Bronx, NY
Unionport Bridge
Scope/Solutions
During construction of an approach span to a new bascule bridge, New York City Department of Transportation questioned the finishing procedures and long-term durability of the concrete bridge deck. Working for the construction team, SGH evaluated the concrete finish and materials to determine if the in-place materials satisfied the project specification requirements.
SGH evaluated the concrete and developed recommendations to enhance the expected durability of the concrete. Highlights of our work include:
- Reviewing the New York City Department of Transportation specifications for high‑performance concrete, which was required for the new deck
- Using ground penetrating radar to identify locations where core sampling would not impact the embedded reinforcing steel
- Measuring surface crack widths and depths at extracted core samples
- Performing testing in our laboratory to evaluate the concrete’s chloride ion permeability per ASTM C1202
- Recommending the contractor apply a methyl methacrylate sealer to the approach span to reduce permeability
- Collaborating with the construction team to coordinate the bridge deck tining with the sealer installation
Project Summary
Solutions
Evaluation
Services
Structures | Applied Science & Research
Markets
Infrastructure & Transportation
Client(s)
Unionport Constructors, JV
Specialized Capabilities
Repair & Strengthening | Materials Science
Key team members
Nathaniel Smith
Managing Principal, Structural Engineering, New York
Additional Projects
Northeast
Neponset River Bridge
A subsequent engineering study found that the cracks were due to over-stresses in the flexural steel and abrupt termination of flexural steel in a tension zone.
Northeast
Harvard University Science Complex, MWRA Sewer
SGH studied the potential effects of ground displacement that can distort and increase soil loads on buried structures, construction traffic live loads, surface vibrations, and impacts from falling objects.



