Resources for a New Bridge Engineer

[MagicFarmer]

Good afternoon,

For the past four years I have been working in consulting designing building structures. I received my P.Eng. designation last year. I have just accepted a new position as a bridge engineer and am reaching out to ask if anyone can point me in towards any great Canadian (Ontario) specific resources, books, and/or advice. I have already obtained copies of the MTO design manuals and am wondering if there are resources that those of you in the field of bridge design find useful or could not live without.

Thank you in advance.
MF

 

[JStructsteel]

I would find the Canadian equivalent of AASHTO.

 

[bridgebuster]

I don't know if there's any particular book I could live without. It depends in part on the type of structure(s) you're interested in. I prefer bridge rehab; many of my resources focus on how things were done back in the day.

If you're just starting out, it's good to get familiar with things by looking at design examples. Also, studying plans is very helpful.

The CPCI has a free bridge design manual. National Steel Bridge Alliance has a free steel bridge design handbook.

Link

FHWA has a lot of publications on accelerated construction.

You can go to various state DOT's and see what they have; many have bridge design manuals. Sometimes you find something that's shown in one but not another. Some also have bid plans available on line for no cost. NYSDOT is one of them.

Good reading.

 

[InEngCAN]

For bridge rehabilitation Ontario Provincial Standard Specs are great to making sure everything is done properly. I did some work on the construct admin side and they were life savers.

Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code is the governing book and you should have a good understanding of that.

Also, depending on where you live I would highly suggest pursuing your M.Eng degree and take concrete and bridge courses. In Ontario it's 10 courses, I completed mine on the evenings while working full time. I think that would be your best chance of boosting your career!

Good luck, I enjoyed my brief stint in bridges - when you think about it they are pretty easy, I mean they are just beams and supports.

My interests: Fire Safety Engineering, modern wood products, 3D Design and Drafting, Engineering Surveying

 

[CANPRO]

In addition to the written references mentioned, developing a positive relationship with local bridge fabricators/contractors would be very beneficial to you as well. They can be very helpful in the preliminary stage of the design, especially when you're considering erectability. They can also help you avoid past mistakes of your competitors.

 

[rb1957]

I'd read up on as many bridge failures as I could. Local ones, similar purpose ones, are clearly more relevant.

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[MagicFarmer]

Thank you all so much!

I apologize for the late response, was out of town and not getting notifications.

@bridgebuster thanks for the links and info.

@InEngCAN, I have an M.A.Sc. already... it has been several years since I've looked at anything bridge related.

@CANPRO, great suggestion!

@rb1957, that's a great idea! How did you come across the information regarding local bridges? I assume you're in a large city?


I've picked up a few books from my University library:
Bridge Engineering Substructure Design - Chen
Design of Modern Highway Bridges - Taly
Bridge Engineering Handbook - Chen
Design and Construction of Metallic Bridges - Burr

And bought:
Computational Analysis and Design of Bridge Structures - Fu

I've also picked up all of the MTO design manuals.

 

[KootK]

-I've got the Chen series and have found that to be a pretty great introduction. That's probably where I'd start in terms of assimilating the particular dogma and vernacular of bridge engineering. A great feature of bridge work is that it's very "international" so to speak. More so than buildings I feel. Most of the fundamentals will be cross border.

-As with most things engineering, figuring out what "normal" looks like in a particular space is a great way to start. To that end, I'd recommend just getting your hands on as many reviewable plan sets as you can. Start with your employer's offerings and then branch out from there. Bridge work has a leg up over buildings in this regard as the drawings are often available in the public domain online, both as part of the historical record and, often, as part of the tender process. If I remember correctly, Bridgebuster has, in the past, pointed us to locations online where NY area projects under tender can be obtained.

-Bridges also have an insanely rich history when it comes to being documented in literature. I'm sure that your immediate concern is getting productive but, once you've settled in, I wouldn't hesitate to start going old school on it. As examples, I have thoroughly enjoyed my books on bridge aesthetics and prestressed concrete by Fritz Leonhardt. A brief summary of one of those can be found here: Link

-I really don't know of much that is uniquely Canadian other than standards which you've already got a handle on. While you're no doubt going to be immersed in concrete and steel, I do know of a Canadian specific wood bridge design guide: Link. Some sample plans and details included.

I like to debate structural engineering theory -- a lot. If I challenge you on something, know that I'm doing so because I respect your opinion enough to either change it or adopt it.