shutdown enabled SEPTA’s contractors to efficiently construct peripheral projects that were needed on the line.
IBC 26-09: Design-Build Services for the MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Hall Interlocking Expansion Project
Chih-Ping Frank Fan, AECOM, New York, NY; Nelson Montecillo, AECOM, New York, NY; Catherine Stanley, AECOM, New York, NY
The Hall Interlocking is a major railroad junction located in Jamaica, Queens, NY, just east of the Jamaica Station on the Long Island Railroad. It controls the critical area where the Main Line, Montauk Branch, Atlantic Branch, and other connecting tracks converge.
The project is a central element of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)’s Jamaica Capacity Improvement (JCI) Program, the agency’s long-term plan for the future of railroad operations through Jamaica Station, the busiest and most complex hub on the LIRR. Nearly every LIRR branch converges at Jamaica, making it the critical junction for service throughout Long Island and into New York City.
The work includes constructing a new 290-foot-long, two-track railroad bridge over 150th Street and Atlantic Branch Track #1, extending the existing E-Yard (a storage area which is being converted to allow more train flow over the Atlantic Branch Tracks), and installing two new through-running Main Line tracks at Hall Interlocking. The project also includes modifications and reconstruction of retaining and abutment walls flanking the E-Yard, multiple utility infrastructure upgrades, and SOGR improvements across key assets.
The design-build team consists of the lead contractor MLJT – a joint venture of MLJ Contracting Corp. and J-Track LLC, together with the lead designer AEOCM USA. This paper focuses on the analysis, design, and erection of the new railroad bridge, five-span continuous twin box girders with integral steel bent cap, including the innovative incremental launch over congested track traffic and application of PLDCC (Permeable Low Density Cellular Concrete) for backfill in
IBC 26-10: Improving Safety in One Weekend: The River Road Railroad Bridge Replacement Project
Jack Cardinal, HNTB Corporation, Philadelphia, PA; Brian Curry, Gregori Construction Inc, Sarver, PA; Charles Neth, Neth Engineering PLLC
PennDOT Multimodal entered into an agreement with RJ Corman Railroad to replace the western most span of a three span through truss structure (1909) that carries heavy freight traffic over the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and River Road in Clearfield, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the project was to improve driver safety by reducing the risk of trucks traveling on the roadway underneath impacting the bridge superstructure. This was completed by raising the substandard vertical clearance of the span over River Road below from 12’-4” to greater than 14’-6”.
The superstructure depth below top of rail was decreased by greater than 2’-0” by utilizing a steel structural system of two through plate girders, tightly spaced floorbeams, a full width deck plate, and direct fixation fasteners bolting the rail directly to the superstructure. The existing pier cap and abutment seat were replaced with precast elements and a precast approach slab with geosynthetic reinforced soil backfill was used to transition from the ballasted approach to the skewed direct fixation superstructure.
The span was replaced within a 96-hour outage through use of self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) to remove the existing span and erect the proposed span. The adjacent through truss span was vertically jacked on temporary works to replace the pier cap and its respective bearings below.
The submitted paper will provide an overview of the final design of the proposed structure. In addition, there will be a focus on the erection engineering required, the constructability during the outage, and lessons learned.
Owner’s Perspective Session
IBC 26-11: From Steel to Stewardship: Engineering Organizational Culture for Public Value
Michael Venuto, Delaware River Port Authority, Camden, NJ; John Hanson, Delaware River Port Authority, Camden, NJ
Public infrastructure succeeds or fails by the culture that supports it. Since 2014, the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) and its subsidiary, the Port Authority Transit Corporation (PATCO), have approached culture as a long-term design-build project that is intentional, resourced, and continuously improved. This paper describes a multi-year transformation that integrates servant leadership principles with applied improvisation to embed listening, collaboration, and adaptive decision-making across all levels of the organization – from board members to front-line employees and partnering consultants and contractors.
DRPA’s leadership framework, grounded in public value and stewardship, provided the design blueprint. Improv-based learning built trust, collaboration, and rapid coordination in complex operational environments. Practical applications across maintenance and service operations translated the framework from concept to practice, linking culture to measurable improvements in safety, reliability, customer experience, and project delivery.
Sustained progress documented across years of reports and recognitions highlights the connection between culture, public value, and performance. The result is a replicable model: define culture as infrastructure, align incentives across stakeholders, institutionalize “yes-and” collaboration, and validate outcomes with operational metrics.
IBC 26-12: From Dependence to Decision: Reducing Over-Reliance on AI Dialogue Systems Through Cognitive-Guided Interaction
Abhishek Khatiwada, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL; Chenxi Yuan, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL
The increasing integration of AI dialogue systems in engineering education and professional training has raised concerns about users’ cognitive dependency and diminishing self-directed judgment. This study addresses the issue of over-reliance on AI systems—particularly in bridge inspection and construction engineering contexts—by designing a human–AI collaborative learning framework that balances guidance and cognitive autonomy. Inspired by medical apprenticeship models, where nurses learn by observation and guided practice under supervision, we propose an AI-augmented simulation environment that mirrors real bridge inspection workflows.
In this system, participants (civil engineering students and novice inspectors) engage with an interactive LLM-based assistant for context-specific information retrieval while simultaneously observing projected field scenarios through curated videos and digital inspection forms. The AI provides timely prompts and technical clarifications, but decision-making and condition assessments remain learner-driven. This “observe–act–reflect” cycle is designed to scaffold cognitive load effectively, promoting situational awareness, adaptive learning, and critical reasoning rather than passive dependence.
