Design and Construction of Steel–Concrete Hybrid Piers for a Light Rail Transit System in Palembang, Indonesia

The light rail transit (LRT) project located in Palembang, Indonesia, is being built to address traffic congestion and support the success of the 2018 Asian Games, a multinational sports event. The project consists of constructing a railroad network along with several stations located at an elevation aboveground, supported by reinforced concrete (RC) piers. A problem arises when it is not possible to cast concrete for the cantilevers on some piers located on the roads with a high frequency of traffic congestion. One solution to this problem is to replace the RC piers with hybrid piers. The hybrid piers are modifications of the RC piers in which steel frames replace the concrete for the cantilevers. The use of these hybrid piers opens up the possibility of offsite fabrication of the steel cantilevers so that the erection can still take place during off-peak hours and take less time. The use of these hybrid piers is relatively new for construction projects in Indonesia; the Palembang LRT project is the first project to have used this method. For this reason, it is important to understand this method’s design principles and effects on the construction process, especially about the connections between the steel and concrete structures. The hybrid piers are better than the RC piers, because the hybrid piers eliminate the need for concrete casting, a process that often causes obstructions to traffic flow. This method has the potential to be an alternative to pier construction for regions with high traffic volumes and high risk of traffic congestion.