Winner of the Quiz

Himanshu Sawhney

Force SE pvt ltd

Concrete Segmental Bridges

03 - 09 Oct 2025

Construction Equipment and Methods

Estimated Time: 3–4 min quiz | PDH/CPD: 0.75 hr | Difficulty: Intermediate

Question

A 1,200-meter viaduct has 15 spans averaging 80 meters each over relatively flat terrain with good access. The project timeline is 24 months. Which construction method offers the most economic advantage?

  1. Form travelers - Better for continuous casting and span length
  2. Launching gantry - More efficient for repetitive precast erection
  3. Incremental launching - Reduces equipment costs
  4. Cast-in-place falsework - Simplest for this span length
Explanation

For multiple repetitive spans over accessible terrain, launching gantries excel due to:

  • High erection speed (1-2 spans per week possible)
  • Parallel precasting operations
  • Reduced skilled labor requirements on-site
  • Lower total project cost for 15+ similar spans

Form travelers are more economical for longer spans (>100m) or over obstacles where falsework is impractical.

Learning Resources:

  • fib Bulletin 81 (2017), Section 6.3 - Construction method selection for segmental bridges
  • ASBI Segmental Bridge Construction Guide - Equipment selection and economic considerations