As an alternative to bridges with rigid foundation systems, Departments of Transportation have begun implementing geosynthetic-reinforced soil (GRS) in an integrated bridge system (IBS) in bridge abutments over the last twenty years. GRS systems are used because they show some advantages over more conventional bridge designs. These advantages include low cost, short building time, and reduction of the relative settlement between bridge deck and approach embankments. GRS-IBS systems deal with the "bump at the end of the bridge" problem by allowing both the bridge deck and approaching road to settle or deform at the same rate, instead of resisting it. This paper focuses on documenting the performance of a GRS-IBS system, by studying a short span bridge located on State Highway 40, southwest of Bloomer, Wisconsin. This bridge was built during the summer of 2012 and is being monitored for 2 years, to track its deformations caused by service and environmental loads. The monitoring campaign consists of surveying the foundation, abutment walls, bridge deck, approaching roads, and creek erosion. Preliminary results show that the GRS-IBS system has performed as expected, showing no differential settlement, thus solving the "bump at the end of the bridge" problem with a simple, cost effective solution.
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