Guide Specifications For Bridges Vulnerable To Coastal Storms

2008
Guide Specifications
for Bridges Vulnerable
to Coastal Storms
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS

444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 249
Washington, DC 20001
www.transportation.org
2008 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.
FOREWORD
In 2004 and 2005, Hurricanes Ivan and Rita caused significant damage to numerous bridges in the Gulf Coast
states. Subsequently, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) initiated a pooled fund contract DTHF6106-T-7006 for the Development of Guide Specifications for Bridges Vulnerable to Coastal Storms and
Handbook of Retrofit Options for Bridges Vulnerable to Coastal Storms. Sponsored by ten states and the
FHWA, the project was contracted to the private firm Modjeski and Masters, Inc., with subconsultants Moffatt
and Nichol, Inc., Ocean Engineering Associates, Inc., DAppolonia, Inc., and Dr. Dennis R. Mertz. Dr. John M.
Kulicki was the principal investigator for Modjeski and Masters, Inc.
An AASHTO/FHWA Wave Task Force was established to provide technical guidance and oversight for the
contractor. The Task Force was initially chaired by William N. Nickas of the Florida Department of
Transportation and later by Gregory R. Perfetti of the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Thomas D.
Everett of the FHWA served as Vice Chairman of the Task Force. AASHTO State Bridge Engineer
representatives included Mitchell K. Carr of the Mississippi Department of Transportation and Hossein Ghara
of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. AASHTO State Hydraulic Engineer
representatives included Kevin Flora of the California Department of Transportation, David R. Henderson of
the North Carolina Department of Transportation, and Rick Renna of the Florida Department of Transportation.
FHWA representatives included project manager Dr. Firas Sheikh Ibrahim, Jerry A. DiMaggio, Shoukry
Elnahal, Dr. Kornel Kerenyi, and Joseph Krolak. Coastal and ocean engineering subject matter expert
representatives included Dr. Robert A. Dalrymple of Johns Hopkins University, Dr. David L. Kreibel of the
U.S. Naval Academy, and Spencer M. Rogers, Jr. of North Carolina Sea Grant.
This document contains specifications for the design of bridges vulnerable to coastal storms that were prepared
for the FHWA under the aforementioned pooled fund contract. The specifications are comprehensive and
embody new concepts which have not been included in previous design provisions. The methods for calculating
wave forces on superstructures presented herein are based primarily on numerical simulation of the state of
pressure, velocity, and acceleration within the water as a wave passes under or over bridge cross sections.
Physical wave tank tests conducted by the Coastal Engineering Laboratory at the University of Florida were
used to develop some coefficients needed for the numerical simulation process, known as the Physics Based
Method (PBM), and to verify the results. Bridge failures due to storm surge and wave loading in Gulf Coast
states during recent years provided limited field data that was used to further verify these methods. Provisions
for current-induced forces include the results of recent research conducted at the Turner-Fairbank Highway
Research Center.

