Deep Marine Foundations with Pipe Pile Cells to Protect Bridge Piers from Seasonal Flooding and Major Earthquakes-Video

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Video Summary

The presentation describes a Japan-funded project to widen Bangladesh’s Dhaka–Chittagong highway by building three bridges alongside existing crossings. Seasonal flooding had heavily scoured the old bridge foundations, which required regular maintenance. To protect the new piers and integrate their foundations with the existing structures, engineers built watertight pipe-pile cells in the rivers.<br /><br />Because work took place beneath existing bridges with limited overhead clearance, piles were installed using hydraulic press-in methods, which produce little vibration and noise. Water jetting helped drive piles through dense soil, while specialized equipment enabled installation in confined spaces. The project installed 460 permanent and 72 temporary piles across the three bridges.<br /><br />Completed between 2016 and 2020, the project eased chronic traffic congestion while demonstrating how pipe-cell foundations and press-in piling can provide reliable river foundations under challenging site conditions.

Keywords

Dhaka-Chittagong highway

bridge widening

pipe-pile cells

hydraulic press-in piling

river foundations

Bangladesh infrastructure