Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil-Integrated Bridge System (GRS-IBS) 2011 

10 minutes into this video I realized I have no idea how I got here, or why I am watching it. For some reason, I found it interesting.

A point that I think is worth mentioning, since there was a comment about uncertain long term performance of GRS systems, is that bridges are inspected on regular intervals by trained technicians and engineers worldwide. FHWA requires every bridge in the US be inspected every two years, or more frequently if warranted. To my knowledge, there is no country in the world that allows open, public structures or structures on transportation routes to go without inspection for exceptionally long periods, certainly not fifty years. Additionally, special inspections are often carried out after large flood events, if needed. Related technologies also incorporate deep driven piling into the system, allowing wider applications. While no technology, old or new, is perfect, this is an important new development in highway technology and shouldn't be written off. I drive over one of the longest segmental concrete box bridges in the world every day, and it cost taxpayers about half of what the steel equivalent was bid at. That would not have been possible without these kinds of innovations.

I LIKE IT. THAT KIND OF CONSTRICTION VERY USEFUL IN PAKISTAN AND OTHER SAME UNDERDEVELOPED COUNTERS OF 3TH WORLD .

I would recommend and IR scan on the CMU wall. Wet stabbing the re-bar, not too sure about that procedure, preferably build a footing with vertical re-bar from the start.....just saying as a technician stand point.

reinforced soil is amazing

mrbluenun: This technology is not a Cure-All design or a solution for every scenario. As Mr. Jensen points out, this is a solution in terms of cost efficiency, simplicity, and better controlled settling that creates a better finished product. This design is best tailored for use with basic, single-span bridges. Could this hold a rail bridge? I do not know. I can't speak to the strength capabilities of this technology: that should be left to a properly certified engineer to declare. I can assure you that this technology will only be used IF it is deemed structurally sound. I can appreciate healthy skepticism, but a bridge design cannot be approved for construction if it is found to be structurally deficient in any way. That's what engineers are here for.

i like that idear

I dread to think of the outcome of this new stuff suddenly giving way on perhaps a stretch of Rail crossing that may have just one train a day or week. Take care and fingers crossed you are not about to cross a bridge supported by this method!

:)

God idea

I don't like this at all. I'll stay with the MSE wall paneling system we use today with pile hammered steel casings for deck support. I don't believe this system would fare well for a large earthquake or major floods. Neither are common in the Midwest but they do happen. The worst that could happen under those circumstances with a MSE building system is that the approaches could sink or fall out of alignment which are easily repaired but the main deck super structure would remain unharmed since it rests on steel casings pile hammered deep into the earth.

That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Every bridge has a risk associated with it. The bridge that just fell in Northern Washington was old and out of date. Plenty of bridges are in similar condition or worse and are needing to be replaced. This method is a proven, cost effective way to provide replacement bridges for small single span bridges. The MSE walls beneath them are heavily over designed to take the design loads. This system also reduces the differential settlement occur w/piles.

Don't like this idea at all. A bridge goes from one spot over something that cannot be crossed to another spot. I really could not trust this so called new boy on the block. Maybe nothing wrong with it short term, and I am talking of very short term, but for a bridge that is not going to checked for maybe 50 or more years and say that bridge carries a railway line/s?