The actual design and plan of a new construction project can be just as time consuming, if not more, than the actual build of the project. There are often many details and considerations when it comes to a building project. Take building a new road for example. Where will drivers drive in the meantime to get around the city? How will construction workers get from one location to the job site, without roads? How do you build new roads over waterways? These are all considerations that need to be decided before beginning a new road project.
Temporary road structures
One of the most common ways to provide temporary commuting routes is with temporary road structures. This could be in the form of a quickly assembled bridge to go over waterways or it could be in the form of an access road construction, specifically designed for worker transportation. In some cases, a military portable bridge needs to be conducted to provide support for these temporary road structures.
A truss bridge is another temporary road and waterway structure. Truss bridges are very popular bridge designs that use diagonal meshes of posts above the bridge. The two most common designs are the king posts (two diagonal posts supported by a single vertical post in the center) and queen posts (two diagonal posts, two vertical posts, and a horizontal post that connects two vertical posts at the top). This type of bridge provides the most support for roadways for both temporary and permanent bridges and roads.
The need for speed
Another concern when it comes to road work on highly trafficked roads is speed. A temporary bridge can be helpful for drivers, but only if it is constructed in a timely manner. Disrupting traffic for even a day can be troublesome in a large city. Fortunately, with construction propping systems and a fast installation bridge, these temporary bridges and roads can be quickly built. When these temporary roadways are built quickly, traffic is never disrupted.
Safety considerations
Anytime a project is completed with speed as a priority, safety becomes more of a concern. With a quickly assembled bridge, workers need to consider where they are building, how sturdy the construction method is, and how much weight the temporary bridge can realistically hold. All of these factors need to be enforced for optimal safety. A quickly assembled bridge should also not be used for a long period of time. If the roadway construction is extended and takes longer than planned, the temporary quickly assembled bridge should be reinforced and regularly inspected for safety.
To further increase safety, trenches should also be used to prevent tension cracks affecting both the roadway and the bridges. Tension cracks usually form at a horizontal distance from 0.5 to 0.75 times the depth of the trench, measured from the top of the vertical face of the trench. Trenches that are 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep or greater require a protective system unless the excavation method is made entirely in stable rock. Trenches that are 20 feet (6.1 meters) deep or greater require that the protective system be designed by a registered professional engineer or be based on tabulated data prepared and approved by a registered professional engineer.
The construction of a single road takes months and months of planning. A lot of these prior planning concerns involve rerouting of traffic and ensuring safety for all passengers and construction workers. With the use of quickly assembled bridges, military bridges, and construction propping safety equipment, a permanent road can be constructed quickly and safely.