South Split Beams Help Educate College Students

The South Split closure is more than half way finished and some recently completed work will help educate students. 

Two large steel beams have been replaced at the Virginia Avenue bridges over the South Split.  For years oversized trucks have struck the overpasses causing significant damage. 

Now engineering students at Purdue University will examine the girder as part of lessons on bridge inspections, impact damage identification and damaged beam repairs.  The collaboration is the result of legislation passed in 1937 forming what is now known as the Joint Transportation Research Program. 

The program allows the Indiana Department of Transportation and Purdue to work together on projects identifying and implementing new ideas.  Last year INDOT and Purdue installed a camera to record the bridge collisions.  The South Split is scheduled to re-open later this month.

The image provided in this story is from INDOT's Facebook page chronicling the project's progress.