Adjustable Cross-frames for the Erection of Steel Girder Bridges

The design, fabrication, and installation of cross-frames for curved and highly skewed steel girder bridges can be difficult and time-consuming. In these bridges, the girders twist and deflect, creating differential vertical displacements and rotations such that cross-frame fit can result in multiple challenges.

The TRB IDEA (Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis) Program's NCHRP IDEA Final Report for Project 227: Adjustable Cross-frames for the Erection of Steel Girder Bridges develops, numerically investigates, and experimentally demonstrates a novel, cost-effective deployable tool to facilitate the installation of cross-frames in highly skewed and curved steel girder bridges.