Phase I Advanced Construction Letting
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Benefits of Advanced Letting
REDUCES RISK & UNCERTAINTY
Confirms foundation performance and site conditions before major construction begins.
INFORMS THE FINAL DESIGN
Testing results provide valuable information that can be incorporated into the final bridge construction plans.
PREPARES THE SITE EARLY
Embankments and ground improvements can be completed ahead of time, allowing the site to be ready for future construction activities.
About the Pile Load Test Program
Before building the new bridge, the project team will install and test full-size foundation piles—the large steel pipes that will help support the bridge. These pipe piles will be 72” in diameter in the river and 48” in diameter on land.
The pile load testing and ground improvement program allows engineers to confirm that the bridge foundation and surrounding soil will perform as expected, reducing risk and providing valuable information before construction of the new US 51 Bridge begins.
Pile Load Test Program Terms
Engineers will evaluate how easily the piles can be installed into the ground (“drivability”) and how much weight and force they can safely support (“resistance”).
A constrictor plate is a steel component installed inside certain pipe piles to create an “artificial plug” near the bottom of the pile. The plate changes how the pile interacts with the surrounding soil, which is especially important in muddy areas like this location.
Some areas of soil need to be strengthened before they can support a bridge embankment and foundation. The test area allows engineers to try different approaches, measure the results, and confirm the best solution before moving into full construction.
The piles will be tested in several ways to measure how they respond to different types of forces.
Static Testing: Applies force slowly and steadily to simulate the weight the bridge will place on the piles.
Dynamic Testing: Measures pile performance during installation and under short-duration impacts.
Pseudo-Static (Statnamic) Testing: Uses a rapid load to simulate large forces that occur over a short period of time without building a massive reaction structure. Some testing may produce loud noises that can be heard nearby.