River Bridges and Construction Processes Developed with World-Class Simulation Technology

RIVER BRIDGES AND CONSTRUCTION PROCESSES DEVELOPED WITH WORLD-CLASS SIMULATION TECHNOLOGY

On Wednesday, June 24, 2009, the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI) unveiled its newly upgraded, highly developed computer simulators used in maritime training, urban design, and bridge engineering studies at the Center for Maritime Education in Paducah, KY.

Simulator improvements at SCI add photorealism to the training and feasibility studies. The projected images mimic real-world geography and cities; the computer software generates changeable time, hydrodynamics, and weather conditions; and the visual models integrate with geospatial databases and engineering CAD models. The cutting-edge new tool utilizes sophisticated software techniques and algorithms to greatly enhance the quality of the geospatial and visual databases displayed by the projectors in the simulator. Simulator users can experience a recognizable city and interacted with other stakeholders in real-time.

During the past five years SCI has conducted many high-level feasibility studies partnered with stakeholders from some of the world’s leading and most prestigious engineering firms including CH2M Hill, Michael Baker Jr., Inc. (http://www.kyinbridges.com/pdfs/ROD_5yr_Anniversary.pdf), Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas (http://www.kyinbridges.com/pdfs/BridgeTypeSelectionReport/EastEnd/app7d.pdf), HOK Planning Group (http://groundsforchangestl.org/pdfs/danforth-appendix-k.pdf), and URS.

The simulations for the Ohio River Bridges Project were initiated in early 2006.

A project team led by Michael Baker Jr., Inc., designed concepts for the new Downtown Bridge, another project team led by Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas designed concepts for the East End Bridge, and SCI supported the project stakeholders in three-dimensional modeling for barge impact and pier testing. The simulation studies also included United States Coast Guard (USCG) and the Indiana Department of Transportation’s project...