Chapter 1

BRIDGE DESIGN SECTION

ORGANIZATION

SCDOT BRIDGE DESIGN MANUAL

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SCDOT Bridge Design Manual BRIDGE DESIGN SECTION ORGANIZATION

Table of Contents

Section Page

1.1 BRIDGE DESIGN SECTION ...................................................................................1-1

1.1.1 State Bridge Design Engineer..................................................................1-1

1.1.2 Seismic Design and Bridge Design Support Team..................................1-2
1.1.3 Bridge Design Teams...............................................................................1-3
1.1.4 Project Coordination Section ...................................................................1-5
1.1.5 Geotechnical Design Section ...................................................................1-5

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SCDOT Bridge Design Manual BRIDGE DESIGN SECTION ORGANIZATION

CHAPTER 1
BRIDGE DESIGN SECTION ORGANIZATION

This Chapter presents the organization of the Bridge Design Section and discusses the
responsibilities of the functional units within the Section.

1.1 BRIDGE DESIGN SECTION

In general, as part of the Preconstruction Division, the Bridge Design Section is responsible for
the design and project coordination for new bridges, bridge widenings and, occasionally, bridge
rehabilitation projects. Figure 1.1-1 illustrates the functional organization of the Bridge Design
Section. The following discusses the responsibilities of each functional unit within the Bridge
Design Section.

SCDOT BRIDGE DESIGN SECTION

Figure 1.1-1

1.1.1 State Bridge Design Engineer

The State Bridge Design Engineer is responsible for the overall engineering, administrative, and
management activities of the Bridge Design Section. The State Bridge Design Engineer
establishes overall Department structural policies and determines the Section’s coordination with
units outside of the Bridge Design Section. The functional responsibilities of the State Bridge
Design Engineer are to:

• lead the administrative and management activities for the Bridge Design Section (e.g.,
develop budgets, manpower management, schedule meetings);

• develop work programs for bridge projects for inclusion in the Department’s annual and
5-year program of projects;

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• participate in professional organizations related to bridge design (AASHTO, TRB, AWS,

etc.) to represent the Department ‫ۥ‬s interests and concerns;

• oversee the development of:

+ new and revised sheets for structural designs in the SCDOT Bridge Drawings and
Details, available at the SCDOT website;

+ revisions to the SCDOT Bridge Design Manual;

+ structural specifications (in a participation role) for the SCDOT Standard

Specifications for Highway Construction; and

+ the structural design criteria used by the Bridge Design Section;

• determine the Bridge Design Section’s appropriate participation in public hearings and
public informational meetings for projects where the Bridge Design Section is the lead
unit;

• remain abreast of the key issues on individual bridge projects;

• determine the Bridge Design Section’s course of action for any special studies, reports,
etc., upon request from the State Highway Engineer, FHWA, etc;

• serve as the Section’s focal point for coordination with FHWA, other SCDOT units, etc.;

• provide final approval to all structural plans;

• ensure that work is implemented according to the Bridge Design Section’s policies and
that it complies with the appropriate design standards and criteria; and

• ensure that the project design and construction plans are completed on schedule.

1.1.2 Seismic Design and Bridge Design Support Team

The Seismic Design and Bridge Design Support Team is responsible for seismic training and for
maintaining the SCDOT Seismic Design Specifications for Highway Bridges and its compliance
and updates. The Seismic Design and Bridge Design Support Team supports the Bridge Design
Teams with any seismic-related issues from the preliminary stages of the bridge projects until the
structural design is complete. The Seismic Design and Bridge Design Support Team also works
closely with the Geotechnical Design Section to ensure consistency between the structural and
geotechnical seismic-related elements of the design.

The Seismic Design and Bridge Design Support Team is responsible for the following:

• reviews preliminary and 95% bridge plans and provides comments to ensure compliance
with the Department’s seismic requirements;
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• monitors the latest developments in seismic design of bridges by active participation in

committees and workshops;

• overviews seismic research projects (e.g., the SCDOT Seismic Hazard Maps);

• works with FHWA in special studies (e.g., Lifelines) and related transportation networks
and the Forensic Engineering Implementation Response Plan; and

• provides support to the Bridge Construction Office and the Office of Materials and
Research.

1.1.3 Bridge Design Teams

The Bridge Design Teams are the Bridge Design Section’s focal point for the preparation of all
in-house structural designs. The Bridge Design Teams have the day-to-day responsibility to
develop structural plans from project inception to letting.

The Bridge Design Teams perform the designs, conduct structural analyses of the proposed
structures, prepare the bridge plans, and compute bid quantities for bridge projects. The Teams
are responsible for reviewing and checking the plans for completeness and accuracy.

