Bentley Case Studies Louisiana DOTD's Rapid and Cost-effective Design of New I-10 Twin Span Bridge

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	Louisiana DOTD's Rapid and Cost-effective Design of New I-10 Twin Span Bridge Bentley

Louisiana DOTD's Rapid and Cost-effective Design of New I-10 Twin Span Bridge

Bentley

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation Networks & Connectivity - Routers & Bridges
Applicable Industries	Construction & Infrastructure Transportation
Applicable Functions	Maintenance Product Research & Development
Use Cases	Digital Twin Structural Health Monitoring
Challenge	The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) faced a significant challenge when Hurricane Katrina severely damaged the I-10 Twin Span Bridge, a crucial connection between Slidell, La., and New Orleans. The bridge, which spans approximately 5.5 miles and serves as a primary evacuation route for New Orleans, was rendered unusable in both directions. Temporary repairs were initiated just 14 days after the hurricane, but it was clear that a complete replacement was necessary. The LADOTD faced numerous challenges in this endeavor, including securing federal funding for the project, competition for resources, and the need to maintain ongoing traffic flows during construction. The project also required the design and management of over 1,700 plan sheets, and the collaboration of multiple teams distributed over various locations. Read More
About Customer	The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) is responsible for the management of transportation and public works projects for the state of Louisiana. This includes the design, construction, and maintenance of the state's highways and bridges, as well as flood control and public transportation initiatives. One of the most important structures that the LADOTD manages is the I-10 Twin Span Bridge, a crucial connection between Slidell, La., and New Orleans. The bridge serves as one of the main evacuation routes for New Orleans and is a vital link for the city's ports and the petrochemical industry along the Mississippi River. Read More
Solution	To overcome these challenges, the LADOTD turned to Bentley software. The new I-10 Twin Span Bridge was designed using an integrated set of Bentley software, including MicroStation as the primary design tool, InRoads for roadway design, STAAD for general structural design, LEAP CONSPAN for bridge superstructure, and LEAP RCPIER for substructure design. Bentley’s ProjectWise was used to facilitate collaboration among the distributed design team, enabling them to share files in a reusable format, quickly review submittals and make changes, and relate the data automatically to relevant aspects of the overall design. The software also helped maintain the integrity and security of the massive volumes of bridge design data. Bentley’s bridge design products provided flexibility with the analysis of structural systems, enabling the LADOTD to predict the performance of the bridge and meet the new design criteria for a safer bridge. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation

Networks & Connectivity - Routers & Bridges

Applicable Industries

Construction & Infrastructure

Transportation

Applicable Functions

Maintenance

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Digital Twin

Structural Health Monitoring

Challenge

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) faced a significant challenge when Hurricane Katrina severely damaged the I-10 Twin Span Bridge, a crucial connection between Slidell, La., and New Orleans. The bridge, which spans approximately 5.5 miles and serves as a primary evacuation route for New Orleans, was rendered unusable in both directions. Temporary repairs were initiated just 14 days after the hurricane, but it was clear that a complete replacement was necessary. The LADOTD faced numerous challenges in this endeavor, including securing federal funding for the project, competition for resources, and the need to maintain ongoing traffic flows during construction. The project also required the design and management of over 1,700 plan sheets, and the collaboration of multiple teams distributed over various locations.

About Customer

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) is responsible for the management of transportation and public works projects for the state of Louisiana. This includes the design, construction, and maintenance of the state's highways and bridges, as well as flood control and public transportation initiatives. One of the most important structures that the LADOTD manages is the I-10 Twin Span Bridge, a crucial connection between Slidell, La., and New Orleans. The bridge serves as one of the main evacuation routes for New Orleans and is a vital link for the city's ports and the petrochemical industry along the Mississippi River.

Solution

To overcome these challenges, the LADOTD turned to Bentley software. The new I-10 Twin Span Bridge was designed using an integrated set of Bentley software, including MicroStation as the primary design tool, InRoads for roadway design, STAAD for general structural design, LEAP CONSPAN for bridge superstructure, and LEAP RCPIER for substructure design. Bentley’s ProjectWise was used to facilitate collaboration among the distributed design team, enabling them to share files in a reusable format, quickly review submittals and make changes, and relate the data automatically to relevant aspects of the overall design. The software also helped maintain the integrity and security of the massive volumes of bridge design data. Bentley’s bridge design products provided flexibility with the analysis of structural systems, enabling the LADOTD to predict the performance of the bridge and meet the new design criteria for a safer bridge.

Impact #1	The use of Bentley software enabled the LADOTD to successfully navigate the numerous challenges associated with the I-10 Twin Span Bridge project. The software facilitated efficient collaboration among the distributed design team, ensuring that information was accessible and presented in a format that could be easily understood and consumed. The software also provided flexibility with the analysis of structural systems, enabling the LADOTD to predict the performance of the bridge and meet the new design criteria for a safer bridge. As a result, the project was delivered quickly and under budget, even in the challenging post-Katrina environment. The new bridge now provides enhanced service and hope for communities in the area.

Impact #1

The use of Bentley software enabled the LADOTD to successfully navigate the numerous challenges associated with the I-10 Twin Span Bridge project. The software facilitated efficient collaboration among the distributed design team, ensuring that information was accessible and presented in a format that could be easily understood and consumed. The software also provided flexibility with the analysis of structural systems, enabling the LADOTD to predict the performance of the bridge and meet the new design criteria for a safer bridge. As a result, the project was delivered quickly and under budget, even in the challenging post-Katrina environment. The new bridge now provides enhanced service and hope for communities in the area.

Benefit #1	Completed project ahead of schedule and US $53 million under budget
Benefit #2	Avoided costly change orders and project delays
Benefit #3	All project design information is now available for reuse during bridge operations and maintenance

Benefit #1

Completed project ahead of schedule and US $53 million under budget

Benefit #2

Avoided costly change orders and project delays

Benefit #3

All project design information is now available for reuse during bridge operations and maintenance

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Overview

Louisiana DOTD's Rapid and Cost-effective Design of New I-10 Twin Span Bridge

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit