Bridge Design For Vessel Colission

SHIP & BARGE COLLISIONS
WITH BRIDGES
General Overview
AASHTO Code
Michael Knott, P.E.

Dr. Eric Nichol, P.E.
Western Bridge Engineers’ Seminar
Mikele Winters, P.E. September 4-6,2013
Bellevue, WA
Background
Major Bridge Collapses in the U.S.
Bridge Location Year Fatalities
• Accidents do happen …
Lake Ponchartrain, LA 1964 6
Chesapeake Bay Bridge, VA 1970 0
– It’s Only A Matter of Time (Risk)

Sidney Lanier Bridge, GA 1972 10
Chesapeake Bay Bridge, VA 1972 0
– Knott’s Rule: If You Build It … Lake Ponchartrain Bridge, LA 1974 3
They Will Hit It

Pass Manchac Bridge, LA 1976 1
Benjamin Harrison Bridge, VA 1977 0
• 36 Major Collapses since 1960

Union Avenue Bridge, NJ 1977 0
Berwick Railroad Bridge, LA 1978 0
Due to Vessel Collisions Sunshine Skyway Bridge, FL 1980 35
– 18 Collapses in the U.S. Hannibal Railroad Bridge, MI

Lake Ponchartrain Bridge, LA
1982
1984
0
0
– 340+ Fatalities Bonner Bridge, NC 1990 0
Judge Seeber Bridge, LA 1993 1
• 250+ Minor Vessel Bayou Canot RR Bridge, AL

Queen Isabella Bridge, TX
1993
2001
47
8
Collisions/Year I-40 Bridge over Ark. River, OK 2002 13
Popps Ferry Bridge, MS 2009 0
Eggner Ferry Bridge, KY 2012 0
Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Background
• People do die … Really!

– If it happened to you ….
You wouldn’t like it either

Background
• Oil spills from accidents do occur

… Really!
Barge Collision with Swing Bridge Fender System Ship Collision with San Francisco – Oakland
Bay Bridge Main Pier Fender System

Background
• Modern Vessels
Are Longer
& Wider Than In
The Past
1940’s – 1960’s
1970’s – Present

Background
• Many older
“Long Span”
bridges …
aren’t long
enough for
today’s larger
vessels

Background
• Many bridge openings are too narrow

for today’s larger/wider ships and barge tows

Background
• Bridges are
often located
near congested
marine terminal
facilities

Background
• Too many
bridges over
navigable
waterways
in some
locations

Background
• Frequency of
ship & barge
traffic has
increased in
many harbors
and channels

Background
• Vessels Get In Trouble Due to …

PILOT ERROR
• Some Causes ...
– Inattentiveness
– Drunkenness/Tiredness
– Crew Misunderstandings
– Poor Judgment
– Violate Navigation Rules
– Incorrect Evaluation
of Wind/Current Conditions

Background

MECHANICAL FAILURE
• Some Causes ...
– Engine Failure
– Steering Failure
– Other Mechanical &
Electrical Equipment
Failures

Background

ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS
• Some Causes ...
– Poor Visibility (Rainstorm, Fog)
– High Density of Ship
& Barge Traffic
– Strong Currents
– Wind Squalls
– Poor Navigation Aids
– Awkward Channel Alignments

Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Tampa Bay, FL (1980)

Tjörn Bridge
Almo Sound, Sweden (1980)

Ulyanovsk Railway Bridge
Volga River, Russia (1983)
177 Fatalities when top deck of

cruise ship was “decapitated”
Tasman Bridge
Derwent River, Hobart, Australia (1975)

Benjamin Harrison Bridge
James River, Hopewell, VA (1977)

Sidney Lanier Bridge
Brunswick, GA (1983)

Bonner Bridge
Oregon Inlet, NC (1990)

Claiborne Ave. Bridge
New Orleans, LA (1993)

Bayou Canot RR Bridge
Mobile, AL (1993)

Million Dollar Bridge
Portland, Maine (1996)
• Tanker Ship Accident

(LOA=560’, Width=85’)
• Double Leaf Bascule Bridge
(Horizontal Navigation
Clearance = 95’)
• 170,000 Gallons of Fuel Oil
Spilled

Queen Isabella Bridge
South Padre Island, TX (2001)

I-40 Bridge over Arkansas River
Webber Falls, OK (2002)

Popps Ferry Bridge
Biloxi, Miss (March 2009)
"There's 35,000 cars a day that

goes across this bridge," A.J.
Holloway said. "How there wasn't a
car on there, or a vehicle, or a
school bus at that time (7:20 AM),
on that span, is just amazing to
me."

Eggner Ferry Bridge
Marshall, KY (January 2012)

Movable Bridges
• Get hit fairly often

… (like magnets
to vessels)

Mast Collisions
• Occur frequently – but are

usually not catastrophic

Legal Things You Should Know …
• Bridges Are Obstructions

to Marine Navigation
• Mariners Have the
Right of Way … Not Motorists
• Bridges Must Provide for the Reasonable
Needs of Navigation
• Bridges are Permitted to be Built as
Obstructions to Navigation by the USCG
• Bridges Must be Maintained in
Accordance with USCG Permits

Collision Code Purpose
• “In navigable waterway areas, where vessel collision by merchant

ships and barges may be anticipated, bridge structures shall be
designed to prevent collapse of the superstructure by considering the
size and type of the vessel, available water depth, vessel speed, and
structure response.”
– Significant damage, even failure, of secondary members is permitted as long
as redundant load paths exist and the superstructure does not collapse
• “Bridges over a navigable waterway meeting the guide specification
criteria, whether existing or under design, should be evaluated as to
its vulnerability to vessel collision in order to determine prudent
measures to be taken for its protection.”

Pensacola Bay Bridge
Florida (1989)
Bridge Superstructure Survived

Due To Structural Redundancy

Ship Collision Force on Pier
• Woisin’s
large-scale
dynamic
model tests

• Typical impact data from Woisin
(0.1 - 0.2 sec)
(3 - 4 sec)
Average Impact Force vs. Time (t) Average Impact Force vs. Bow Crushing Length (a)

• Guide Commentary
contains discussion of
differences
in ship collision forces
between AASHTO,
German, Asian, and
Danish research
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5
Comparison of ship impact forces for 50,000 DWT Bulk

Carrier (Tongji Univ., Shanghai, China)

Barge Collision Force on Pier
• Full scale barge impact testing by

Florida DOT used by the
University of Florida (2006) to
develop and calibrate a FEM
barge collision numerical model
– St. George Bridge across
Apalachicola Bay

Location of Impact Forces
• Examples of vessel bow overhang impact
Sunshine Skyway Bridge Collapse

• Example of ship bow overhang
Container Pier Accident

• Local Bow Crushing During Impact

• Local Bow Crushing During Impact
Container Pier Accident

Bridge Analysis Options
• AASHTO provides three alternative analysis methods for determining

the design vessel for each bridge component in the structure in
accordance with a two-tiered risk acceptance criteria.
– Method I is a simple to use semi-deterministic procedure
• Limited to Barges in Shallow Draft Waterways
– Method II is a detailed risk analysis procedure
• Required for Ships in Deep Draft Waterways
– Method III is a cost-effectiveness of risk reduction procedure
• Based on a classical benefit/cost analysis
• Risk Acceptance Criteria

– Critical Bridges: Risk of Collapse 1 in 10,000 years
– Typical Bridges: Risk of Collapse 1 in 1,000 years

Overview of Risk Analysis Procedure
WATERWAY CHARACTERISTICS
• Channel Geometry
• Water Depths
• Water Currents RISK ANALYSIS (Methods I, II or III)
• Navigation Aids • Risk of Collision/Collapse
• History of Previous Vessel Accidents • Collision Impact Loads
• Protection Alternatives
• Cost-Effectiveness
FLEET CHARACTERISTICS
• Vessel Types & Sizes
• Loading Conditions (Ballasted/Loaded)
• Transit Speeds & Paths No
MEETS ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA ?
• Number of Annual Passages
• Risk (Annual Frequency of Collapse)
• Cost (Within Project Budget Constraints)
REVISE BRIDGE, FLEET or
BRIDGE & SITE CHARACTERISTICS WATERWAY CHARACTERISTICS
• Bridge Type, Size & Location
Yes
• Span Lengths
• Pier Geometry LEAST COST PROTECTION SYSTEM?
• Impact Resistance No
• Geotechnical Data Yes
• H&H/Scour Data
• Environmental Constraints FINALIZE PROTECTION & FENDER
REPAIR/REPLACEMENT PLANS

Annual Frequency of Collapse
• The annual frequency of bridge element collapse

shall be computed by:
– where,
AF = Annual frequency of bridge element collapse due to

vessel collision
N = Annual number of vessels classified by type, size, and
loading condition which can strike the bridge element
PA = Probability of vessel aberrancy
PG = Geometric probability of a collision between an
aberrant vessel and a bridge pier or span
PC = Probability of bridge collapse due to a collision
with an aberrant vessel
PF = Adjustment factor to account for potential protection of
the piers from vessel collision due to upstream or down
stream land masses, or other structures, that block
the vessel from hitting the pier.

Downbound Vessels
• Relatively straightforward Vessel

Upbound
N
Type Vessels
PA PG PC PF Growth
Factor
AF
analysis using programs like Vessel

Type
……. N …PA …PG …PC …PF …Growth …. AF
Factor
….
Excel or MathCAD to automate

……. … … … … … …. ….
……. … … … … … …. ….
……. … … … … … …. ….
……. … … … … … …. ….
the repetitive analysis process ……. … … … …

Total AF All Vessels
… ….
Total AF All Vessels

….
….
….
– Setup for Each Specific Project Pier 1

+ (PLUS)
• Total bridge AF is the sum of the Downbound Vessels
individual component AF’s (piers Vessel

