Structural Steel Shipping Limitations

[abusementpark]

Does any have some good guidelines are shipping limitations for structural steel?

Sometimes, I debate making shop welded assemblies of members and I wonder what the shipping limitations are regarding length, width, depth, etc.

 

[JAE]

I think long bridge girders are shipped via special permits - perhaps 120 feet? Not sure the actual possible lengths. You might try calling your local DOT / highway dept. and see what they have done in the past.

Sometimes saving a bit on a weld gets offset by the permitting/shipping costs.

 

[bridgebuster]

120 feet is the generally considered the upper limit. Although in the late '90s on a bridge project in Westchester County NY 140' tub girders were shipped. Height is limited to the lowest bridge on your route. A wide load generally needs an escort vehicle.

You should also try calling a steel fabricator. They deal with this on a regular basis.

If you can ship by barge that creates more possibilities.

 

[abusementpark]

I guess I should clarify that my question is more geared towards commercial building work.

 

[JAE]

The principle is the same - You asked what sort of shipping capabilities there were out there and the best example of long members shipped on the highways are bridge girders. Whether it is for a bridge or a building I'd think the comparison is valid.

The truck, highway, bridge clearances, etc. all don't "know" whether your member is for a building or a bridge.

 

[abusementpark]

Right, but isn't more commonplace to ship large members for bridge work?

 

[bridgebuster]

only if your bridge is near water


There were three swing bridges replaced in recent years over the Harlem River in NYC. They were all floated into place.

 

[connectegr]

Shipping length is rarely the issue. There are definitely cost concerns with special permits and travel distance. But with weldments the problem is often shipping width. There are permits for extreme cases, but generally 12' to 14' is the limit.

http://www.FerrellEngineering.com

 

[JStephen]

Seems like I remember hearing that the structural assemblies for the George R Brown Convention Center in Houston were brought in to the port via ship and then hauled to the site by truck, at about 40' wide. But that's pretty unusual.

Generally, anything up to 102" wide, about 44' long, doesn't entail any problems or permits. It depends somewhat on the shape, also, as a flat wide member can be tilted up to narrow it, etc. A 10' wide load will require a permit, but no other major issues. At some point over that, though, you get into escort trucks and bridge clearances, etc.

 

[racookpe1978]

Extreme lengths (100+ ft) may be tied up in swinging lengths for turns: Open air road construction (bridges) would be less likely to see turning limits than lane width restrictions - since few bridges are built "downtown" any more.

But buildings put up around existing infrastructure? Get too long and you may not be able to get the part to the site without ripping out telephone poles, power lines, and signs, fire hydrants, etc getting around corners.

 

[HgTX]

Pretty sure I've encountered bridge members shipped up to 140 ft long, maybe even 160.

But it would be very dependent on location.

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[MiketheEngineer]

All good answers all over the board. Call your steel fabricator. I am sure he has been down this road before