ACCELERATED CONSTRUCTION IN IOWA

Recent transportation legislation has emphasized the need for increasing safety and reducing congestion in the construction zone and has provided incentive funding to help state DOTs achieve these goals. One proven strategy is to shorten the construction duration by utilizing prefabricated elements. The Innovative Bridge Research and Construction program gave Iowa the opportunity to demonstrate construction acceleration on two projects, one in Boone County and one in Madison County. These projects featured precast post-tensioned concrete deck panels, precast prestressed concrete girders, and precast pier caps and abutment footings. To ensure long term durability, high performance concrete was used in the precast components. As with any newly developed technology it was important to evaluate and document its performance by implementing extensive field and laboratory testing program along with a health monitoring system. Critical precast elements and connection details were among those tested. This paper will present Iowa’s experience in using precast concrete components for the purpose of accelerating construction and increasing longevity at a reasonable cost.