Short-Span Steel Bridge Webinar Series

Speaker: Michael P. Culmo, PE, Chief Engineer, CHA Consulting

This webinar reviewed how integral abutments can improve the performance and service life of single-span steel bridges. This approach eliminates the need for expansion joints and bearings, simplifying construction while lowering long-term maintenance demands. Well-suited for county and rural applications, integral abutments help reduce initial costs, enhance durability, and provide a more resilient solution to common bridge design challenges.

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Speaker: Bryan Hartnagel, PE, State Bridge Engineer, Missouri Department of Transportation 

This webinar reviewed the "Simple for Dead, Continuous for Live" (SDCL) bridge design method, which combines simple spans for dead loads with continuous spans for live loads, delivering exceptional efficiency and durability. Tailored for rural applications, SDCL bridges simplify construction, reduce material costs, and minimize foundation requirements. With lighter steel beams and galvanized components, these bridges offer long-lasting, low-maintenance performance. The webinar explored how this adaptable approach aligns with programs like the Missouri DOT’s Fixing Access to Rural Missouri (FARM) bridge program, providing practical and cost-effective solutions for the state’s critical rural bridge needs.

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Speaker: Michael Barker, PE, SSSBA Bridge Education Center Director and Professor of Civil and Architectural Engineering, University of Wyoming

This webinar demonstrated how standardized designs and tools like the SSSBA’s eSPAN140 and eBEAM140 can help local agencies streamline design, reduce fabrication costs, and accelerate construction. Attendees learned about accelerated bridge construction (ABC) approaches for faster bridge delivery—using prefabricated components such as truss bridges, modular rolled-beam structures, press-brake tub girders, and buried steel bridges to ensure that projects are completed quickly without compromising quality or safety.

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