Rapid Restoration of War-Damaged 19th Century Lifeline Bridge

The 29-span highway bridge across the Sava River at Brcko, Bosnia, dates to 1894 and suffered the destruction of four deck trusses during the recent war. Following the deployment of U.S. peace keepers, the swift reopening of this structure was required for their continued supply. The condition of the remaining spans was evaluated to be capable of the expected traffic. A restoration of the damaged spans to a comparable level was quickly designed in the field and was subsequently checked with finite-element analyses. The construction, which involved the extension of piers with mass concrete and the erection of panel bridging, was accomplished in 20 days by an international team of civilian and military engineers. Following a proof test, the bridge has performed reliably with traffic control and structural inspection safeguards. While conventional procedures and equipment were used on parts of the project, several unique problems arose and shortcomings in current military methods were uncovered. The project further serves as an interesting example for practicing engineers faced with the rapid restoration of an important lifeline.