Assessment of Engineering Adaptations to Extreme Events and Climate Change for a Simply Supported Interstate Bridge over a Shallow Estuary: Case Study

Abstract

There have been many cases of failures of interstate bridges during hurricanes due to the tremendous hydrodynamic loads imposed on them from waves on storm surge. Several adaptations have been suggested by others to increase a bridge’s survivability, but to date there have been no widespread, in-depth studies on the effectiveness of adaptation measures. This case study investigated four adaptation measures (strengthened connections, deck continuity, improved hydrodynamic shape, and combinations of measures including increased elevation) for a selected bridge and storm scenario. A detailed analysis was performed including a complex hydrodynamic analysis and a complete load-path analysis to determine the loads and response of the structure. One of the key findings of this analysis was that, even with strengthened connections, the structure would fail due to negative bending in the girders and deck. The results indicate that the only adaptation that ensures the survival of the structure is increased elevation; however, a combination of adaptation measures does increase resilience and may prove to be an effective option with more research and careful analysis.