MECHANICSBURG, PA | M&M was recently awarded two separate research projects from the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP).
The first project, NCHRP 12-108, involves the development of Guide Specifications for the Service Life Design of Highway Bridges. Explicit design of bridges for service life is an idea that has been germinating for some time, and despite significant effort, hasn’t yet found traction in day-to-day design. The Modjeski and Masters’ team will be working to develop specifications that:
- Enable immediate service-life design using the principles of “avoidance of deterioration” and “deemed-to-satisfy rules,” and
- Provide a path for the evolution of data-driven and calibrated, partial-factors specifications.
M&M’s work includes the development of the guide specifications and accompanying case studies. Other members of the research team, lead by M&M, include Drs. John Kulicki, Frank Moon (Rutgers-CAIT), Anne-Marie Langlois (COWI), and Naresh Samtani (NCS GeoResources).
The second project, NCHRP 12-106, is focused on developing proposed AASHTO guidelines for performance-based seismic bridge design and associated revisions to the AASHTO Guide Specifications for LRFD Seismic Bridge Design required to implement performance-based design. The purpose of the guidelines is to provide bridge owners with a method to better control bridge performance during a seismic event, particularly for those bridges requiring enhanced performance after the seismic event. Members of the all-star research team, lead by M&M, include Dr. Lee Marsh (Berger ABAM), Professor Ian Buckle (Univ of Nevada, Reno), Dr. Donald Anderson (CH2M Hill), Dr. Jose Restrepo (UCSD), and Dr. Mervyn Kowalsky (NC State University).
These latest high profile research projects continue a nearly 30 year history of our collaboration with TRB and AASHTO. For more information on M&M's research and specification development projects, please click here.
About Modjeski and Masters, Inc.
M&M is one of the world’s leading bridge engineering firms, with a reputation for technical excellence and innovation that goes beyond current standards. Established more than 120 years ago, the firm is responsible for the design and maintenance of some of our nation’s most recognizable structures. Services include fixed and movable bridge design, inspection and rehabilitation, and all facets of life-cycle maintenance, research and code development. For more information, including in-depth videos of M&M at work, please visit www.modjeski.com.