Tex-Tube Elipitcal Bridge Rail

• GSI Tex-Tube Elliptical Bridge White Paper
• Manufacturer Specifications

GSI is the master distributor for Tex-Tube Elliptical Tube in the United States. We supply fabricators raw tube and splices or can produce the final product per job specifications.

Although bridge rail constitutes only 2 to 5 percent of the total cost of a bridge, it is of incalculable value to the citizens for whom the bridge is built. No matter how magnificent the bridge design, a visually-appealing railing will impact public acceptance. That is why an elliptical bridge rail is the choice of an ever increasing number of bridge engineers across the nation.

With over 40 years of highway use, elliptical bridge railing is still the right choice on today's bridges. Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida, Maryland, and other are currently using elliptical tube in NCHRP 350 Test Level 3 (TL3), Test Level 4(TL4), and Test Level 5 (TL5) bridge rail applications. Although having other advantages, the primary motivation behind this use is that elliptical rail provides an open and aesthetically pleasing bridge rail… it simply looks good!

Advantages of Elliptical Tube Bridge Rail

• Aesthetically pleasing and open feel. Has been used on several signature bridges.
• Strength of 6" pipe with the visual impact of 4" pipe

• 5LX-52 has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than standard pipe thus increased cost savings
• Elliptical shape is stronger in the x-direction than comparable 6” round
  
• Mill-rolled to its final shape thus negating the cost of secondary "squashing" operation
• Mill-rolled mating splice tube also available
• Mill-rolled elliptical rail offers superior consistency and unsurpassed mating splice tube fit
• Radii to 16 feet
• Cost effective retrofit for older concrete bridge railing

GSI’s Tex-Tube elliptical bridge rail is truly the best source for your state’s elliptical bridge rail needs.

Projects                                                                                          click photo for slide show click location for map
TL3 Elliptical Bridge Rail Projects
TxDOT C4 SH620 at Parmer Ln Austin, Texas	TxDOT T4 Northshore Park The Woodland, Texas	TxDOT T4(S)(Mod) Arapaho Road Bridge Addison, Texas Contractor: Archer Western	Specialty Elliptical The Woodlands Mall Houston, Texas
FDOT C402 Plantation Preserve Golf Course Plantation, Florida	TxDOT T4 Wichita Falls, TX Contractor: Zachry	TxDOT C4(S) US-183 & Brushy Creek, Cedar Park , TX
TL4 Elliptical Bridge Rail Projects
Project Photos Coming 2008
FDOT T402MOD SR528 Brevard County, Florida
TL5 Elliptical Bridge Rail Projects
TxDOT HT Beltway 8 / IH 10 Houston, Texas	TxDOT HT Fred Hartman Bridge Baytown/La Porte, Texas	Maryland HT Woodrow Wilson Bridge Oxin Hill, MD
Other Helps

• LS-DYNA of Texas T4 bridge rail