"Concrete has more uses than any other building material," a representative with Chaparral Concrete Equipment says. "For thousands of years, civilizations have built cities, bridges, buildings, decks, basements, and countless other projects with concrete. It is durable, affordable, and flexible all at the same time. The Sellwood Bridge project is proof that concrete will be a major player for years to come."

Currently, eight cranes are lifting rebar from barges along the Willamette River. The rebar "rounds," as they are called, are lowered into shafts and filled with concrete that makes up the bridge's columns and abutments, according to the article. A temporary work bridge was built near the project that allows concrete mixers, tools, workers, and equipment to get from one side of the Willamette to the other.

The old bridge dates back to the early 20th century and was ready for a replacement. Construction on the Sellwood Bridge began in 2012 but things are taking shape for the first time, according to The Oregonian article. Pouring concrete is a long, tedious process that takes highly trained professionals to do correctly. If it is rushed, the concrete will become malleable and not cure all the way through. If the pour is too slow, the concrete will dry unevenly and cause other problems. Two-hundred-twenty-five cubic yards were poured at the east bank of the Willamette into wooden forms; the pour took eight hours for one abutment.

The supports are 28 feet tall, 45 foot across -- also called "battered" walls, they are tapered at the top and thicker at the bottom. The process of removing concrete is a testament to how powerful of a building material it is. Divers equipped with carbide saws are at work deconstructing the former bridge's concrete and steel supports down the mud line along the bottom of the river.

"It's amazing what concrete can do for bridges," Chaparral Concrete Equipment says. "Most major projects like bridges are contracted out to different concrete companies in order to ensure fair trade and to have enough concrete to get the job done."

The bridge still has more than a year to go before it is fully open. Construction will slow in the late fall to allow fish migration, a factor often overlooked by eager citizens waiting to use the bridge, but the project will allow Portlandians quicker access across the river. Chaparral Concrete Equipment, though based far south in Texas, is proud to see the concrete industry represented in large scale projects.

ABOUT:

Though only 13 years old, Chaparral Concrete Equipment has proved itself as a reliable concrete equipment provider. Based in Texas, the company utilizes technology to communicate and market to clients. It sells new and used mixer trucks, concrete plants, loaders, and other industry-related equipment.