CIEN E4233: Design of Large-Scale Bridges

Course Overview

This course offers a holistic exploration of long span bridge design, with a focus on real-world decision-making and innovation in structural systems. You will investigate how fabrication, transport, and erection techniques can drive safer, more cost-effective, and robust bridge solutions. Through case studies of recently completed long span projects, the course emphasizes how modern construction methods can outperform conventional designs in both performance and economy.

The course also highlights system-level behavior over individual components. You will explore how bridge typologies such as arch, suspension, cable-stayed, truss, and 3D topologies help improve overall performance. Robustness is addressed through dynamic member loss analysis, evaluating how structures behave under both static and dynamic loads to inform more resilient design decisions.

A central component of the course is collaborative, group work. In teams of three or four, you will select a real-world long span bridge project—either completed or planned—and develop an original design proposal that meets environmental, budgetary, and scheduling constraints. Teams are encouraged to compete by proposing solutions that improve upon existing or planned designs through innovative thinking and practical design strategies.

Weekly lectures support project development, covering structural loads (live, wind, seismic, member loss), system selection, redundancy, fabrication, and erection—particularly for cable-supported structures. Frequent team meetings and ongoing feedback ensure continuous progress toward a final presentation and written report.

By the end of the course, you will have developed and defended a comprehensive long span bridge design proposal, gaining skills in collaborative problem solving, creative engineering, and effective communication. The course will prepare you to tackle complex infrastructure challenges with innovation, rigor, and confidence.

Course Instructors

Theodore Zoli, P.E.

Adjunct Professor & Chief Bridge Engineer

Zoli serves as the Chief Bridge Engineer for a major national design firm. He has led and overseen the design of many innovative major bridges throughout the US including: network arch bridges (Blennerhassett Island WV, Lake Champlain Bridge, NY-VT, Sixth Street Viaduct, CA), cable stayed bridges (Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge, Gordie Howe Bridge, Gov. Mario Cuomo Bridge and the S curved Bob Kerrey pedestrian bridge) as well as major movable bridges, such as the gusset-less truss for Portsmouth Memorial Bridge and the Chelsea Street Bridge.  

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, Zoli has focused on making structural systems for major bridges safer and more robust, including retrofitting existing major suspension bridges with innovative protective measures and developing new more redundant structural systems.  

Zoli was made a MacArthur Fellow by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in 2009 and was also awarded the ENR’s Award of Excellence in 2012, which is considered the construction industry’s most prestigious honor.