Wagman Geotechnical Construction Project

PA Turnpike Bridge Replacement EB-103

  • Location

    Cumberland County, PA

  • Duration

    March 2017 - July 2018

Wagman’s Geotechnical Construction group installed approximately 245 micropiles for foundation support for the EB-103 bridge replacement on the main line of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. These piles were drilled and grouted in a challenging karst environment. They also penetrated reinforced concrete from the existing bridge foundations. Approximately 12 load tests were completed to verify capacity of the micropiles.

Wagman also designed and installed a temporary support of excavation system to support the existing roadway during phased replacement of this bridge. Micropile soldier piles were drilled in and wood lagging was installed.

Key Challenges & Project Details

  • In a challenging karst environment, Wagman’s team had to utilize their experience while drilling in the varibale subsurface conditions and employ techniques to control grout loss from the micropiles.
  • In the absence of as-built plans of the existing bridge, penetrating existing reinforced concrete foundations with micropiles was challenging. Specifically designed drill tools were used to cut through concrete.