The study evaluates the framework using cognitive load metrics (NASA-TLX), trust and reliance questionnaires, and performance analytics from inspection task simulations. Results are expected to demonstrate how adaptive AI assistance can enhance decision quality and cognitive engagement while reducing over-reliance. The proposed model contributes a replicable pedagogical paradigm for human–AI co-learning in civil infrastructure domains, bridging experiential education and trustworthy AI interaction.
IBC 26-13: Integrating Steel Repairs into Comprehensive Painting Contracts, the Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge
David Lynch, Hardesty & Hanover, Annapolis, MD; Nafiz Alqasem, Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), Nottingham, MD
The Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge provides a lifeline between Harford and Cecil Counties, Maryland. This 7,749-foot-long, late 1930s-era signature steel bridge traverses varied landscape features and utilizes multiple structural systems, each with unique features. The detailing of the bridge is characteristic of the period, with built-up members that traded reduced material quantity for additional labor. Common throughout the bridge are nooks and crannies that collect debris and form ideal nesting sites for birds. It is these details, in combination with challenging access issues over two large channels, that complicate routine repairs and maintenance. This presentation discusses how fully integrating steel repairs into a comprehensive painting project efficiently resolved scores of long-standing issues associated with the details and access.
The steel repair designs minimized schedule impacts on cleaning and painting operations by avoiding temporary works, keeping repairs practical and achievable, and limiting the size and weight of steel plating. Conservative assumptions and engineering judgment guided the design repairs for members and connections with significant section losses. Variations in geometry after 80 years of settling and modifications demanded iterative evaluations. The design process correctly assumed that the construction team would encounter previously unidentified defects during the cleaning and painting process. The variety of repair types included in the contract provided ample flexibility to address additional defects without significant design revisions.
Load Rating & Analysis 1 Session
IBC 26-14: Seismic and Dynamic Modeling Considerations for Special Complex Category High-Speed Rail Structures
Aamir Durrani, HNTB Corporation, Santa Ana, CA
The California HSR Locally Generated Alternative is 18.5-mile-long elevated guideway with 3.4 miles of aerial embankment and 22 bridges – two vehicular overcrossing, four BNSF RR grade separations, eighteen HSR bridges that include special complex structures like the 350-feet long network tied arch canal crossing, two viaducts 12,500-feet Coffee Rd and 18,500-feet Bakersfield viaduct.
This paper will discuss seismic analysis and dynamic behavior of special complex category High-Speed Rail Bridge like 350-feet long network tied arch main span over canal. Response Spectrum Analysis by using linear springs defined by location specific P-Y Curves obtained through L-Pile Analyses and Time History Analyses of the bridge using 11 ground motions. Non-Linear behavior of foundations is included in the analysis by the soil springs defined by P-Y Curves. Structural non-linearity due to column plastic hinging behavior is included by moment curvature relationship of the reinforced column cross-section under different axial loads. Rolling Stock Analyses were performed to find the applicable dynamic impact factor to be used in capacity checks and to check the vertical deck accelerations occurring on the bridge deck against the limits.
IBC 26-15: Performance-Based Design of Temporary Jacking Frames and Supports for Major Bridge Rehabilitation
Qi Ye, CHI Consulting Engineers, Summit, NJ; Nyanlin Htet, CHI Consulting Engineers, Summit, NJ; Liwei Han, CHI Consulting Engineers, Summit, NJ; Zheda Zhu, CHI Consulting Engineers, Summit, NJ; Kyunghwa Cha, CHI Consulting Engineers, Summit, NJ
Owners routinely require in-service replacement of truss bearings, rocker links, and wind pins under severe access and traffic constraints. Yet temporary works for these operations remain weakly standardized: guidance is fragmented, so designs often rely heavily on individual experience. Many proposed designs of temporary works in contract documents are prepared without deep familiarity with construction technology, leading to schemes that have issues in feasibility, economy, constructability, or performance. The confined work zones typical of rehabilitation—limited headroom, congested steelwork, and utilities, etc.— further complicate temporary support designs. Unlike typical bridge elements, temporary systems are usually one-off configurations whose behaviors have not been well studied, elevating the importance of construction-engineering judgment.
This paper addresses these gaps with a performance-based framework for designing temporary jacking frames and supports. The method converts owner/contractor objectives into limit states and measurable acceptance criteria; defines staged load combinations; and formalizes vertical, lateral, and longitudinal load paths. It adds concept development, feasibility and constructability checks, risk assessment, selection matrices, and guidance for advanced finite element modeling of unique geometries and interfaces. Validation across multiple projects demonstrates predictable field performance—reduced rivet removal, minimized rework, shorter closures—and yields repeatable calculations, detailing rules, and QA/monitoring checklists that practitioners can apply to safely execute high-load temporary works.
IBC 26-16: Railing Load Distribution in Girder-Slab Bridges
Bhushan Raj Selvaraj, PhD, 10-4 Engineering, Chicago, IL; Tanakorn Ngamjarungjit; Todd Helwig PhD, PE, The University of Texas at Austin; Eric Williamson PhD, PE
Bridge railings are heavier and taller than typical railings when designed for high crashworthiness or as soundwalls. Many state transportation agencies have guidelines on sizing and detailing deck overhangs, and simple methods of distributing railing load to girders, generally based on rules-of-thumb developed through experience. A literature review of current practices and past research revealed a lack of understanding of the distribution of railing dead load in girders. The effect of railing dead load on girders can be significant in bridges where such heavy railings are used. Railing Load Distribution Factors (RLDF) are proposed for the design of girder-slab bridges. These factors represent the proportion of railing load to be applied to a girder when performing a line girder analysis. Detailed three-dimensional Finite Element (FE) models were developed following best practices and based on the sensitivity of various modeling details and assumptions. A parametric study was conducted on simply supported prestressed concrete (PSC) I-girder bridges with the geometry parameters representative of bridges in Texas. The parametric analyses revealed a direct correlation of the RLDF values for bending moment and shear with the bridge geometry parameters that represent the stiffness. Equations for RLDFs were developed using a symbolic regression algorithm. The proposed equations predict the effects of railing dead load on girders and result in safe and economical designs when compared to current practices. Similar proposals also performed well for bridges with PSC U-girders, steel I-girders and steel tub girders.
