EfID Appalachian Bridge Project 2018

EfID's Applachian bridge team has been working diligently on a new bridge design for our 2018 Appalachian Trail Bridge Project. The site is located along a stream in Toms Brook, VA. This project encapsulates several different aspects of civil engineering such as foundation design, stormwater management, structural design, and project management. After kicking off the project in January, 2018, students have made multiple site visits and consulted with several civil engineering professionals to begin the design process. 

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Phase 1: Preliminary Site Visit 
The objective of this trip was to determine the optimal site for bridge construction. Students surveyed a 200 foot stretch of the stream and selected three possible sites to study. Measurements of stream span and depth were taken of each site. Bridge sites were evaluated based on several factors including potential for erosion, bridge span, and serviceability. Ultimately, final site was selected using engineering judgement.

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Phase 2: Students survey selected bridge site
During the second site visit, students focused on collecting final measurements for bridge site. GPS and surveying tools were used to collect elevation data of each stream bank. Preliminary soil testing was done to determine proper foundation design. Following the survey trip, students modeled the bridge site using AUTOCAD software.

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Phase 3:  Conceptual Design
After speaking with multiple professors, students began working on the conceptual design for the bridge. Several questions were raised regarding the beam design needed to support the various loads that will be applied to the bridge. Considerations were made for the number of beams required, beam spacing, beam material, and cost effectiveness.