Confederation Bridge was designed for a 100-year design life, and to a level of reliability previously not used for bridges. The increased level of reliability reflected the importance of the bridge as the principle transportation link to Prince Edward Island, and the commitment by the Federal Government to provide a continuous transportation link to the island. Prior to the contract award, potential impacts of the construction of the bridge on the ice regime in Northumberland Strait received considerable attention, and led to certain restrictions being placed on the bridge arrangement. The final arrangement of the piers was designed to reduce the ice forces and thus meet the required reliability for lateral stability and to mitigate potential impacts on the ice regime. The paper describes how the pier arrangement has been effective in reducing ice forces, the character of ice interactions with the piers, and the forces that have resulted from such interactions. The paper also summarizes the findings as to the impact of the bridge on the ice regime in Northumberland Strait. For the covering abstract of this conference see ITRD number E211521.
Abstract