Award winning avalanche bridge design

We are proud to announce that our project team working under the Jacobs Engineering Group is the top winner in the American Council of Engineering Companies annual Engineering Excellence Awards for Washington State. “World-renowned snow behavior experts” Alan Jones, P.Eng. and the team and Dynamic Avalanche Consulting played a key role in the bridge design. In order to help structural designers achieve the bridges’ design criteria, we used Monte Carlo risk simulation methods to determine probabilistic avalanche impact loads, deposit geometries and risk to vehicles and the structures. The combined design effort resulted in the replacement of an aged snow shed with twin 365 m long avalanche overpass bridges. The bridges reduce highway closures and risk to travelers by allowing avalanches and rockfall to pass below Interstate 90 in Snoqualmie Pass, WA. Congratulations to all involved in this challenging project.