IBC 26-17: San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge Risk-Based Inspection and Cable Strength Evaluation
Sylwia Stawska, Modjeski and Masters Inc., Mechanicsburg, PA; Sean Ceasy, Modjeski and Masters Inc., Poughkeepsie, NY; Blaise Blabac, Modjeski and Masters Inc., Poughkeepsie, NY; Norman Quach, TY Lin, CA
Bridge railings are heavier and taller than typical railings when designed for high crashworthiness or as soundwalls. Many state transportation agencies have guidelines on sizing and detailing deck overhangs, and simple methods of distributing railing load to girders, generally based on rules-of-thumb developed through experience. A literature review of current practices and past research revealed a lack of understanding of the distribution of railing dead load in girders. The effect of railing dead load on girders can be significant in bridges where such heavy railings are used. Railing Load Distribution Factors (RLDF) are proposed for the design of girder-slab bridges. These factors represent the proportion of railing load to be applied to a girder when performing a line girder analysis. Detailed three-dimensional Finite Element (FE) models were developed following best practices and based on the sensitivity of various modeling details and assumptions. A parametric study was conducted on simply supported prestressed concrete (PSC) I-girder bridges with the geometry parameters representative of bridges in Texas. The parametric analyses revealed a direct correlation of the RLDF values for bending moment and shear with the bridge geometry parameters that represent the stiffness. Equations for RLDFs were developed using a symbolic regression algorithm. The proposed equations predict the effects of railing dead load on girders and result in safe and economical designs when compared to current practices. Similar proposals also performed well for bridges with PSC U-girders, steel I-girders and steel tub girders.
Bridge Rehabilitation 1
IBC 26-18: Rehabilitation and Widening of the Historic I-78 SR-61 Mainline Arch Bridge
Abir Sengupta, TYLin
A key technical solution was the adoption of a segmental construction methodology for the new concrete arch spans. Sequential segmental erection enabled the construction team to pour arch segments, keystones, and deck elements in a controlled sequence, supported by temporary towers and formwork. This approach minimized the need for extensive falsework and allowed for early removal of support towers, optimizing the construction schedule. Isolation gaps and “dog bone” footings were incorporated to reduce impacts on existing foundations and facilitate differential movement between new and existing structures.
The rehabilitation phase addressed significant deterioration in the bridge’s structural elements, including end walls, arches near joints, columns adjacent to joints, and interior columns near the median joint. Specialized techniques were employed to strengthen and restore these components while maintaining the bridge’s historic integrity and ensuring safety for ongoing traffic. Rehabilitation efforts included targeted repairs, replacement of critical columns under live traffic, and reinforcement of spandrel beams and deck sections. Through careful planning and execution, the rehabilitation not only preserved the bridge’s historic character but also significantly extended its service life, ensuring its continued role as a vital transportation link and community landmark.
IBC 26-19: Reimagining steel repair: Unconventional Approach to Girder Rehabilitation
Rakesh Srinivas Murthy, PE, WSP, Lawrenceville, NJ; Anand Patel, PE, WSP, Lawrenceville, NJ; Alexandra Beyer, PE, WSP, Lawrenceville, NJ; Gregory Stolowski, PE, PMP, WSP, Lawrenceville, NJ
The rehabilitation of the historic 3.5-mile Pulaski Skyway, which connects Jersey City to Newark, NJ, presented a unique challenge at Span 44. The concrete deck replacement occurred prior to completing the steel repairs, covering the inner web of the deteriorated fascia girder, which severely limited access and restricted traditional repair details.
WSP developed a cost-effective and time-sensitive repair strategy to strengthen the affected girders from the only accessible side, while also preventing further deterioration. The innovative repair scheme included the use of threaded studs welded to the 80-year-old steel, the installation of fill plates with cheese holes to avoid existing fasteners that could not be removed without damaging the newly poured concrete deck, and finally, the installation of repair plates with bolts tightened onto the threaded studs.
This presentation highlights the constraints encountered and the innovative solutions implemented to meet structural requirements, metalogical restrictions, and scheduling demands. It also shares best practices for steel repairs that satisfy AASHTO requirements, with a focus on threaded stud welding. Topics include metalogical analysis, welding procedures, material properties, and field testing in accordance with AWS D1.1 and D1.5 standards. The repair approach was reviewed and approved by NJDOT, with collaboration from stud manufacturers.
IBC 26-20: A Case Study for a Bridge Girder Jacking System within Limited Working Space
Jeffrey Robert, KCI Technologies, Sparks, MD; Holly Kokstein, KCI Technologies, Sparks, MD; Ruel Sabellano, D.Eng., Maryland Transportation Authority – Office of Engineering & Construction, Baltimore, MD
The Maryland Transportation Authority’s I-95 bridge over Little Northeast Creek is a three-span steel girder structure originally constructed in 1963, widened in 1971, and most recently rehabilitated in 2019 with a full deck replacement. Since the 2019 deck work, field inspections have revealed widespread issues with the bridge bearings—specifically, inconsistent contact between bearing plates, with gaps ranging from 1/16” to 3/8”. The irregularity of these gaps across the structure precludes a uniform adjustment solution.
