US 60 Smithland Bridge – Navigation Modeling

As part of the bridge type study for this major bridge replacement project over the Cumberland River, an innovative approach to addressing the needs of the navigation industry and expediting the new bridge span arrangement and Coast Guard approval process was used. Realistic 3-D virtual environment navigation modelling was utilized to quickly come to a decision on the necessary span length of the bridge, which would not have been foreseen during the bridge span arrangement/type study phase. The Seamen’s Church Institute’s world-class navigation simulation facility was utilized to leverage multiple pier placement locations and the expertise of experienced barge captains to evaluate various bridge span arrangement options. Significant project re-design time and costs were saved while achieving early concurrence on the required navigation clearances by the US Coast Guard. The new bridge features a 213.4m main span.