The specific functional responsibilities of the Bridge Design Teams are to prepare in-house
structural designs for all types of highway bridges, including:

• the determination of applicable loads to the bridge;

• the design of flat slabs (structural analysis, reinforcement, etc.);

• the design of prestressed concrete superstructures (structural analysis, flexural strength,

shear, bearings, etc.);

• the design of structural steel superstructures (structural analysis, splices, diaphragms,

fasteners, girder design, etc.);

• the design of substructures and foundations (bents, piles, footings, drilled shafts, etc.);

• the design of all structural elements to meet the Department’s seismic performance
criteria;

• coordinating with the Road Design Section to develop the geometric design of the
structure (bridge widths, vertical clearances, etc.);

• the design of bridge appurtenances (bridge rails, sidewalks, fencing, etc.);

• the rehabilitation of existing bridges;

• attending field reviews;

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• attending project meetings;

• meeting the project schedule and man-hour estimates;

• assisting in the preparation of the contract documents for structural items, including
construction plans, Special Provisions, construction quantities, and engineering cost
estimates;

• remaining abreast of state-of-the-art-technology in bridge design through review of

AASHTO, TRB, FHWA, etc., publications, and investigating the use of new bridge
design techniques;

• as directed by the State Bridge Design Engineer, investigating and implementing

revisions to the:

+ SCDOT Bridge Design Manual, and

+ SCDOT Bridge Drawings and Details, available at the SCDOT website;

• providing technical support for structural designs for bridge projects on non-State
facilities that are funded by State and/or Federal dollars;

• serving as a technical resource in structural designs for county and city government
bridge projects;

• in coordination with the Construction Division, reviewing and approving construction

shop plans, shop drawings, working drawings, and working plans;

• in coordination with the Construction Division, reviewing Value Engineering proposals

from Contractors; and

• reviewing and commenting on construction change orders when requested by the

Construction Division.

The Bridge Design Section staff that develops cost estimates is responsible for the following for
in-house projects:

• developing Supplemental Specifications and Special Provisions;

• working with the Construction Division on revisions and updates to the SCDOT Standard
Specifications for Highway Construction;

• monitoring unit bid prices for construction;

• preparing the Engineer’s Estimate for structural design projects;

• performing a cost analysis for each bridge construction contract; and

• reviewing the Construction Cost Estimates.

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1.1.4 Project Coordination Section

The Project Coordination Section is responsible for all projects funded through the FHWA
Highway Bridge Program (HBP) for which the Bridge Design Section is the lead unit. This
applies to HBP projects that are either designed in-house or with a design consultant. The basic
responsibility of the Project Coordination Section is to handle the management and
administration of HBP projects to ensure that these projects are developed on schedule and
within budget and that project development meets all SCDOT requirements and complies with
all applicable laws, regulations, policies, etc. More specifically, the Project Coordination
Section is responsible for:

• coordinating with other units (internal and external to SCDOT) for all activities necessary
for project design (e.g., environmental evaluation, right-of-way, hydraulics, permits,
roadway design);

• initiating the consultant selection process;

• preparing man-hour and cost estimates for in-house and Consultant designs; and

• managing and administering HBP projects designed by a Consultant.

1.1.5 Geotechnical Design Section

The Geotechnical Design Section is responsible for all geotechnical requirements of the
Department for both roadway and bridge projects. For bridge projects, the Section’s
responsibilities include:

• developing a soil exploration plan;

• preparing the Preliminary Geotechnical Report (PGR) to assist in the selection of a bridge
foundation type and to perform a preliminary seismic analysis/evaluation;

• identifying the proposed boring locations and anticipated foundation type;

• requesting the field exploration to gather the geotechnical data;

• preparing the Bridge Geotechnical Report (BGR) (based on the geotechnical subsurface
exploration data, preliminary bridge plans, and loads computed by the Bridge Design
Team), which provides the necessary geotechnical parameters for the Bridge Design
Teams to perform the detailed foundation design;

• assisting the Construction Division by preparing pile driving criteria;

• assisting the Construction Division in reviewing pile and drill shaft installation plans;

• assisting the Construction Division and bridge designer in determining acceptance of as-
built drilled shafts and piles; and
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• assisting the Construction Division and bridge designer in determining drilled shaft and
pile production lengths based on field load tests.

For roadway projects, the Geotechnical Design Section’s responsibilities include:

• performing site surveys as needed in the project area;

• requesting field investigations (i.e., in-situ field tests, gathering samples for laboratory
analysis);

• identifying geotechnical properties and parameters for embankment design;

• recommending subgrade treatments for pavement section support;

• gathering geotechnical data to determine the stability of fill and cut earth slopes and of
rock cuts;

• recommending slope stabilization methods;

• conducting external stability analyses for retaining walls; and

• working with the Construction Division to address geotechnical issues that arise during
construction.

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