Front matter for Bridge Demolition Engineering: Best Practices

Assessment of Performance of Vital Long-Span Bridges in the United States, edited by Richard J. Kratky (ASCE/SEI 2004). This report describes the types and levels of assessments necessary for capturing the lifetime performance of long-span bridges, emphasizing the distinction between performance and condition assessments. (ISBN 978-0-7844-0710-3)

Bridge Decks: Design, Construction, Rehabilitation, Replacement, by Neal Bettigole and Rita Robinson (ASCE/ASCE Press 1997). Bettigole and Robison provide a comprehensive reference for the evaluation, testing, selection, and examination of relevant design criteria and alternatives for bridge decks. (ISBN 978-0-7844-0223-8)

Bridge Safety and Reliability, edited by Dan M. Frangopol (ASCE/SEI 1999). This report covers a wide range of applications of modern structural safety and reliability concepts and methods to highway bridge engineering practice. (ISBN 978-0-7844-0442-3)

Handbook of Concrete Bridge Management, by Fernando A. Branco and Jorge de Brito (ASCE/ASCE Press 2004). Branco and de Brito provide complete coverage of concrete bridges from planning, design, repair, maintenance, and demolition, with a focus on small- and medium-size bridges. (ISBN 978-0-7844-0560-4)

(As developed by the ASCE Technical Procedures Committee, July 1930, and revised March 1935, February 1962, and April 1982)

A manual or report in this series consists of an orderly presentation of facts on a particular subject, supplemented by an analysis of limitations and applications of these facts. It contains information useful to the average engineer in his or her everyday work, rather than findings that may be useful only occasionally or rarely. It is not in any sense a “standard,” however, nor is it so elementary or so conclusive as to provide a “rule of thumb” for nonengineers.

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A list of available Manuals of Practice can be found at https://ascelibrary.org/page/books/s-mop.

There is a growing need to replace our existing infrastructure as our country's bridge inventory ages. To meet this need, safe and controlled bridge demolition planning is of the utmost importance.

Most engineers and owners would acknowledge that additional considerations are required to analyze a structure as it is being constructed. During partial stages of erection, there are unique and potentially governing load cases that need to be considered beyond the final design of the permanent structure. A growing number of resources are available that have been developed as engineering guides for bridge construction.

During demolition, the structure will again experience temporary load cases while the structural system is being removed, creating changes to the structure capacity and potentially creating instabilities. Despite the similarities between bridge erection and demolition engineering, there is currently little to no formal guidance on engineering for safe and controlled demolition. This lack of consensus requires engineers to rely heavily on engineering judgment, which results in widely varying demolition design criteria and construction practices.

This document is a combined effort of specialty engineers and contractors who regularly work on bridge demolition projects. Together, this group has assembled the information included herein to document the current state of practice in the industry, with hopes of raising the bar on future work. The intent of this document is to work toward establishing consistent industry standards, by setting minimum expectations for what is included in a safe and effective demolition plan. This document is also intended to be a resource for engineers (both those performing and those reviewing the demolition analysis) to recognize that a bridge coming out of service need not be held to the same design standards as a permanent structure.

The Temporary Works Committee gratefully acknowledges the contribution made by the Bridge Demolition Subcommittee and contributors in the preparation of this book.

Although the Temporary Works Committee does its best to ensure that any advice, recommendations, or information it may give, either in this publication or elsewhere, is accurate, no liability or responsibility of any kind (including liability for negligence) is accepted by the committee.

Readers should note that the references are subject to revision occasionally and should ensure that they have the latest versions.