Wall, Bridges, and More

Tricon Precast
Written by Robert Hoshowsky

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Tricon Precast Limited remains one of the largest precast concrete manufacturers in the entire state. Providing a wide range of proven, mechanically stabilized earth retaining wall systems, bridge systems, precast products and engineering services, Tricon Precast has earned the business and respect of customers across North America for its innovative systems and solutions.
~
Since it was formed in 1987, Tricon Precast has taken great pride in not only its precast concrete products, but the company’s ability to work with customers on projects of all sizes — from modest country bridges to large-scale highway construction works for the Department of Transportation — efficiently, professionally, and with the highest attention to detail and customer service. Tricon operates two large, state-of-the-art plants in Houston and San Antonio, the second-most populated city in Texas, and it has designed and patented a range of unique systems.

A range of patented bridge systems
For almost three decades, Tricon has designed and fabricated quality bridge and wall systems for clients across the United States. The systems are not only made to last, but are aesthetically pleasing, require low maintenance, and provide competitively priced, affordable solutions for many of America’s local governments replacing aging infrastructure.

With decades of combined experience in precast concrete, Tricon is pleased to provide clients with a range of bridges varying in size and design, from ultra-modern to elegant arched systems to multi-barrel box culverts. No matter the design, the highly experienced team at Tricon work closely with customers on all projects to create bridges or crossing installations to meet design requirements, budgets, accommodation for both vehicles and pedestrians, and more. “Emerging technologies in the construction industry are combined with Tricon’s precast concrete design expertise, its manufacturing capabilities and its North American supply network to deliver the answers,” says the company, which is able to provide arrange of prestressed, precast bridge systems, including the Con-Struct™ Prefabricated Bridge System, the Double-Tee Precast Bridge System, the Plank-Deck™ Bridge System, the Redi-Span Arch® Bridge System, and the Long Span “C” Bridge and Culvert System.

For customers seeking quality-made products, there is the Con-Struct™ Prefabricated Bridge System. Achievable to vehicular spans of 60 feet, using American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) LFD or Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD criteria), and pedestrian spans in excess of 100 feet, the Con-Struct™ Prefabricated Bridge System boasts a modern design incorporating a precast concrete deck, steel tub girders, and light weight elements using less foundation.

For off-bridge systems needing clear spans of up to 80 feet, there is the Tricon Double-Tee Bridge System. Created using loam-maintenance concrete and meeting either AASHTO LFD or the new LFRD load rating criteria, these bridge systems will outlast many other building materials, are impervious to fire and rust and rot which affects bridges made from wood or steel, and can even be manufactured and erected in poor weather conditions, making them a smart choice for sustainable development.

Clients requiring shorter bridges on a budget need look no further than the Tricon Plank-Deck™ Bridge System. Manufactured from standardized precast concrete components including riser sections, plank-deck slabs, and abutment/bent footings, plank deck elements are incorporated into driving surfaces, eliminating the need for topping or wearing surfaces after installation, making them ideal for remote areas. Created entirely from precast concrete, no cast in place concrete is required on-site for these bridges, designed for clear spans up to 30 feet.

For clients seeking a timeless look, there is the Tricon Redi-Span Arch® Bridge System. Surprisingly affordable, this elegant arched design is available in precast concrete elements spanning 12 feet to 48 feet. An aesthetic and effective three-sided culvert, the Tricon Redi-Span Arch® Bridge System can be used for public civil applications, and with economic design elements such as stone veneer applications, keystones, and scoring, and decorative railings, be easily transformed into a centerpiece for private developments.

And for clients seeking options to multi-barrel box culverts, there is the Long Span “C” Bridge and Culvert System. Long Span “C” Culvert structures are comprised of three-sided (all sides flat) precast concrete elements with flat butt ends. When the sections are laid together they will make a continuous line of sections with a smooth interior surface. Able to be designed to accommodate HS20 and LRFD live loading, rail impact loading, earth dead loading, and structured dead loading, Long Span “C” Culvert structures, these structures are made to meet Texas Department of Transportation Special Specification 4330.

