Panel bridge variable height pier leg extension

Abstract

In one embodiment, a variable height pier leg extension apparatus provides adjustable leg extension to a plurality of bridge panel components each having two panel bridge pier legs for a panel bridge pier. The bridge panel components are disposed in a panel bridge pier leg configuration. The variable height pier leg extension apparatus comprises a plurality of variable height pier leg extension frames arranged in the panel bridge pier leg configuration and to be attached to a pier foundation, each variable height pier leg extension frame including a plurality of vertically spaced mounting locations to be selected to elevate the panel bridge pier legs of the bridge panel components relative to the pier foundation; and a plurality of mounting members to mount the panel bridge pier legs of the bridge panel components to the variable height pier leg extension frames at selected mounting locations to elevate the panel bridge pier legs to provide a selected elevation for the bridge panel components of the panel bridge pier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A variable height pier leg extension apparatus to provide adjustable leg extension to a plurality of bridge panel components each having two panel bridge pier legs for a panel bridge pier, the bridge panel components disposed in a panel bridge pier leg configuration, the variable height pier leg extension apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of variable height pier leg extension frames arranged in the panel bridge pier leg configuration and to be attached to a pier foundation, each variable height pier leg extension frame including a plurality of vertically spaced mounting locations to be selected to elevate the panel bridge pier legs of the bridge panel components relative to the pier foundation; and   a plurality of mounting members to mount the panel bridge pier legs of the bridge panel components to the variable height pier leg extension frames at selected mounting locations to elevate the panel bridge pier legs to provide a selected elevation for the bridge panel components of the panel bridge pier.   
     
     
         2 . The variable height pier leg extension apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein each variable height pier leg extension frame is configured to mount a first panel bridge pier leg of the two panel bridge pier legs of a first bridge panel component and a second panel bridge pier leg of the two panel bridge pier legs of a second bridge panel component disposed adjacent to the first bridge panel component.   
     
     
         3 . The variable height pier leg extension apparatus of  claim 2 ,
 wherein each variable height pier leg extension frame comprises two pairs of channels spaced apart and attached to the pier foundation, the channels having a plurality of channel apertures to provide the vertically spaced mounting locations; and   wherein the mounting members each extend through two channel apertures of each pair of channels and a mounting aperture in a corresponding panel bridge pier leg of a corresponding bridge panel component to be supported by the pair of channels to provide the selected elevation of the bridge panel component.   
     
     
         4 . The variable height pier leg extension apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a plurality of load distribution brackets each attached to a corresponding channel at the selected mounting location and overlapping a plurality of the channel apertures.   
     
     
         5 . The variable height pier leg extension apparatus of  claim 4 ,
 wherein load distribution brackets each overlap at least three vertically spaced channel apertures of the corresponding channel.   
     
     
         6 . The variable height pier leg extension apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a plurality of vertically spaced cross brackets attached to the two pairs of channels of each variable height pier leg extension frame at a plurality of different heights of the variable height pier leg extension frame.   
     
     
         7 . The variable height pier leg extension apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of cross links including multiple cross links attached between each pair of adjacent variable height pier leg extension frames.   
     
     
         8 . A variable height pier leg extension method to provide adjustable leg extension to a plurality of bridge panel components each having two panel bridge pier legs for a panel bridge pier, the bridge panel components disposed in a panel bridge pier leg configuration, the variable height pier leg extension method comprising:
 mounting a variable height bridge pier support system having a plurality of variable height pier leg extension frames to a pier foundation;   determining mounting locations at the variable height pier leg extension frames to elevate a panel bridge pier at a selected elevation;   positioning the bridge panel components of the panel bridge pier over the variable height bridge pier support system;   aligning the panel bridge pier legs of the bridge panel components of the panel bridge pier with the variable height pier leg extension frames of the variable height bridge pier support system;   lowering the bridge panel components of the panel bridge pier to position the bridge pier legs at the mounting locations of corresponding variable height pier leg extension frames of the variable height bridge pier support system; and   attaching the panel bridge pier legs of the panel bridge pier to the variable height pier leg extension frames of the variable height bridge pier support system at corresponding mounting locations to support the panel bridge pier at the selected elevation.   
     
