Patent ID: 8234738

Claim:
A method for replacing a bridge of the type including a deck supported at its ends by a pair of spaced-apart concrete abutments, each abutment having a pair of wing walls, the method comprising the steps of: removing the deck and excavating a footing hole behind each abutment; casting a concrete footing in each footing hole; providing a foundation pier on each footing; providing a brace assembly and at least a pair of cambered beams: the beams being provided such that each beam spans between and is supported by the pair of piers and the beams are substantially parallel and coplanar; and the brace assembly being provided to reinforce the camber of said beams; placing, on each adjacent pair of beams, a plurality of precast deck elements, such that each deck element of said plurality spans the pair of beams, thereby to define at least transverse gaps between the deck elements and put the upper surfaces of the deck elements in compression in a transverse direction; grouting the gaps; and after the grout has cured, adjusting the brace assembly to reduce the camber of the beams and cause the upper surface of the deck elements to also be put into compression in a direction parallel to the beams, to form a crack-resistant cementitious deck.