cw-6-2i

When completed
the expressway will
relieve the severe
traffic congestion
that is a regular
occurrence.
portion of this overall project. Archer Western is working
on a $12M segment of this project on the East side of IH-
35E from Loop 12 to IH-635.
They are constructing the elevated managed lane direct
connectors between NB IH-35E and IH-635 adjacent to
the existing general-purpose lanes of IH-35E. They are also
constructing ramps and frontage roads along this corridor.
All of this work will serve as the entrance to the IH-635 corridor
from the South.
For this project, Archer Western selected EFCO to provide
forming systems to construct the multi-column, hammerheads
and straddle bridge caps requiring over 5,000
yd³ (3800 m³) of structural concrete.
EFCO supplied round column formwork for 48” (1200
mm), 60” (1500 mm) and 72” (1800 mm) columns up to 48’
(14.4 m) in height. EFCO PLATE GIRDER panels were also
used to form 8’ x 5’ (2.4 m x 1.5 m), 9’ x 6’ (2.7 m x 1.8 m)
and 12’ x 7’ (3.6 m x 2.1 m) rectangular columns also topping
out at 48’ (14.4 m) height. Approximately 4,600 yd³
(3,500 m³) of concrete were placed.
In addition to the column formwork, Archer Western
also utilized the EFCO PLATE GIRDER for all of its bridge cap
formwork. The bridge caps ranged from 4’-6” x 5’-6” (1.35
m x 1.65 m) multi-stem caps to 40’ (12 m) long hammerhead
caps that were 7’-6” (2.25 m) wide and up to 12’ (3.6
m) deep, to post tensioned straddle caps that were up to
10’ (3 m) deep, 6’-6” (1.98 m) wide and form lengths up to
96’ (28.8 m) long.
EFCO 6’-0” (1800 mm), 9’-0” (2700 mm) and 12’-0”
(3600 mm) PLATE GIRDER panels were utilized throughout
the job and handled the majority of the work.
With the extra heavy loading of some of the caps and
the offset hammerhead caps the standard EFCO 50K and
100K per leg shore tower systems were used in conjunction
with 70K support brackets for the
cap support.
Radius back brackets and standard
flat back brackets were both utilized
on this project to provide support solutions
that best fit the requirements of
the cap.
• EFCO
• Archer Western
• Trinity Infrastructure
Page 28 Contractors World International Vol 6 No 1