GUIDE SPECIFICATIONS FOR BRIDGES VULNERABLE TO COASTAL STORMS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1SCOPE ........................................................................................................................................................ 1
1.1GENERAL ................................................................................................................................................................. 1
SECTION 2DEFINITIONS ............................................................................................................................................ 3
SECTION 3NOTATION ................................................................................................................................................ 7
SECTION 4GENERAL .................................................................................................................................................. 9
4.1GENERAL ................................................................................................................................................................. 9
4.2CLEARANCE REQUIRED TO AVOID WAVE FORCES ON SUPERSTRUCTURE ............................................................... 9
4.3FORCE MITIGATION ................................................................................................................................................. 9
4.4FORCE ACCOMMODATION ..................................................................................................................................... 10
4.4.1General........................................................................................................................................................ 10
4.4.2Design for the Full Wave Loads ................................................................................................................. 10
4.4.3Fusing for Partial Loads.............................................................................................................................. 11
4.4.4Submersible Superstructures....................................................................................................................... 11
SECTION 5LIMIT STATES, LOAD COMBINATIONS, AND DESIGN FORCES................................................... 13
5.1LIMIT STATES AND PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES FOR BRIDGES, OR SPANS OF BRIDGES, THAT CANNOT
BE RAISED ABOVE THE WAVE ZONE...................................................................................................................... 13
5.2LOAD COMBINATIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 14
5.3MINIMUM LOADS................................................................................................................................................... 15
SECTION 6FORCES ASSOCIATED WITH COASTAL STORMS ........................................................................... 17
6.1HYDRODYNAMIC LOADS AND DESIGN PARAMETERS............................................................................................. 17
6.1.1General........................................................................................................................................................ 17
6.1.2Hydrostatic and Hydrodynamic Forces and Moments on Superstructure................................................... 18
6.1.2.1General ............................................................................................................................................. 18
6.1.2.2Maximum Quasi-Static Vertical Force and Associated Forces and Moment ................................... 21
6.1.2.2.1Maximum Quasi-Static Vertical Force ................................................................................... 21
6.1.2.2.1aGirder Spans .................................................................................................................. 26
6.1.2.2.1bSlab Spans ..................................................................................................................... 27
6.1.2.2.2Associated Vertical Slamming Force ..................................................................................... 27
6.1.2.2.3Associated Horizontal Quasi-Static Wave Force.................................................................... 28
6.1.2.2.4Associated Moment about the Trailing Edge Due to the Quasi-static and
Slamming Forces .................................................................................................................... 30
6.1.2.3Maximum Horizontal Wave Force and Associated Forces and Moments........................................ 31
6.1.2.3.1Maximum Horizontal Wave Force ......................................................................................... 31
6.1.2.3.2Associated Quasi-Static Vertical Force .................................................................................. 32
6.1.2.3.3Associated Vertical Slamming Force ..................................................................................... 33
6.1.2.3.4Associated Moment about Trailing Edge ............................................................................... 33
6.1.2.4Current Loads on Superstructure ...................................................................................................... 33
6.1.3Hydrodynamic Loads on Substructure........................................................................................................ 34
6.1.3.1General ............................................................................................................................................. 34
6.1.3.2Forces on Exposed Piles and Columns ............................................................................................. 34
6.1.3.3Forces on Exposed Pier Shafts and Walls......................................................................................... 35
6.2LEVELS OF ANALYSIS OF FORCES FROM COASTAL STORMS .................................................................................. 37
6.2.1General........................................................................................................................................................ 37
6.2.2Level I Analysis of Design Parameters....................................................................................................... 37
6.2.2.1Required Information........................................................................................................................ 38
6.2.2.2Base Design Wind Velocity.............................................................................................................. 38
6.2.2.3Design Water Level .......................................................................................................................... 45
6.2.2.4Design Wave Parameters .................................................................................................................. 46
6.2.2.5Maximum Water Elevation............................................................................................................... 48
6.2.2.6Design Current Velocity ................................................................................................................... 48
6.2.3Level II Analysis of Design Parameters ..................................................................................................... 48
6.2.3.1General ............................................................................................................................................. 48
6.2.3.2Design Wind Velocity ...................................................................................................................... 49
6.2.3.3Design Water Level .......................................................................................................................... 49
6.2.3.4Reduction in Wind Velocity and Water Elevation............................................................................ 49
6.2.3.5Design Wave Parameters .................................................................................................................. 51
vii
6.2.3.6Maximum Water Elevation...............................................................................................................52

6.2.3.7Design Current Velocities .................................................................................................................52
6.2.4Level III Analysis of Design Parameters ....................................................................................................52
6.2.4.1General..............................................................................................................................................52
6.2.4.2Design Wind Velocity Storm Water Level, Current Velocity, and Wave Parameters......................52
viii

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2008

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS

2008 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

GUIDE SPECIFICATIONS FOR BRIDGES VULNERABLE TO COASTAL STORMS

6.2.3.6Maximum Water Elevation...............................................................................................................52

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