To address this challenge, KCI was tasked with developing a bearing replacement strategy that maintains live traffic on the bridge. Due to the varying skew angles between girders and piers, and limited space on the pier caps, KCI designed a steel framing system suspended from the existing piers. This system allows for individual girder jacking and bearing replacement with no anchoring to the pier caps.
This presentation will explore the site constraints, engineering challenges, and the creative structural solution developed to rehabilitate the bridge bearings efficiently and safely under traffic.
AI/ Digital Delivery 1 Session
IBC 26-21: Analytical twins: New criteria for evaluating “object modelers” in a digital twin world
Joshua Tauberer, LARSA, Inc., Melville, NY
In the last decade analysis and design softwares have added new object-based modelers on top of existing FEM-based analysis and design tools to rapidly create bridge structural models from objects, such as girders and piers, rather than beams and shells. But “It only works if you stay within the lines” is a frequent frustration we hear as design elements that don’t exactly match the software’s “objects” create significant shortfalls. In this session, we’ll present advancements for a new object-based modeler that overcomes these challenges using new criteria to evaluate bridge object-modeling software containing embedded “analytical twins” inside every structural object.
IBC 26-22: A Data Driven Approach to Predictive Deterioration Assessment in Long-Span Truss and Suspension Bridges
Ruel Sabellano, MDTA, Baltimore, MD; Zeinab Bandpey, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD; Mehdi Shokouhian, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD; Soroush Piri, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD
Long-span truss and suspension bridges play a critical role in regional and national mobility, yet their scale, configuration, and exposure to environmental stressors make deterioration difficult to anticipate using conventional inspection-based assessments. This study develops a predictive modeling framework that integrates Federal Highway Administration condition data (1995–2021), maintenance histories, and localized NOAA climate records to identify deterioration drivers and forecast future condition states. The dataset includes 7,389 long-span bridges nationwide, with a focused assessment of 142 Maryland structures, including major river-crossing and coastal bridges influenced by temperature fluctuation, moisture cycles, and de-icing exposure.
Machine learning models are trained to identify structural vulnerabilities with improved accuracy compared to heuristic or linear forecasting approaches. The resulting predictions support uncertainty-aware condition planning and provide network-level screening tools that help agencies prioritize maintenance, allocate resources more effectively, and extend the service life of critical infrastructure assets. The framework is scalable to other regions, adaptable to multiple bridge types, and supports the transition toward data-driven asset management practices that enhance safety, reliability, and long-term resilience across transportation networks.
IBC 26-23: AI-Assisted Bridge Design Automation and Building Intelligent Data
Venu Pokuri, GFT, Marlton, NJ; Matthew Greenholt, GFT, Mechanicsburg, PA
At GFT, we are advancing bridge design by responsibly applying artificial intelligence to enhance and automate multiple stages of the engineering process. We are developing intelligent workflows that transfer information seamlessly from BIM models to analytical models across different platforms, improving precision and reducing manual effort. Standardized templates are being created to meet specific agency requirements, enabling quick updates to analytical models through structured data inputs. These initiatives help streamline modeling, improve data quality, and strengthen integration between digital design and analysis.
We have also introduced custom AI agents to assist with analysis tasks such as report summary and design interpretation. These agents operate within secure project environments to ensure data confidentiality and are customized for individual agency standards, improving efficiency while maintaining accuracy and compliance.
As the next step, we aim to use AI to organize and structure data across all stages of the design process. Results from successful analyses are captured in detail to support the development of predictive, preliminary, and QA/QC models. This foundation will enable data-driven decision-making, enhance early-stage evaluations, and promote more consistent, informed, and efficient bridge design practices.
IBC 26-24: AI-Based Advanced Technology Evaluation in the Bridge Domain Using Sentiment Analysis
Prashank Yadav, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX; Ali MohebiAlidash, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX; Amirali Najafi, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX; Stefan Hurlebaus, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Bridges undergo several lifecycle stages, which include planning, designing, construction, maintenance, and decommissioning. In each stage, multiple stakeholders are involved, that are responsible for the decision making related to critical aspects. Inherently, these decisions involve risk to cost, time, and safety. Key challenges associated in achieving well-informed decisions are limited access to recent research, difficulty in understanding the technical jargon, and divergent opinions. These can be counterproductive and may impede the selection of most optimal decisions. Our objective is to develop an Advanced Bridge Technology Clearinghouse (ABTC) platform where the users can evaluate, compare, and get well-informed about multiple advanced technologies in the bridge domain that help them make rational and pragmatic decisions. Recent advancements in the development of Large Language Models (LLMs) make them highly efficient in understanding the intricacies of natural language. We will leverage these capabilities of LLMs to scrape through the large bodies of data repository and perform an Aspect-Based Sentiment Analysis (ABSA) on the technologies. A Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) method will be used to evaluate and compare the technologies considering all the relevant aspects. As a final product, we aim to develop an AI-agent that can automate this process and suggest well-informed decisions. The developed AI-agent will coordinate the interaction between the LLMs, environment involved, tools used, planning through in-context learning and memory established. This paper demonstrates the capabilities and robustness of the developed AI-agent in performing the task of evaluating the technologies using ABSA.