Upbound
N
Type Vessels
PA PG PC PF Growth
Factor
AF
exposed to collision) Vessel

Type
……. N
…….
…PA
…
…PG
…
…PC
…
…PF
…
…Growth …. AF
…
Factor
….
….
….
……. … … … … … …. ….
……. … … … … … …. ….
……. … … … … … …. ….
Total AF All Vessels ….
……. … … … … … …. ….
Total AF All Vessels ….
Pier 2
+ (PLUS)
Pier 3 + Pier 4 + Pier 5 … etc. = Sum of All Pier AF’s

• Once the input data has been developed and the risk
analysis tables have been generated, the program can be
used several ways:
– If the ultimate resistance strength of the piers has been computed
(ex. an existing bridge), you can solve for AF and determine if it
meets the risk acceptance criteria
– You can back-solve the ultimate pier strength needed for each
pier (ex. a new bridge) by setting the AF for each pier to the risk
acceptance criteria
– The strength of setting up the analysis in this manner is the ability
to ask “what if …” questions
• Different pier locations, span lengths, etc.

Bridge Protection Alternatives
• AASHTO Code
– Substructure Provisions
– Concrete & Steel Design
– Physical Protection Systems
• Fenders
• Pile supported systems
• Dolphins
• Islands
• Floating structures
– Movable Bridges
– Motorist Warning Systems
– Aids-to-Navigation

Bridge Protection Examples
• Design Bridge for Full Impact Force

• Fender Systems
• Pile-Supported Structures
• Protection Islands

Newport Bridge
Crossing Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island (1981)
• 31,800 DWT tanker hits main tower of suspension bridge at

approximately 6 knots
• Minor damage to bridge pier
• Vessel bow crushed in 11 feet

Luling Bridge
New Orleans, Louisiana
• Piers designed to withstand vessel impact forces (50,000 kips)

Throgs Neck Bridge
Crossing the East River, New York City
– Steel Framed
Fender System
80,000 DWT Ship

San Francisco / Oakland Bay Bridge
Fender / Footing Accident (2007)

East Bay Bridge
San Francisco – Oakland, California
• Concrete fenders used around perimeter of piers

– Piers also designed to withstand barge impact forces

Tappan Zee Bridge over Hudson River
Tarrytown, New York

Rosario - Victoria Bridge
Crossing the Paraná River, Argentina
– Pile Supported Structure System

Orinoco River Bridge
Venezuela
– Pile Supported Structure System

Tampa Bay, Florida

Tampa Bay, Florida

Dames Point Bridge
Jacksonville, Florida

Tampa Bay, Florida

Tampa Bay, Florida

Tampa Bay, Florida

Tampa Bay, Florida

Houston Ship Channel Bridge
Baytown, Texas

Dames Point Bridge
Jacksonville, Florida

Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge
Crossing the Cooper River, Charleston, SC

Sidney Lanier Bridge
Crossing the Brunswick River, Brunswick, GA

Orwell River Bridge
Ipswich, Suffolk, England

Vessel Collision Summary
• Let’s Learn From The Past

• Bridges Over Navigable
Waterways Need:
– Better Planning
– Longer Spans
– Stronger Piers
– Better Protection
– Better ATN
• Vessel Collision Requirements are now Mandatory under LRFD

Bridge Design Code
• Engineering Judgment and Specialized Skills are Required to Design
Pier Protection Systems
– Plastic / Non-Elastic / Sacrificial Structures
Final Thoughts
• Extreme Events will Usually Control
the Design of Most Major Bridges
– Vessel Collision
– Earthquakes
– Storm Surge & Waves
(Post Hurricane Katrina / Sandy Damage)
– Scour from Extreme Flood Events
• Terrorist Attacks (Post 9/11 World)
– Hijacked Vessel Used as a Weapon
Against Landmark Bridges
& Critical Transportation Links
– Confidential Studies Conducted by DOT’s
• Design of New Bridges for One Extreme

Event Usually Improves the Performance
Response to Other Extreme Events
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!
Western Bridge Engineers’ Seminar

September 4-6,2013
Bellevue, WA

Bridge Design For Vessel Colission

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What are some major causes of vessel collisions with bridges?

What are some major causes of vessel collisions with bridges?

How have vessel sizes changed over time and how has this impacted bridge design?

How have vessel sizes changed over time and how has this impacted bridge design?

SHIP & BARGE COLLISIONS

Michael Knott, P.E.

– It’s Only A Matter of Time (Risk)

They Will Hit It

• 36 Major Collapses since 1960

– 18 Collapses in the U.S. Hannibal Railroad Bridge, MI

• 250+ Minor Vessel Bayou Canot RR Bridge, AL

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

• People do die … Really!

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

• Oil spills from accidents do occur

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

• Many bridge openings are too narrow

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

• Vessels Get In Trouble Due to …

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

• Vessels Get In Trouble Due to …

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

• Vessels Get In Trouble Due to …

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

177 Fatalities when top deck of

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

• Tanker Ship Accident

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

"There's 35,000 cars a day that

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

• Get hit fairly often

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

• Occur frequently – but are

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

• Bridges Are Obstructions

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

• “In navigable waterway areas, where vessel collision by merchant

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Bridge Superstructure Survived

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges

• Typical impact data from Woisin

(0.1 - 0.2 sec)