     
         9 . The variable height pier leg extension method of  claim 8 , wherein attaching the panel bridge pier legs to the variable height pier leg extension frames comprises:
 attaching, to each leg extension frame, a first panel bridge pier leg of the two panel bridge pier legs of a first bridge panel component and a second panel bridge pier leg of the two panel bridge pier legs of a second bridge panel component disposed adjacent to the first bridge panel component.   
     
     
         10 . The variable height pier leg extension method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 wherein each variable height pier leg extension frame comprises two pairs of channels spaced apart and attached to the pier foundation, the channels having a plurality of channel apertures to provide a plurality of selectable vertically spaced mounting locations; and   wherein attaching the panel bridge pier legs to the variable height pier leg extension frames comprises extending a mounting member through two channel apertures of each pair of channels and a mounting aperture in a corresponding panel bridge pier leg of a corresponding bridge panel component to be supported by the pair of channels to provide the selected elevation of the bridge panel component.   
     
     
         11 . The variable height pier leg extension method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 attaching a plurality of load distribution brackets each to a corresponding channel at the selected mounting location and overlapping a plurality of the channel apertures.   
     
     
         12 . The variable height pier leg extension method of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the load distribution brackets are each attached to overlap at least three vertically spaced channel apertures of the corresponding channel.   
     
     
         13 . The variable height pier leg extension method of  claim 10 , wherein each pair of channels are attached to a pier sole plate, and wherein mounting the variable height bridge pier support system having a plurality of variable height pier leg extension frames to a pier foundation comprises:
 mounting the pier sole plate of each pair of channels to the pier foundation.   
     
     
         14 . The variable height pier leg extension method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 attaching a plurality of vertically spaced cross brackets to the two pairs of channels of each variable height pier leg extension frame at a plurality of different heights of the variable height pier leg extension frame.   
     
     
         15 . The variable height pier leg extension method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 attaching a plurality of cross links between each pair of adjacent variable height pier leg extension frames.   
     
     
         16 . The variable height pier leg extension method of  claim 8 , wherein mounting the variable height bridge pier support system having a plurality of variable height pier leg extension frames to a pier foundation comprises:
 attaching each variable height pier leg extension frame to a base plate; and   mounting the base plate for each variable height pier leg extension frame to the pier foundation.   
     
     
         17 . A variable height pier leg extension apparatus to provide adjustable leg extension to a plurality of bridge panel components of a panel bridge pier, the bridge panel components disposed in a panel bridge pier leg configuration, the variable height pier leg extension apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of variable height pier leg extension frames arranged in the panel bridge pier leg configuration and to be attached to a pier foundation, each variable height pier leg extension frame including a plurality of vertically spaced mounting locations to be selected to elevate the panel bridge pier legs of the bridge panel components relative to the pier foundation; each variable height pier leg extension frame including two pairs of channels spaced apart and attached to the pier foundation, the channels having a plurality of channel apertures to provide the vertically spaced mounting locations; one pair of channels of each variable height pier leg extension frame and another pair of channels of another variable height pier leg extension frame adjacent thereto configured to be coupled to a corresponding one bridge panel component of the panel bridge pier; and   a plurality of mounting members to mount the bridge panel components of the panel bridge pier each to one pair of channels of two adjacent variable height pier extension frames at selected mounting locations to elevate the bridge panel components to provide a selected elevation of the bridge panel components of the panel bridge pier.   
     
     
         18 . The variable height pier leg extension apparatus of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the mounting members each extend through two channel apertures of each pair of channels and a mounting aperture in the corresponding bridge panel component to be supported by the pair of channels to provide the selected elevation of the corresponding bridge panel component.   
     
     
         19 . The variable height pier leg extension apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a plurality of load distribution brackets each attached to a corresponding channel at the selected mounting location and overlapping a plurality of the channel apertures.   
     
     
         20 . The variable height pier leg extension apparatus of  claim 19 ,
 wherein load distribution brackets each overlap at least three vertically spaced channel apertures of the corresponding channel.