Keywords: Large Language Model, Bridge Technology, Aspect Based Sentiment
IBC 26-25: IFC as Contractual Deliverable: A First in U.S. Infrastructure at French Creek
Hanjin Hu, Michael Baker International, Moon Township, PA; Joseph Brenner, Michael Baker International, Harrisburg, PA; Richard Schoedel, Michael Baker International, Moon Township, PA; Zacharie Stonestreet, Michael Baker International, Moon Township, PA; Keith Yoder, Michael Baker International, Moon Township, PA
PennDOT is leading innovation in digital delivery through successful Letting of an Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) Model as a Legal Deliverable (MALD) pilot project, supported by an FHWA Advanced Digital Construction Management Systems (ADCMS) grant. The SR 0006-B12 bridge over French Creek in Crawford County, PA—designed by Michael Baker International—is the first U.S. bridge project to use Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) deliverables as the contract documents for bridge elements, including reinforcement. This initiative promotes open-data standards and lifecycle modeling to improve interoperability across design, construction, and asset management platforms.
The existing two-span steel through-truss bridge, with substandard vertical clearance and significant deterioration, was programmed for replacement following the evaluation of seven alternatives. The selected solution is a 316-foot, two-span continuous weathering steel plate girder bridge with integral abutments and wall pier with drilled shaft foundations. Environmental constraints, including threatened aquatic species in French Creek, required careful coordination and impact mitigation.
This pilot demonstrates the feasibility of IFC-based workflows for bridge delivery, including model authoring, data translation, and contract integration. The IFC export retains both element identity and geometry, enabling seamless data exchange across platforms. Final design and modeling are complete, and the project was let in September 2025. Construction is underway with completion anticipated in 2026.
IBC 26-26: AI-Agent–Driven Multimodal In-Context Information Extraction and Automatic Bridge Design Code Compliance Using Large Language Models
Ali Mohebi Alidash, Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Texas A&M University, College Station, TX; Prashank Singh Yadav, Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Texas A&M University, College Station, TX; AmirAli Najafi, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX; Stefan Hurlebaus, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
This study presents a practical, design manual-based AI agent for bridge design and checking that reads directly from design standards, such as AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications. The framework also includes the state DOT manuals. Source PDFs are converted to machine-readable text and indexed at section, table, and equation granularities. A Large Language Model (LLM), namely ChatGPT, extracts entities (loads, factors, materials, components), relations, and unit-aware numbers into a structured format with the pertinent citations. The model then learns through in-context learning (ICL), where the model follows the provided examples’ procedures and retrieves similarly defined examples to solve specific parts of a bridge design, based on the user’s query. The ICL-based LLM agent manages specialized tools for different parts of code compliance, calling different solvers for (e.g., load effects, distribution-factor selection, geometry calculation). In a retrieval workflow, the agent pulls article-level text and numbers, applies task templates, performs calculations, and returns pass or fail decisions with numerical margins and exact references. When given a design template, the model executes the calculations, completes the design, and produces the required documentation. The framework is multimodal because it generates engineering-format visuals consistent with computed quantities (e.g., DWG details for bridge-deck reinforcement) produced from design outputs. The framework completes full bridge-design checks in a couple of minutes rather than days; for example, it can design a deck and output both text and multimodal documentation in about 1 minute using the GPT-4.1 engine.
Keywords: AI-Agent, Large Language Model, Bridge Design Standards, In-Context learning, Automated Code
IBC 26-27: From Condition to Consequence: An Impact-Based Approach to Bridge Infrastructure Prioritization
Matija Radovic, Delaware DOT, Dover, DE; Offie Adarkwa, Consultant
Current bridge management policies have predominantly relied on structural condition metrics to prioritize infrastructure investments. While condition-based assessments provide valuable information, they fail to account for critical spatial and non structural factors that can significantly amplify service disruption in the event of bridge failure. This research presents an advanced impact-based prioritization framework that integrates Likelihood of Failure (LOF) with Consequence of Failure (COF) to support more informed decision-making in capital fund allocation.
The proposed framework introduces comprehensive spatial analysis of economic, social, and engineering factors in order to quantify impact risk of a bridge failure. Key factors evaluated include proximity to flood-prone areas, access to emergency evacuation routes, connectivity to critical freight corridors, and designation as single-access infrastructure serving isolated communities. The resulting Impact Risk Rating combines weighted LOF and COF scores with user-adjustable parameters, enabling detailed scenario analysis under varying policy priorities. Rather than simply identifying which bridges are in the poorest condition, this methodology determines which bridge failures would generate the most severe socio-economic consequences. This distinction allows transportation agencies to optimize limited capital resources by balancing structural vulnerability with broader societal impact.
This approach was implemented in an interactive web-based application featuring Del DoT bridge inventory data with real-time risk recalculation, geospatial visualization with multiple base layers and route overlays. Additionally, application is equipped with an LLM-powered assistant, providing natural language access to complex scenario analysis and results interpretation.
Construction 1 Session
IBC 26-28: To Jamaica and Beyond: Launching the 150th Street Long Island Railroad Bridge
Lisa Briggs, Genesis Structures, Kansas City, MO
The Long Island Railroad (LIRR) Hall Interlocking Expansion Project utilized bridge launching techniques to construct a new two track railroad bridge for MTA in Queens, NY to increase capacity into and out of Jamaica Station. Steel components for the double box girder structure were brought in by rail and assembled in a 220-ft long launch pit using a gantry crane. The 290-ft long structure was constructed and launched in stages over three separate closure periods. This presentation will focus on the analysis performed by Genesis Structures and the details and procedures used by Integrated Structures to facilitate launching operations in the field.
