DEL MAR — The American Council of Engineering Companies of California (ACEC California) has selected Kleinfelder architecture, engineering, and science consulting firm for the 2015 Engineering Excellence Award in recognition of its work on the retrofit and replacement of the historic North Torrey Pines Road Bridge project.
The North Torrey Pines Road Bridge, in Del Mar, is a 15-span, precast concrete structure built in 1933 with a 50-year design life. In 2002, the bridge was classified as structurally and seismically deficient and functionally obsolete with a sufficiency rating of 19.1 out of 100. Because the bridge is a landmark on the California Register of Historic Places and designated as a “Coastal Concrete Classic,” the seismic retrofit strategy needed to preserve the bridge’s historic features.
The little stretch was originally constructed in 1906 when real estate was being developed in Del Mar. A road and bridge were built from San Diego to Del Mar. When completed, it phased out the old stagecoach route that wandered through Sorrento Valley east of Del Mar.
As the prime design consultant responsible for project management, engineering, and environmental investigations, Kleinfelder developed a specialized retrofit strategy utilizing non-linear time history analysis to model the structure’s response to earthquake motions. The team engineered an innovative solution to maintain the substructure by seismically strengthening the bridge piers and replacing the superstructure in such a way that the historical character of the bridge was maintained.
“We are honored to be recognized by ACEC California for the North Torrey Pines Road Bridge Project,” said Mark Creveling, Kleinfelder’s vice president of project management. “It was a privilege to have an opportunity to design and engineer a solution that preserves and strengthens one of the region’s much-loved bridges.”
The project also received an Honor Award, making it eligible to enter the national level Engineering Excellence Awards competition. An awards dinner will be held in Sacramento in January.
