CASE STUDY
BRIDGE
REHABILITATION PROJECT
Structural rehabilitation engineering for a deteriorated municipal bridge, including condition assessment, load rating analysis, and concrete repair and strengthening design.
CASE STUDY
BRIDGEREHABILITATION PROJECT
Structural rehabilitation engineering for a deteriorated municipal bridge, including condition assessment, load rating analysis, and concrete repair and strengthening design.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
This project provided structural rehabilitation engineering for a deteriorating municipal bridge in Saskatoon. The bridge, a reinforced concrete deck structure, was showing signs of concrete delamination, corroded reinforcement, and reduced load-carrying capacity due to years of freeze-thaw cycling and deicing salt penetration.
Zagrosia Engineering conducted a load rating analysis per CSA S6-19 to assess the bridge's current carrying capacity and identify elements requiring intervention. A phased rehabilitation program was developed to restore the bridge to full service load capacity with minimal traffic disruption.
PROJECT DETAILS
- LocationSaskatoon, SK
- Building TypeMunicipal Bridge Structure
- ServicesBridge Rehabilitation & Structural Assessment
- JurisdictionCity of Saskatoon
- CodeCHBDC CSA S6-19 / NBCC 2020
- ExpertiseP.Eng — British Columbia
THE CHALLENGE
The bridge remained open to traffic throughout the assessment and initial remediation phases, requiring careful scheduling of investigation and repair work to minimize lane closures. The structural assessment needed to confirm adequate capacity for continued service while repair work was sequenced and tendered.
Chloride-induced corrosion had penetrated to the reinforcement mat in the deck and barrier walls, causing significant section loss in the rebar. A cathodic protection system was specified in combination with concrete patching to arrest further corrosion rather than undertaking a full deck replacement.
ENGINEERING APPROACH
Bridge Condition Assessment
Full visual survey, delamination sounding, chloride content testing, and ground-penetrating radar scan of the deck slab and soffit to map deterioration extent and depth of corrosion.
Load Rating Analysis
Structural load rating performed per CSA S6-19 to establish current CL-625 truck capacity and identify members below acceptable rating thresholds requiring immediate repair or restriction.
Rehabilitation Design
Concrete repair specifications, rebar splice and replacement details, and cathodic protection system design developed to restore full load-carrying capacity and extend service life by 30+ years.
SCOPE OF WORK
Bridge Condition Survey
Full deck, soffit, and substructure inspection including chloride sampling and ground-penetrating radar
Load Rating Analysis
CSA S6-19 load rating to assess current CL-625 truck carrying capacity of all bridge elements
Concrete Repair Design
Delamination repair specifications including surface preparation, patch mix, and overlay requirements
Rebar Replacement Detailing
Splice and replacement details for sections with excessive reinforcement section loss
Cathodic Protection System
Embedded anode cathodic protection system design to arrest chloride-induced reinforcement corrosion
OUTCOME
RESTORED TO FULL SERVICE LOAD
Following the rehabilitation program, the bridge was re-rated to full CL-625 service load capacity and reopened without load restrictions. The cathodic protection system is performing within design parameters, and the bridge is projected to meet its 30-year extended service life target without major structural intervention.
START YOUR PROJECT
DO YOU WANT TO START YOUR PROJECT?
Every project is unique. Contact us to discuss your specific requirements, and discover how we can help.
DO YOU WANT TO START YOUR PROJECT?
Every project is unique. Contact us to discuss your specific requirements, and discover how we can help.