Ben WakefieldProject Lead The Way Introduction to Engineering DesignMr.

Carpenter
Period 8
10-14-14
Field Trip to the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge
On October 10th, 2014 the Project Lead The Way students at Southington High
School went to the CTDOT's District 3A Construction Office in New Haven, CT to see the
Pearl Harbor Memorial (Q) Bridge construction site. When we got there Matt Briggs and
Vladislav Kaminsky introduced us to the program. Matt Briggs is a Project Engineer for
the I-95 NHHC Corridor Improvement Program located at CTDOTs District 3A
Construction Office. He oversees the Consultant Engineering and Inspection team
responsible for the construction of the new Q-Bridge. Vladislav Kaminsky is a
Transportation Supervising Engineer for the I-95 NHHC Corridor Improvement Program at
CTDOT's District 3A Construction Office. Two engineering firms that contributed to the
design of the bridge are the URS Corporation and H. W. Lochner, Inc. URS is a worldwide
planning, engineering, architectural, and construction management firm. URS has
worked on many projects in Connecticut, including the replacement of the Blake Street
Bridge in New Haven, and Route 9 in Middletown. URS designed the new I-95 Pearl
Harbor Memorial (Q) Bridge. H. W. Lochner, Inc. is a national transportation engineering
and planning company based in Chicago, Illinois. They finalized the design of Contract E
and will be providing Construction Engineering and Inspection for the Q-Bridge sections
of the corridor. Two engineering firms that supply the construction of the bridge are O &
G Industries, Inc. and Walsh Construction Company. O & G Industries, Inc. was formed in
1923 and is the largest full-service construction corporation in Connecticut. The company
has also contributed in out-of-state projects ranging from 30 million to 750 million
dollars. Walsh Construction Company was founded in Chicago in 1899 and is a 110-year
old, family owned business providing general contracting, construction management and
design-build services. Walsh has been carrying out projects throughout New England
since 1988.
At the site, the first station we went to was about concrete. Here, Josh and
Chelsea told us about how concrete is used in building bridges. The Q-Bridge in particular
requires over 50,000 tons and 26,800 cubic yards of high performance concrete to
ensure strength against compression. This is important because the bridge needs to be
able to withstand the weight of thousands of cars every day without shifting or breaking
apart. To make sure that the bridge is as strong and safe as possible, the concrete must
go through quality tests before being delivered to the site. These include air
entrainment, temperature, compressive strength, and slump tests. Josh demonstrated
the slump test, which measures the workability and consistency of concrete. This
involved putting the concrete in a cone and measuring the distance in which it slumped.
The concrete needs to have a good ratio of water, cement, aggregate (sand, crushed
stone, gravel) and air to be workable and consistent. I thought this was a very interesting
way to test the concrete for faults. At the next station, Spencer and Jeff informed us
about the importance of steel in bridges. The Q-Bridge uses over 10 million pounds of
reinforcing steel in the abutments and piers and bridge decks. It also requires a total of
128 steel stay cables, each consisting of 48 strands with a diameter of 0.6 inches. The
lengths of the cables vary from 109 feet to 216 feet. The massive bridge decks utilize
over 39 million pounds of structural steel. Heavy duty co-extruded colored, polyethylene

Ben WakefieldProject Lead The Way Introduction to Engineering DesignMr. Carpenter

Period 8
10-14-14
pipes are used to sheath the stay cables. Concrete is the best material for compression,
but steel is ideal for tension. By combining the two, the bridge can withstand almost any
type or amount of force supplied by traffic and the environment. The steel must also
endure quality control checks, which include the overall strand length, the stripped
lengths, and sheathing damage. After leaving this station, Adam and Maria spoke with us
about soil compaction and sediment/erosion control. Sediments are naturally occurring
materials (such as rock, sand, and silt) that are prone to weathering over time. Erosion is
the process by which natural and human forces (wind, rain, and construction) move
sediment from one place to another. The Q-Bridge is built over a river, so the foundation
of the bridge mostly consists of sediment. The 1969 National Environmental Policy Act
requires the Q-Bridge project to limit sediment transport and erosion. This is required due
to the possibility of increases in public health issues, flooding, increased cost, loss of
habitat, and turbidity in natural waterways. Soil compaction helps contain sediment,
prevent erosion, and provides a sturdy foundation for the bridge itself. At the last station
in the workshop, Stephanie and Chris demonstrated 3D/4D modeling. The models were
combinations of 3D geometry and construction schedules and are used to analyze
construction sequencing from multiple points of view. They provide a true to life model
of what needs to be completed, helping eliminate any mistakes before the final
construction phase. A laser scan point cloud overlaid on a 4D model visualized crane
locations, steel delivery, traffic closures on I-95 SB, and shoring tower placement. In
addition, photo-realistic images and animations of the bridge in use were released to the
public to increase safety, known expectations, and positivity towards the project. Lastly,
we went on site where Steve and Rich showed us the construction taking place at the I95/I-91/Route 34 interchange. It was very interesting be able to witness the construction
taking place first hand.
The trip as a whole was very interesting and provided a lot of information about
civil engineering and the process of building a bridge. The most interesting aspect within
the tour was how much effort the engineering team put into making the bridge as safe
as possible for the public. By using extremely precise laser scanning and 4D modeling
they were able to identify and solve almost all safety problems before construction
began. In addition, they released simulations, pictures, and live news about the bridge to
the public to give them insight about the process. The simulations, in particular, help
with safety because they provide an accurate representation of what to expect when
driving on the new road. By making the bridge as safe as possible, they saved many lives
that could have been lost if the bridge was faulty. I was also very impressed that they
took the time to produce all the simulations for the public, which they didnt have to do.
The facility we went to was very presentable and welcoming. The signs to get to the
bathrooms and water fountains were very noticeable, and the restricted areas were
clearly marked with yellow tape. The introduction presentation was very professional and
the PowerPoint was informative. It didnt keep my attention the entire time, and Vladimir
was difficult to understand at times, but it was still a worthwhile presentation. The
workshop stations were very hands-on, while also supplying a lot of written information.
The fact sheets that were handed out were a great supplement to the individual stations.
The people presenting were very clear with their oral presentations and they gave a
sufficient answer to every question we had. We received hard hats and fluorescent vests

Ben WakefieldProject Lead The Way Introduction to Engineering DesignMr. Carpenter

Period 8
10-14-14
for safety during the on-site tour, and the gift bag we were given at the end was a nice
touch. Overall, I would rate this field trip 4 out of 5 stars.