RIGOLETS PASS BRIDGE ~ TEST PILE PROGRAM

By: Chris Nickel, P.E. LA DOTD Pavement & Geotechnical Services

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development • BACKGROUND ~This state project consists of the construction of the new Rigolets Pass Bridge located in Orleans Parish along route US 90 near Chalmette, which is northeast of . The Rigolets Pass waterway connects with the Gulf of Mexico.

~The existing bridge was built in 1931 and consists of two narrow traffic lanes along with a swing span to control major waterway traffic. In order to safely improve roadway and waterway traffic flow, a new two-lane high-rise structure will be built west of the existing structure. The new structure will consist of 63 bents with a total bridge length of 5,489 feet.

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development MS. LAKE SLIDELL PONTCHARTRAIN I-10 TWIN SPANS CAUSEWAY RIGOLETS PASS

NEW LAKE ORLEANS BORGNE

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development

EAST APPROACH ST. TAMMANY

WEST APPROACH ORLEANS

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development EXISTING EAST APPROACH

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development SWING SPAN

EXISTING STRUCTURE

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development PILES TESTED • PROGRAM CONSISTS OF 6 PILES • 2 - 30” SQUARE PPC • 4 – 66” SPUN CAST POST TENSIONED CYLINDERS • LOADING METHODS • DYNAMIC / CAPWAP • STATIC (30” TEST PILE #1 ONLY) • STATNAMIC (3)

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development SOIL BORING CPT

TEST PILE #1

30” PILES

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development TEST PILE #1 • 30’’ SQUARE PPC VOIDED • TOTAL PENETRATION 44’ • DESIGN LOAD 195 TONS

• LOADINGS • DYNAMIC / CAPWAP – SET CHECKS : IEOD, 23 m, 60 m, 22 hr, & 15 d • 14 DAY STATIC • 21 DAY STATCAMIC

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development SOFT GROUND +1.8 CLAY

RUN 27’

-41.5 TIP

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development CPT CAPACITY PREDICTION

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development ENVIORNMENTAL CONCERNS

• VIBRATION MONITORING – • THREATENED & ENDANGERED SPECIES – GULF STURGEON – WEST INDIAN MANATEE & SEA TURTLES

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development FORT PIKE

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development RETAINING WALL TO BE MONITORED

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development TEST PILE #1

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development AFT’S STATNAMIC CABLES

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development TRANSMITTER RECEIVER

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development NOT MUCH TO DRIVE

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development COLLECTING THAT DATA

OR NOT

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development EOD CAPACITY PREDICTIONS TOTAL SKIN PERM’NT LOADING TIME CAPACITY FRICTION DIS (Tons) (TONS)

IEOD 382 26 23 m 467 110 CAPWAP 60 m 493 137 32 BL/12” 22 hr 576 219 18 BL/6” 15 d 530 215 29 BL/6” STATIC 14 d *590 347 (Stat.) 0.21” STATNAMIC 21d *717 275 0.25”

*Not enough movement to fully mobilize the end bearing. TIME VS. CAPACITY

7,000 STATNAMIC 21 DAY

6,000

5,000 60 MIN 1 DAY 4,000 IEOD 22 MIN 3,000

Pile Capacity, kN Capacity, Pile 2,000

1,000

0 0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10 100 Elapsed Time t, days GRAPH PROVIDED BY PAUL BULLOCK, PHD., PE

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development 66” CYLINDER PILES ~ SPUN CAST & POST TENTIONED

• 16’ AND 8’ SECTIONS • TEST PILE LENGTHS BETWEEN 156’ – 200’. • GULF COST PRESTRESS PLANT (Pass Christian, Ms.)

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development STEEL REINFORCEMENT

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development CONCRETE PLACEMENT

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development 16’

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development OPEN DUCTS FOR STRAIN GAGES

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development SG 4 SG 3 SG 1 SG 2

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development CPT B-30 TP 2

LOW WATER FOOTINGS

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development -42.6

-53.0

66” DIAM. & L=153’ EXCAVATED TO -42.6 10’ PILE RUN TIP ELEVATION -120.2 78’ PENETRATION -120.2

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development TP 4 TP 2 TP 3

IND

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development 15” PLYWOOD PILE CUSHION

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development EOD CAPACITY PREDICTIONS TP 2

PREDICTED PERMANENT LOADING TIME CAPACITY DISPLACEMENT (Tons) CAPWAP Initial EOD 856 -- 36 hr. *622 --

STATNAMIC 21 days *1,483 0.82”

*Not enough movement to fully mobilize the end bearing. Design Load = 635 tons

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development -176.4

-182.0 -82.0

L = 200’ EXCAVATED TO -82.0 INITIAL TIP @ -176.4 REDRIVE TIP @ -182.0 PENETRATION = 100’ EOD CAPACITY PREDICTIONS IND. PILE

PREDICTED PERMANENT LOADING TIME CAPACITY DISPLACEMENT (Tons) CAPWAP Initial EOD 300 -- 48 hr. 750 --

STATNAMIC ------

Design Load = 484 tons

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development TEST PILE #3

TIP @ -163.8

EXC. -68.6

L = 183’ EXCAVATED TO -68.6 PILE RUN = 28’ TIPPED @ -163.8 PENETRATION = 94.5’

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development EOD CAPACITY PREDICTIONS TP 3

PREDICTED PERMANENT LOADING TIME CAPACITY DISPLACEMENT (Tons) CAPWAP Initial EOD 350 -- 24 hr. 1,025 --

STATNAMIC 22 days 1,538 1.10”

Design Load = 483 tons

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development EOD CAPACITY PREDICTIONS TP 4

PREDICTED PERMANENT LOADING TIME CAPACITY DISPLACEMENT (Tons) CAPWAP Initial EOD 353 -- 48 hr. 1,058 --

STATNAMIC 30 days *1,657 0.34”

*Not enough movement to fully mobilize the end bearing. Design Load = 587 tons

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development IND 5

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development IND. PILE #5

RUN 30” SQUARE

TIP @ -28.0

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development SANDS

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development EOD CAPACITY PREDICTIONS IP 5

PREDICTED PERMANENT LOADING TIME CAPACITY DISPLACEMENT (Tons) CAPWAP Initial EOD 560 -- 24 hr. *621 --

STATNAMIC ------

*Not enough movement to fully mobilize the end bearing. Design Load = 162 tons

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development PREPARING IND. PILE #5

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development PLENTY OF DEBRIS REMAINS BY DECEMBER

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development SEPTEMBER 3, FLY OVER EAST APPROACH

TEST PILE #5

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development WEST APPROACH

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development •2 MONTH DELAY DUE TO •69,918 yd3 OF DEBRIS REMOVED AT A COST OF $1.5 MILLION

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development APPROXIMATE 20’ STORM SURGE

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development APRIL 2005

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development AUGUST 2005

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development Comments or Questions?

Thank you!

Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development