IBC 26-29: I-475 Bridge Erection over Flint River near Flint, Michigan
Nikkolas Edgmond, Genesis Structures, Kansas City, MO; Jake Hall, C.A. Hull Co., Inc., Commerce Township, MI; John Boschert, Genesis Structures, Kansas City, MO; Clay Malloure, C.A. Hull Co., Inc., Commerce Township, MI
The I-475 reconstruction project was a large-scale rehabilitation effort that included demolition and erection of seven bridge structures. The Flint River Bridge is the main crossing over the Flint River near Flint, Michigan for the I-475 corridor. The existing structure was two identical steel plate girder bridges that included 6-spans with pin-and-hanger connections. Constructed in 1972, the bridge was replaced to accommodate roadway improvements as well as river navigation channel widening. The new bridge is a three-span conventional steel plate girder bridge with heavily skewed supports.
The bridge demolition and erection were performed in phased construction operations to allow for reduced traffic interference. The new bridge was erected by utilizing adjacent structures (existing and new) to address environment and site geometry constraints. The first phase of girder erection involved the controlled pre-assembly and transportation of a nearly 350,000 lbf. girder pair assembly onto the existing Southbound bridge which was lifted and set onto the permanent bearings through complex and coordinated crane operations. The second phase of girder erection was performed by erecting single girder segments with unique temporary conditions. Temporary works were designed to accommodate unique girder erection planning.
This paper and presentation will focus on the construction planning and engineering performed by the project team to facilitate this project, including the following:
• Coordination and planning for the complex erection operations
• Design of the temporary works required to facilitate erection of the system
• Engineering for the unique temporary conditions of the permanent members
IBC 26-30: Steel Bridge Playbook: Practical Tools and Resources for Contractors
Vin Bartucca, National Steel Bridge Alliance, Canton, MA
For contractors navigating modern steel bridge projects, success hinges on balancing structural design, fabrication efficiency, and erection speed. While steel I-girder bridges continue to offer cost-effective adaptability, the transition from concept to construction requires tools tuned for contractor priorities. This paper translates design-stage instruments—such as span-weight curves, the NSBA LRFD Simon analysis software, and the girder splice guidance—into actionable contractor workflows. We present a real-world example of twin 400-ft spans over the Red River, illustrating how early use of these tools reduced steel tonnage, minimized field splices, streamlined erection, and cut total superstructure installation time by 20%. By showing how design decisions affect fabrication cost, transport logistics, and lift-in operations, this discussion bridges the gap between engineers and contractors and equips field teams with insights to drive smarter bidding, fabrication, and erection.
IBC 26-31: Saint Joseph’s University Post Crossing – Connecting a University Campus Across a Major Urban Arterial
David Phelan, PE, Jacobs, Philadelphia, PA; William Davis, PE, Jacobs, Philadelphia, PA; Robert Scheier, PE, Jacobs, Philadelphia, PA
The primary objective of this design-build project was to provide a safe, accessible, and direct shared-use pathway connection between the two sides of the Saint Joseph’s University (SJU) campus beneath the heavily trafficked State Route 0001 (City Avenue).
The project was complicated by the presence of major utility conflicts, shallow bedrock, and high traffic volumes. Jacobs’ innovative solution was to convert a section of City Avenue into a 33-foot single-span bridge and build the 21-foot wide pathway beneath it. By converting the roadway into a bridge using shallow 20-inch prestressed Northeast Extreme Tee (NEXT) beams, raising the roadway profile of City Avenue, and lowering/flattening a section of the sewer line, the shared-used pathways low point was kept significantly higher than the initially envisioned arch culvert that was considered in the concept study.
The project successfully implemented Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques, specifically utilizing a top-down construction method involving pre-installation of 64 drilled H-piles installed from atop City Avenue prior to the bridge assembly using precast elements with Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) during two separate 1-week travel lane reductions. A Polyester Polymer Concrete (PPC) overlay was provided over the NEXT beams to provide a durable and smooth riding surface.
Architectural features within the underpass include a suspended ceiling and glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) SJU lettering and shields finished with architectural shotcrete on the interior walls. The underpass approaches include stone veneer and cast stone portal arch to complement the campus architecture. Security features include cameras, emergency phones, and wireless access points.
IBC 26-32: Erection of the Portal North Arch Bridges
Stephen Percassi Jr., Genesis Structures, Kansas City, MO; A.J. Powell, Skanska USA Civil, Carteret, NJ
The Portal North Bridge is a critical component of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor rail system linking Newark, NJ to Penn Station in New York City. The bridge carries over 160,00 passengers on more than 500 NJ Transit and Amtrak trains each weekday. The new structure replaces the existing 115-year-old swing bridge with three network tied arch spans of 400-foot length with 50-foot vertical clearance above mean high water.
Construction of the three arch spans employed a multi-staged erection sequence developed specifically for this challenging project site. Each of the three arches were erected on-shore at a marine facility on the Hudson River just south of Albany, NY. Once erected and all cable hangers installed, the arch was rolled from land to barge using SPMT’s and sailed 150 miles down the Hudson River, into New York Harbor and up the Hackensack River to the crossing location. Once on-site, the structure was transferred to a specialized barge furnished with a self-climbing jacking system and lifted 50ft above high water to clear the permanent piers. Due to draft restrictions along the shore line, the two flanking arches were landed on a temporary frame with a longitudinally jacking system and slid into position over its respective substructure. Finally, the arch span was jacked down on the permanent bearings and prepared for a concrete deck, ballast, ties and rail.
