Calibrated Jacking System Supports I-5 Bridge During Deck Replacement

Project Snapshop

Project: Interstate 5 Bridge Support System
Location: North of Redding, California
Application: Temporary bridge support during deck replacement
Challenge: Support 560-foot elevated bridge spans during concrete deck replacement
Solution: Vertical pipe supports paired with a calibrated hydraulic jacking system
Result: Bridge supported throughout deck replacement

bridge jacking

JF Shea needed a reliable way to support an Interstate 5 bridge north of Redding while crews removed and replaced the concrete roadway surface.

Having worked with CH Bull on previous projects, the contractor asked the team to help design a hydraulic jacking system that could maintain support as the bridge deck work progressed.

The Challenge

The bridge spans were approximately 560 feet long, and the roadway stood nearly 100 feet above the working surface below.

Before the existing concrete deck could be removed, the contractor needed a temporary support system capable of carrying the bridge load around the cast-in-place bents. The equipment also had to be positioned and monitored accurately from the difficult-to-access work area beneath the bridge.

Engineering the Support System

JF Shea designed vertical pipe supports positioned on both sides of the two cast-in-place bents.

Because of the bridge height, crews used a 125-foot Genie boom lift to reach the elevated structure and complete portions of the support installation.

Vertical pipe supports beneath the bridge
Vertical pipe supports beneath the bridge
bridge jacking
Elevated bridge support installation

The CH Bull Solution

CH Bull supplied a calibrated hydraulic jacking system to load and support the bridge through the temporary steel structure.

The system included hydraulic jacks, hoses, manifolds, and pressure gauges that allowed crews to monitor the force applied at the different support points. Calibration helped ensure the bridge load was distributed accurately while the roadway deck was removed and replaced.

hydraulic jack manifold
Calibrated manifold and pressure gauges
hydraulic jack supporting the bridge
Hydraulic jack beneath the bridge

Project Outcome

The combined vertical pipe supports and calibrated jacking system provided the temporary support needed during demolition and replacement of the concrete bridge deck.

CH Bull’s hydraulic equipment and system expertise helped JF Shea maintain controlled support throughout a demanding elevated bridge construction project.

Need Temporary Support for a Bridge Project?

CH Bull supplies calibrated hydraulic jacks, pumps, manifolds, gauges, controls, and complete equipment systems for bridge support, lifting, deck replacement, and structural positioning applications.