UPENDING CARQUINEZ BRIDGE FOUNDATION PILES

Project Summary

As part of the foundation of the concrete footings of the new Carquinez bridge, a number of large diameter piles needed to be transported to the construction site and installed (hammered in). For the transport, a small cargo barge was selected. The transport and upending procedure was reviewed and calculations were made to determine the reaction load on the barge at any angle of upending. Based on the maximum reaction load found, the local barge structure was checked. A 3-D finite element model of the relevant barge section was made and analyzed. Barge stability at various stages of upending was also checked.

Early June 2000, the first set of foundation piles were successfully transported and installed, see also the photograph below.

Scope of Work

The project scope included:

Project Photographs

Photographs courtesy of FCI Constructors, Inc./Cleveland Bridge California, Inc.

specialists in marine heavy-lift transportation engineering

naval architects

marine surveyors

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Est. 1992

■	Review of pile upending procedure;
■	Calculation of pile reaction loads on the barge and crane hook, as function of upending angle;
■	Structural analysis barge deck structure, subjected to pile reaction loads;
■	Stability check barge in transport condition;
■	Stability check barge in various upending phases.

Lofting Carquinez bridge foundation piles

Lifting the foundation pile of the cargo barge