A Statler College led bridge system has been selected as a 2021 Focus Technology by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Innovation Initiative (AII). The steel press-brake-formed tub girder (PBTG) bridge system, developed by Karl Barth, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, and his team, has been researched and tested through the Short Span Steel Bridge Alliance.  

The PBTG is an accelerate bridge construction system for short span applications. It utilizes standard plate widths and is optimized to achieve maximum structural capacity, with most of the steel in the bottom flange and increased torsional stiffness. Thanks to the award, AII will now invest time and resources to accelerate the adoption of PBTG among AASHTO member associations, local agencies and their industry partners to improve the infrastructure of the United States.