Triton Central Students created a 1/8th scale model of an overpass inspired by the overpass at Mann Rd and 465. The purpose of the project was to give the students a hands-on civil construction project we could complete in a short amount of time for relatively cheap. Through work on the project, students learned some hard civil construction lessons about precision measuring, schedule interruptions, absent coworkers, and delays in materials. However, they also learned the value of a job well done they can be proud of. Each day they pass the build on their way to school, they can glance over with a sense of accomplishment and know that an even greater sense of accomplishment comes from work in the civil construction field.
Every aspect of an overpass build was done by the students during this project. From digging for an MSE wall footer to making the concrete forms for the bridge abutments and pier section, students learned valuable lessons about teamwork, precision, and communication. Once the MSE wall was in place, the students let their competitive edge take over by making a Junior side and Senior side of the bridge. Students put in 3 inch lifts of dirt at a time and tamped with a hand tamper. They drove “T” piles (T posts for fencing) as analogs for the H piles typically used in this type of bridge construction.
They back filled the MSE wall with dirt and stone before setting forms for the bridge abutments and the bottom of the pier section. All of this was done while using a differential level and level rod to check that each side of the bridge was at the same height. They had a pour day for the abutments where they learned the hard way the structural integrity needed to pour bridge abutments resulting in a do over that went smooth the next day. The students set 6 beams (4 by 6s) on rubber bearing pads to get ready for the deck form. They added sheet metal in between the beams and added a 6 inch overhang on angle brackets to create the overhang of the deck on each side of the beams. We were unable to do an analog of a slip form paver but the students created a 2 inch deep form for the bridge deck using 2 by 4s. We poured in the rain and completed the bridge.
This project taught us a lot. We had a lot of fun solving the numerous problems that would arise from simulating such a complex process with just power tools and time. The students learned how important precision measuring is on a jobsite each and every day. We are hoping to fine tune the design and hopefully make it better and more efficient every year.