TY Lin International

Scope Of Work

T.Y. Lin International, in a joint venture, provided design review, construction engineering, and field inspection services for the high-level, design-build, cable-stayed bridge across the Cooper River. Opened to traffic in July 2005, one year ahead of schedule, this award-winning bridge is now the longest cable-stayed span in North America.

The new Cooper River Bridge is 2.5 miles in total length and includes two major high-level interchanges on each end of the bridge. The cable-stayed crossing carries eight lanes of traffic—four in each direction—and also features a pedestrian walkway/bikeway. The 1,546-foot main cable-stayed bridge is founded on 10-foot-in-diameter, drilled shafts with 10-foot, 6-inch-in-diameter steel casings. The drilled shafts are typically 200 feet long.

The main span provides a 1,000-foot navigational channel with a minimum vertical clearance of 186 feet above the Cooper River. The new channel accommodates fully loaded freighter and container ships with a DWT of 54,000 tons. Each 574-foot tall, diamond-shaped concrete tower is protected from ship collision by an innovative rock island surrounding the base of the tower. To further ease the passage of large ships, the deck at mid-span rises just over 200 feet above the water.

For the cable-stayed bridge, T.Y. Lin International was responsible for the Design Review and CE&I. For the Joint Venture, T.Y. Lin International provided over 80% of professional services related to the cable-stayed bridge. The cable-stayed bridge design review covered a full spectrum of tasks including structure, civil, MEP, vessel impact, wind, hydraulics and hydrology, geotechnical, construction engineering, operation and maintenance, environmental impact/ community outreach, and aesthetics. The CE&I services included quality assurance inspection and tests for piles, concrete, steel, reinforcing and post-tensioning steel, stay cable, erection geometry/stress control, major temporary structures, and miscellaneous items such as bearings, and expansion joints.

The Cooper River Bridge project’s success was the result of a tremendous team effort put forth by the Owner, the Design-Builder, and the community at large, all of whom shared a common goal of providing the highest degree of quality of services, performing all of the services on time and within budget, and with a minimum of disruption to the community.