Precision engineered and manufactured wall systems
In addition to its quality bridge systems, Tricon Precast Limited offers a wide range of manufactured wall systems, including wire wall systems, coping, sound wall systems, privacy wall systems, the Shuttabloc™ Wall System, the Alfabloc® Wall System, and others to meet the needs of all clients and all applications, ranging from portable free-standing walls for the storage of bulk materials, to mechanically stabilized earth retaining wall structures. Tricon has the high quality, precast concrete solutions for walls priced to meet a range of budgets. They are durable, long-lasting and highly effective.

Nothing short of revolutionary, the Tricon Retained Soil Wall System™ is used on projects such as cut walls, bridge abutments, and others requiring Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE). Through the use of patented connection systems, clients are able to streamline the installation process, saving precious time and money without the use of tools. According to the company, “The HDG (hot-dipped galvanized) metal connectors, cast directly into the precast concrete facing panels, are designed to make it easy to accept the HDG welded wire soil reinforcement mats. HDG locking rods then quickly secure the connection. Fast and simple installation, easily make it the most Contractor friendly MSE Wall System on the market today.” Evaluated by the Highway Innovative Technology Evaluation Center (HITEC), Tricon’s pioneering Retained Soil Wall System™ has been approved for use by numerous state Departments of Transportations, along with a growing number of international agencies.

Providing a number of precast wall systems, some, like the Drilled Shaft fascia panel, are typically used on new construction and cut situations where excavating areas for a reinforced soil mass is not practical. As a contractor-friendly system, it is fast, effective, reliable, and durable. Other systems, such as Tricon’s Temporary Wire Walls, are used for projects such as highway construction and underground utility work, and created for situations where the wire walls are intended to be buried in the soil mass as roadway embankments are constructed. Conversely, the company also provides Permanent Wire Wall systems, made using hot-dipped galvanized permanent wires with a minimum 75-year life span.

When it comes to sound and privacy, Tricon has the necessary solutions, with reflective and absorptive sound wall systems, and true privacy residential walls. As a leading producer of sound walls in Texas, the companies precast concrete sound wall systems are available in a range of finishes, easy to install, and highly effective, reflecting traffic noise back into the surrounding environment. Used on many Texas Department of Transportation projects, the company also produces the “Whisper Wall” — which traps and dissipates noise energy — and made possible through an exclusive licensing agreement for the State of Texas from Coastal Precast Systems. And for privacy, the company’s Precast Concrete Privacy Wall System has been precision designed and engineered for range of applications, including residential, commercial, industrial, and screening. Impervious to rust, rot, and fire, the Privacy Wall System is a scaled-down version of Tricon’s highly effective Reflective Sound Wall System, used along many highways. With an easy-to-assemble post and panel design, it requires low-maintenance, and can be manufactured to suit a range of privacy and security applications as needed.

Quality concrete products
Along with its range of bridge systems and manufactured wall products, Tricon continues to be a leader in precast structural systems for range of applications, from stormwater management to traffic barriers for departments of transportation, commercial applications, architectural elements, and even wind power and telecommunications sectors. Used extensively as traffic barriers on roadways across America, the company’s designs range from F-Shape to PCTB (Jersey Style), High-Speed Race Barrier, Single Slope, Low-Profile, the Alfabloc® Wall System, and many others. For customers requiring towers, the company is able to design, engineer and manufacture complete precast tower systems for industries such as wind power and telecommunications. And for customers requiring precast signage, Tricon it is able to provide durable, timeless precast elements for all project requirements.

Along with its innovative bridge systems and wall systems and a range of precast products, Tricon stands apart from the competition through its engineering arm. Experts in prefabricated bridge systems and stabilized earth retaining walls, the Tricon Engineering Group provides complete structural and engineering services. Licensed in most states, the Tricon Engineering Group Works with the company and licensees to “meet new demands and changing conditions with combinations of precast and cast-in-place.” A team with a range of backgrounds including departments of transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, the Tricon Engineering

AUTHOR

CURRENT EDITION

Hands-On Learning for Future Success

Read Our Current Issue

PAST EDITIONS

Cladding and Exteriors

February 2024

A Concrete Foundation

December 2023

Elegant and Eco-Friendly

November 2023

From Beautiful Bridges to Breathtaking Buildings

October 2023

More Past Editions

Featured Articles