Bearing Stiffeners.

 

When bearing stiffeners are incorrectly fit in a location other than shown on the design plans or approved shop drawings by more than 6” (150mm), a possible solution would be to leave the stiffener in place, fill any holes with bolts and add a new stiffener at the proper location depending on an analysis of the structure..  Bearing stiffeners incorrectly fit by only a small amount present several problems.  Unrepairable damage to the girder may result if the stiffener is removed.  If the stiffener is left in place, it may not be possible to add a stiffener at the proper location due to the clearance needed for welding both sides of the stiffener.  Should the spacing between the incorrectly fit and the properly fit stiffener be such that fitting the new stiffener cannot be accomplished, the design engineer should be contacted and a complete analysis of all proposed corrective actions should be conducted prior to completion of any repairs.