Newport / Pell Bridge Main Cable Investigation and Anchorage Dehumidification

The Newport/Pell Bridge spans the east passage of Narragansett Bay and opened in 1969, connecting Jamestown and Newport, Rhode Island. The crossing, owned by the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA), was designed by Parsons Brinckerhoff to replace a former ferry line. The crossing consists of a suspension bridge with a 1,600-ft main span and 688-ft side spans, and approaches consisting of truss spans, dual steel girder spans, and AASHTO girder spans. Innovative methods used in the suspension bridge's design and construction included the first use of socketed shop-fabricated parallel-wire strands for the main cable, a patented anchorage block, and the use of a multilayer application of fiberglass and hardened methyl methacrylate syrup for the protective cable wrapping system. As part of RITBA's 10-Year Plan for Renewal and Replacement of the bridge, an in-depth investigation of the main cable wires and the addition of anchorage dehumidification was planned and carried out in 2007. The purpose of the investigation was to establish a baseline condition for the main cable wires by unwrapping, wedging, and examining the wires in nine main cable panels. Design and engineering services were provided by Parsons Brinckerhoff, and cable investigation peer review was performed by Ammann & Whitney. The general contractor for the anchorage dehumidification was Aetna Bridge Company, dehumidification shroud fabrication was performed by subcontractor North Sails, and main cable construction work was provided by Piasecki Steel Construction Company.