When the owner and tenants became concerned about large cracks forming at the ends of a pedestrian bridge that spans a pond between two office buildings, they contacted TSA. Cracking was observed in the decking around the abutments (connections between the ground and bridge). We investigated the cause of the distress and found that the bridge was not built according to the drawings. The contractor had placed reinforcing steel across a joint that was required to allow thermal movement. Due to the difficulty of repair due to the water, various repair options were discussed with the owner to determine the most economical repair. We prepared repair documents to release the bridge from the abutments to allow thermal movement, but still provide the proper gravity load support for the bridge.
