Impact of 2008 Hurricane Ike on Bridge Infrastructure in the Houston/Galveston Region
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 26, Issue 4
Abstract
The storm surge, wind, and waves produced by Hurricane Ike in 2008 caused notable damage to the transportation infrastructure in the Houston/Galveston region of Texas. This paper presents the lessons learned from damage to bridge infrastructure in the Houston/Galveston region observed after Hurricane Ike, with comparisons to empirical evidence from past hurricane events on common failure modes and design details affecting bridge performance under hurricane-induced loads. A rich set of damage data is developed, drawing upon postevent inspections and reconnaissance data to present details such as bridge type, failure mode, and surge elevation for the 53 damaged bridges. Many of the damaged structures in the region were either constructed of timber or were low-clearance water-crossing bridges, and these bridges were often completely destroyed by the storm surge and wave loading. Scour and debris also hampered the performance of both major structures and rural bridges. The evidence from the performance of these structures highlights the need for new design alternatives or retrofits such as the use of shear keys and restrainer cables, grated decks, or replacement of timber bridges with box-culvert structures, among other solutions.
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Acknowledgments
This study was supported by Houston Endowment under the SSPEED grant entitled “Hurricane Ike: Lessons Learned and Steps for the Future.” The writers would like to express their gratitude to the Texas Department of Transportation, HNTB, and the Texas Department of Rural Affairs for providing access to structures and inspection data. The writers would also like to thank Sullivan Brothers Builders and its owners William, Todd, and John Sullivan for their assistance in reconnaissance for the Pelican Island Bridge.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 26 • Issue 4 • August 2012
Pages: 441 - 452
Copyright
© 2012. American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 27, 2010
Accepted: Feb 9, 2011
Published online: Feb 11, 2011
Published in print: Aug 1, 2012
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