By: Lauren Coscia, Nicholas Facas, Catherine Waite (PM) & Stephen Yasneski
Advisers: Dr. N. Al-Omaishi & Dr. V. Krstic
The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) Department of Campus Planning is currently constructing the TCNJ Campus Town and has proposed construction of student apartments along Carlton Avenue. Safety of students and residents in the college campus vicinity is a major concern due to the anticipated increase of vehicular and pedestrian traffic upon the completion of the Campus Town. It is of high interest of the Department of Campus Planning that a pedestrian bridge is built at this intersection in order to decrease potential accidents as well as generate smooth flow of travel. The proposed design of the pedestrian bridge is restricted due to the nearby wetland area. A soil profile was determined through boring and laboratory testing of soil samples collected on the Route 31 southbound side where wetlands area exists. The southbound side boring contains layers of gravel, sand, shale, and then sandstone. Each layer has a unit weight from 115-120 pcf with a friction angle from 29 to 30°. Information was also collected through the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) for the northbound side of the project to determine a soil profile for the abutment located on the campus side. The northbound side boring contains layers of silt, sand and sandstone. The silt layer has a unit weight and friction angle of 110 pcf and 32° respectively. The sand layer has a unit weight of 120 pcf and a friction angle of 38°. All of the soil layers exist within the category of slightly to moderately compressible. Design manuals from the LRFD and NJDOT were utilized to help determine the loading that the bridge will be subjected to, as well as the required specifications for the approach ramps. In addition, the span of the bridge was designed to extend 25 feet past the side of Pennington Road in both directions. Furthermore, the design of the bridge approach ramps were restricted due to the presence of the protected wetland areas. The soil is adequate for foundation design; the soil is predominantly granular and the bedrock is located at a depth of 15 feet below the ground surface. Analysis of the foundation design as well as abutments will be performed in Senior Project II. A preliminary analysis of the composite W 44 x 230 trial members through the use of the AISC code indicated that the member is structurally sufficient and thus may serve as the bridge deck. Further analysis of the shear and moments generated by the loads and the inclusion of the maintenance will be considered. Furthermore, a preliminary design for the approach ramps is to be generated.