IBC 26-33: Sacramento River Bridge Deck Replacement
Jordan Perlmutter, Foothills Bridge Co, Boulder, CO; Chris Tollefson, Foothills Bridge Co, Boulder, CO
Northern California is home to many elegant concrete arch bridges dating from the mid-20th century that are approaching the end of their design life. In order to preserve the architectural and historic value of these bridges and to avoid the cost of a full demolition and replacement, Caltrans has opted to leave some, such as the Sacramento River crossing in Dunsmuir, CA, partially intact and replace only the structurally deficient deck. Foothills Bridge Co was tasked with developing this partial demolition plan and designing a falsework system to serve as a demolition debris shield and an access platform for the new deck pour. This project presented unique challenges related to heavy equipment loading of the partially demolished superstructure and the interaction between the temporary falsework platform and the existing arch structure, requiring a Construction Stage Analysis using MIDAS finite element software. Ultimately, the project was a success and the new deck has given this historic arch bridge an extended service life.
IBC 26-34: Pretty Rocks Slide Bridge
Randy Thomas, Jacobs, Milwaukee, WI
An active landslide at milepost 43 prompted park officials to close the Denali Park Road in 2021. The 90-mile road provides the only vehicular access into the 6-million-acre national park. Jacobs provided a design solution fitting the site’s remoteness, steep terrain, environmental restrictions, and short construction season: a new 475-foot Warren thru truss employing short, lightweight, prefabricated pieces to be erected in balanced cantilever fashion and then conveyed as a complete span across the slide zone using a topside launching system that avoids the need for large cranes. The CMGC project adopted an innovative Integrated Design and Detailing (IDD) approach which enabled the structural steel fabrication 3D detailing model and shop drawings to be developed concurrently with the final bridge plans, saving 6 months on the construction start. The presentation will focus on design challenges and solutions for the unique site conditions, including topics such as lightweight prefabricated steel sandwich plate deck, Grade 144 T&A bolts, prefabrication and shipping, design for erection sequence, and wind loading for active and inactive conditions during erection.
Seismic Session
IBC 26-35: Bolinas Bridge – Balancing Fault Rupture and Tsunami Design
Sebastian Varela, PhD, PE, SE, Mark Thomas, Sacramento, CA; Marshall Moore, Mark Thomas
The Bolinas Bridge is part of a wetland restoration project in Marin County, CA, to replace an existing culvert with a bridge to restore fish passage and wetland habitat upstream of the existing roadway. The bridge is in construction and will be completed by July of 2025.
The preliminary design concept was a single span post-tensioned concrete slab approximately 60 ft long and 36 ft wide on cantilever seat abutments supported by pile foundations due to poor soil conditions.
During Type Selection, the bridge was found to be subject to several extreme event loads including:
• Fault Rupture: 1.1 ft of differential displacement
• Tsunami: 32.9 ft wave elevation and 13.6 ft/s wave velocity overtopping the bridge deck by approximately 9 ft
• Tsunami Induced Scour: 53 ft tsunami scour depth
Raising the structure above the tsunami elevation was undesirable due to the proximity to SR-1 and would require significant profile adjustments to SR-1. Monolithic connections were also undesirable as they severely limit the structure’s ability to handle fault rupture displacement. Tying the structure down to prevent the structure from washing out during a tsunami event was therefore deemed the best alternative.
The selected design accommodated both fault rupture and tsunami design hazards through the use of a pier supported structure connecting the superstructure to 2-column bents on CIDH piles with rock sockets. The slab superstructure was connected to the columns using pin connections able to withstand tsunami loading while being able to deflect during a fault rupture event.
IBC 26-36: Nonlinear Time-History Analysis of a Three-Tower Cable-Stayed Bridge in a High-Seismic Zone
Liyang Tian, TYLin, San Jose, CA
This study performs nonlinear displacement time-history analysis for a long-span, three-tower cable-stayed bridge with two approaches. The main unit totals 2,500 ft (365′ + 885′×2 + 365′). Longitudinal fusing restrainers at the middle bent keep the superstructure fixed for lower-level seismic events and fully floating for upper-level events after fuse activation. The west approach is integral (155×2 ft); the east approach is semi-integral (94 ft). Foundations comprise driven piles and drilled shafts with variable depth to rock. The site lies near the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) with PGA of 0.24g. Geologic variability and large ground motions necessitate nonlinear displacement time-history analysis to resolve response mechanisms essential to design and performance evaluation. The analysis captures spatially variable ground motions with depth-dependent kinematics and multi-support excitation along the alignment. Seven ground-motion sets were used for each hazard level. A combination of soil state (non-liquefied/liquefied), hazard level, seed record, and scour scenarios yielded 84 SAP2000 nonlinear finite element models, all incorporating 3D nonlinear soil springs (inertial interaction). Mean time-history responses are used for performance assessment. Results indicate that the fixed-then-floating configuration for the cable-stayed unit controls longitudinal displacements while satisfying performance targets. The semi-integral span develops localized, controlled inelasticity. A ductile deadman anchor restrains the two-span integral approach, limiting longitudinal demand by decoupling lateral resistance (deadman ties) from vertical resistance (bents).
Python automation accelerated input generation and post-processing across the large analysis set.
IBC 26-37: Earthquake Resilience of the New Ölfusá Bridge: From Concept to Detailed Design
Smon Gren, Ramboll, Copenhagen S, Denmark; Ilkka Ojala, Ramboll, Espoo, Finland
The New Ölfusá Bridge is a single tower cable-stayed bridge, planned constructed near the city of Selfoss. The bridge will be the first of its kind in Iceland and is part of the project “Ring road (1) around Ölfusá”, moving the current ring road to outside the Selfoss city area. The bridge will have a total length of 330m, with its two cable stayed spans crossing the Ölfusá River. Ramboll has performed the detailed design of the bridge for the contractor TGVerk. The endclient is the Icelandic Road Administration, VG.
