The Chicago Harbor Lock, near downtown Chicago, is the transition point between Lake Michigan and the Chicago River for a variety of commercial and recreational vessels. The lock allows vessels to transit from the Chicago River’s stable elevation to Lake Michigan’s fluctuating elevation with ease.

The Harbor Lock is undergoing a series of renovations to maintain and improve the current facilities. J.F. Brennan Company is working with the Army Corps of Engineers to construct repairs to the Lock walls and floor. Westbrook and J.F. Brennan have teamed up to creatively engineer a quick and cost efficient repair plan.

The as-built plans for the Lock date back to 1936. The plans detailed Precast Concrete Panels to cover the floor of the lock. Over the 85+ years, these panels have shifted and settled unevenly presenting a hazard to high-draft boats and barges. Westbrook is using 3-D Contour Scans, and LIDAR Bathymetry data (provided by J.F. Brennan) in combination with the existing plans, to determine the extent of settlement, scour, and shifting that has occurred at the lock floor. From this data, we are assisting J.F. Brennan in creating an accurate means-and-methods plan to facilitate the repairs and partial replacement of the Chicago Harbor Lock floor. Anchored precast and cast-in-place elements will be incorporated into the design.

Westbrook worked with Kraemer North America on the I-280 bridge over the Mississippi River at Rock Island, IL and Davenport, IA to analyze the existing 570′ tied arch span.  The existing deck was slated to be removed and replaced in two stages.  Westbrook analyzed various construction procedures and loading patterns for the deck removal to ensure that no existing arch members exceeded their design capacity.  The deck pour sequence was also re-designed to allow for a more efficient process to reduce construction time.

 

 

 

 

 

This structure required a 3D analysis in STAADPro to check each member of the I-280 bridge for both wind and vertical loading from equipment and structure dead load changes as the old deck was removed and the new deck poured.  Shielding to enclose the painting added more surface area for wind.

The Sandy Ford girder erection of the new single span 214’ structure over Vermillion River at Sandy Ford Nature Area in Lasalle County, IL presented numerous challenges including difficult site access, a limited permit for river work, and very long heavy girders.  To facilitate the construction of the structure, Westbrook designed a girder launching system to allow the girders to be constructed and braced together behind the abutment and “launched” into place.  Supply chain issues in a tight timeline prevented this plan from being implemented.

Westbrook put together an alternate girder erection design that required two cranes to pick and hold individual girder sections in place while they were air-spliced.  Then two additional cranes held this first girder in place until the second girder sections were set, air-spliced, and diaphragmed to the first girder.  Westbrook provided on-site inspection to ensure the Sandy Ford girder erection was performed per plan.

I-74 over Vermillion River in Danville, IL was an existing (2) girder fracture critical 750’ long structure built in 1962 and is being replaced with a redundant (6) girder steel plate girder structure, re-using the same substructure units.   Westbrook provided all aspects of the construction engineering.

Westbrook analyzed the existing I-74 over Vermillion River structure throughout removal operation stages. Existing superstructure removal was performed with an excavator on the structure removing concrete deck panels.  Steel girders were picked with a crane below the structure, on a Westbrook designed causeway and temporary bridge to maintain river flow.

The new structure girder erection and all aspects of the stability of the girders during construction was designed by Westbrook.  We also provided designs for the bridge deck falsework, falsework at the vaulted abutment span, and temporary work platforms.

Phase one can be seen within the photos attached and has been completed. Phase 2 is currently in motion; just recently the pier caps have been poured.