 |
During the course of the last 43 years, the Lake Pontchartrain
Causeway in New Orleans, Louisiana, has not only held the
distinction of being the world’s longest bridge at 24 miles,
but has been an interesting study of concrete’s durability
in marine environments. When pile encapsulation specimens are
tested to failure, the tightly bonded composite transfers load
to the concrete and it fails in tension. In this case, the
8500 psi (58.4 MPa) concrete, typical of the centrifugally
cast cylinder pile, is the weakest link in the composite.
The current Pile Restoration Program began in 1996 and involved
encapsulation of 414 piles. Most of the encapsulation work was
carried out near or below the waterline, requiring the use of
divers working with surface supplied air.
|
LOGIN