The site is characterized by severe seismic activity, with the bridge crossing active fault lines. The concept phase design of the bridge presented a structural system heavily dependent on viscous dampers for limiting the load effects from an earthquake. However, this concept was revisited during the tender design, and a new structural system was developed, aiming at structural resilience through low maintenance, structural robustness and transparent load paths. In this configuration the pylon foundation was designed to slide under significant seismic actions, and all viscous dampers was replaced with large load bearing shear keys at the abutments and at the pylon.
In this paper the design process from the initial concept to detailed design is presented. The paper describes the thought process behind the selection of the designed structural system, and presents the analyses performed for verification.
IBC 26-38: Brickyard –Seismic Analysis: True Pins for a Landslide
Gavin Viriyincy, PE, AECOM, Seattle, WA; Cori Yoshida, PE, AECOM, Seattle, WA; Ruifen Liu, SE, AECOM, Fort Worth, TX
The Sammamish River Bridges are three (3) new bridges along the I-405 corridor in Bothell, Washington. These bridges are replacing part of the existing three-level highway interchange at SR 522 with a new 5-span Transit/HOV direct access ramp bridge, a new NB I-405 mainline 9-span bridge, and a 4-span replacement ramp bridge between NB I-405 and EB SR 522. They are part of a 4.5 mile enhancement to the corridor that aims to improve transit connections for the future bus rapid transit system and add additional express toll lanes. All three bridge abutments and first 2 piers are found on in a historically landslide prone hillside south of the Sammamish River. Additionally, due to the I-405 corridor’s critical role in maintaining the region’s mobility in a post-seismic, all three bridges are designated as Recovery Level bridges (similar to AASHTO’s Critical Bridge definition). A special steel pin was developed to meet WSDOT’s strict definition of a ductile element in seismic pin connections at the base of the column, helping to satisfy the displacement ductility demands of a Recovery Level Bridge and to resist landslide-induced deformations following a seismic event.
Suspension Bridge Evaluation Session
IBC 26-39: Preserving an Icon: Main Cable Flow Testing for Long-Term Durability of the Bay Bridge West Span
Fady Bou-Shebel, TYLin, San Francisco, CA; Norman Quach, TYLin, San Francisco, CA; Dan Turner, TYLin, San Francisco, CA; George Baker, TYLin, San Francisco, CA; Blaise Blabac, Modjeski and Masters, Inc., Poughkeepsie, NY
After nearly ninety years of continuous service, the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge (SFOBB) West Span has embarked on its first-ever detailed examination of the main cables that have supported it since 1936. Spanning the San Francisco Bay, the suspension bridge has been exposed to persistent high humidity throughout its life, creating conditions conducive to internal cable moisture.
As part of the inspection program, flow testing was performed on selected cable segments to explore the feasibility of installing a cable dehumidification system. Such a system could effectively mitigate moisture ingress and extend the service life of the cables. This testing provided valuable insights into how atmospheric exposure influences internal conditions over time. The findings demonstrate how flow test data can inform strategies for damage assessment and guide repair methodologies for other long-span suspension bridges. This presentation will discuss the implementation of the flow test, key observations, the interpretation of flow test results, and implications for future maintenance planning of iconic structures.
IBC 26-40: Internal Suspension Cable Inspections of the Wayne Six Toll Bridge
Aaron Colorito, Michael Baker International, Moon Township, PA
There are about 50 major suspension bridges in the United States, and numerous small- to medium-span suspension bridges, which require inspection of the internal spaces of the cables. The Wayne Six Toll Bridge (formerly known as the Newell-East Liverpool Toll Bridge) is a three-span steel suspension bridge that crosses the Ohio River and Norfolk Southern Railroad between Newell, WV and East Liverpool, OH. Built in 1905 by the American Bridge Company for the Homer Laughlin China Company, the bridge has been privately owned and maintained for its entire 120-year service life. The development and implementation of an internal cable inspection program are discussed, as well as challenges unique to this historic bridge.
IBC 26-41: Suspension Bridge Rehabilitation in the US and UK
Barry Colford, AECOM, Philadelphia, PA; Mark Bulmer, AECOM, Leeds, Yorkshire, United Kingdom; Joshua Pudleiner, AECOM, Philadelphia, PA; James Mandala, AECOM, New York, NY
In the USA, as is the case in most countries, long span suspension bridges are almost always vital links in the nation’s infrastructure and any failure, either at the serviceability or ultimate limit state level is likely to cause significant disruption to the public.
There are over 150 long span suspension bridges across the globe with a main span length greater than 1000 ft (305m) and well over 50% of these major suspension bridges were built after 1988. Most of these suspension bridges were built in China which now has the largest inventory of long span suspension bridges. The US has the second largest inventory of these bridges, but it is also the oldest, with the average bridge age now over 80 years. The UK also has only four major suspension bridges, and these are also now relatively old. Three were built in the 1960s and one was opened in 1981.
This paper will cover the recent and ongoing inspection, preservation and rehabilitation projects on a number of these bridges in both countries to keep this vital infrastructure safe and serviceable. These include projects on the following: Verrazzano Narrows Bridge, Bronx Whitestone Bridge and Throgs Neck Bridge in NYC; Mount Hope and Newport Pell Bridge in RI; Ben Franklin Bridge between PA and NJ and the Forth Road Bridge, Humber Bridge and Tamar Bridge in the UK.
Workshops
W-03: Driving Efficiency in Steel Bridge Design with Innovative Tools, Resources, and Examples
Dan Snyder, American Iron and Steel Institute, Washington, DC
W-04: Extending the In-Service Life of Steel Bridges Through Strengthening and Repair
Brandon Chavel, National Steel Bridge Alliance, Chicago, IL