Structure and construction method using a transparent or translucent member

1. A construction method, comprising:

providing a bottom support between a plurality of structural members;

using the bottom support to support a structural material in a plastic state; and

using the bottom support to support the structural material as the structural material hardens from a plastic state into a hardened state;

wherein the structural material remains in contact with the bottom support after the structural material hardens, the structural material and the bottom support forming a structural assembly;

wherein the bottom support is transparent or translucent;

wherein the plurality of structural members transfers load from the structural assembly to additional structural elements;

wherein the structural material in the plastic state is concrete in a plastic state;

wherein the structural material in the hardened state is structural reinforced concrete; and

wherein the plurality of structural members are bridge superstructure structural members.

2. A construction method, comprising:

providing a form member between a plurality of structural members;

providing a supporting member between the plurality of structural members, the supporting member being supported by the structural members;

supporting the form member with the supporting member; and

providing a structural material in a plastic state on the form member;

wherein the form member is transparent or translucent;

wherein a lower surface of the form member is in bearing contact with an upper surface of the supporting member;

wherein the structural material in the plastic state is concrete in a plastic state; and

removing the supporting member after the structural material hardens, and re-using the supporting member to support another form member at another location.

3. The construction method of claim 2 , wherein the supporting member is a removable form that is transparent or translucent.

4. The construction method of claim 3 , further including providing additional removable forms that are stacked beneath the form member and the supporting member that is a removable form.

5. The construction method of claim 2 , wherein the form member is a corrugated form, and the supporting member is a removable corrugated metal form that is nested with the form member.

6. The construction method of claim 2 , wherein:

the form member is one of a substantially flat member or a corrugated member; and

the form member is transparent plastic.

7. The construction method of claim 2 , wherein:

a lower surface of the form member is in bearing contact with an upper surface of the supporting member;

the supporting member is one of a reinforcing bar, a prefabricated structural shape, and a plate; and

the supporting member is made from one or more of steel, wood, and composite material.

8. A construction method, comprising:

providing a stay-in-place form between a plurality of structural members;

providing a supporting member between the plurality of structural members, the supporting member being supported by the plurality of structural members;

supporting the stay-in-place form with the supporting member, wherein the stay-in-place form is in contact with the supporting member;

providing uncured concrete in a plastic state on the stay-in-place form; and

removing the supporting member after the concrete cures;

wherein the stay-in-place form is transparent or translucent; and

wherein the plurality of structural members transfers load from the supporting member to additional structural elements or directly to the ground;

wherein providing the supporting member includes providing a supporting member including two elements and a coupler coupling the two elements; and

wherein removing the supporting member includes displacing a first end of at least one of the two elements of the supporting member into the coupler so that a second end of the at least one of the two elements displaces away from the structural member supporting the at least one element.

9. The construction method of claim 8 , wherein:

displacing the at least one of the two elements of the supporting member into the coupler includes doweling a threaded end portion of the at least one of the two elements of the supporting member into a threaded aperture of the coupler.

10. The construction method of claim 8 , further including re-using the supporting member to support another stay-in-place form at another location.

11. The construction method of claim 8 , wherein removing the supporting member includes saw-cutting the supporting member.

12. The construction method of claim 8 , wherein providing the stay-in-place form between the plurality of structural members includes attaching the stay-in-place form to a plurality of intermediate structural members, at least one of the plurality of intermediate structural members being attached to each structural member.

13. The construction method of claim 12 , wherein attaching the stay-in-place form to the plurality of intermediate structural members includes epoxying the stay-in-place form to the plurality of intermediate structural members.

14. The construction method of claim 12 , wherein attaching the stay-in-place form to the plurality of intermediate structural members includes fastening an end portion of the stay-in-place form to at least one of the intermediate structural members via an alignment pin.