The Skyway project summary describes the construction of the longest section of the new East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. It involved replacing the original span damaged in the 1989 earthquake. The Skyway utilized innovative seismic design like hinge joints and piles driven 300 feet deep using offshore oil industry technology. The precast concrete segments weighed up to 750 tons each and were the largest ever cast. The completed Skyway provides a seismically resilient connection between Oakland and the new single-tower suspension bridge that opened in 2013.
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San-Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge New East Span: Skyway
1. San FranciscoOakland Bay Bridge
New East Span: Skyway
Oakland, California, USA
Project Abstract:
As the longest portion of the new East Span, the Skyway
exemplifies innovation in design and constructability,
utilizing construction materials and post-tensioning to
their fullest potential. The projects location in a high
seismic zone presented many unique challenges,
including a 150-year service life, twice the bridge
standard at the time. Deep foundations required
installation through bay mud to anchor in stiff soils, using
technology from the oil industry. Critical seismic design
elements were incorporated, such as mid-span hinges
and the use of pipe beams across the hinges. This
tremendous effort led to a seismically-resilient, visually-
compelling Skyway structure that will serve the people of
the Bay Area and the State of California for generations to
come.
2. San FranciscoOakland Bay Bridge
New East Span: Skyway
Oakland, California, USA
Project Overview:
After the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake
damaged the original East Span of the
San Francisco- Oakland Bay Bridge, the
safest, most cost-effective solution was a
total bridge replacement. The 1.3-mile-
long Skyway is the longest portion of the
2.2-mile-long San Francisco-Oakland Bay
Bridge New East Span (East Span) and the
first major contract in the project. The
design phase launched in 1998, with
stringent seismic criteria that included a
150-year design life, or twice the normal
bridge standard at the time.
3. San FranciscoOakland Bay Bridge
New East Span: Skyway
Oakland, California, USA
Project Overview:
The sleek twin viaducts of the Skyway,
which ascend from the Oakland shoreline
to connect seamlessly with the parallel
roadways of the single-tower, self-
anchored suspension bridge, are precast
segmental bridges, erected in balanced
cantilever, with a typical span of 525 feet.
Carrying five eastbound lanes and five
westbound lanes, each viaduct consists of
four massive frames connected by
expansion joints and hinge pipe beams,
which resist seismic motion by allowing
the frames to move and slide while
maintaining structural rigidity.
4. San FranciscoOakland Bay Bridge
New East Span: Skyway
Oakland, California, USA
Project Overview:
Skyway foundation piles were driven up to 300
feet below the waters surface to anchor into
stable soils, and at a slight batter (angle) to
increase lateral resistance under seismic loads.
While this method has been used to create
secure foundations for offshore oil rigs, this is
the first time this method has been used for
bridge construction of this scale. High
performance, low permeability 8000 psi (55-
MPa) concrete was used throughout the
superstructure, which is post-tensioned
longitudinally, transversely, and vertically to
minimize concrete cracking.
5. San FranciscoOakland Bay Bridge
New East Span: Skyway
Oakland, California, USA
The 452 concrete Skyway
segments, each weighing as
much as 750 tons, are the
largest of their kind ever cast,
and required Self-Launching
Erection Devices to lift and
post-tension the segments in
place on the cantilevers.
Carrying 300,000 vehicles each
day, the new East Span opened
to traffic on September 2, 2013.
Project Overview: