Reuse of Existing Piles Study

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Video Summary

Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation assessed whether foundations on two Highway 417 bridges could be reused during rapid replacements. The bridges, built in 1960, had steel H-piles driven to bedrock. Geotechnical capacity was adequate, but the team needed to verify structural durability and a 75-year service life.<br /><br />At each site, engineers exposed three piles, inspected them visually, measured thickness ultrasonically, and tested soil aggressivity. They mapped pitting and developed an analysis to estimate corrosion rates. Results supported reuse, with conservative projections meeting the design target.<br /><br />The investigation cost about $400,000 and was estimated to save at least $1.25 million, while reducing construction time, public disruption, and environmental impact. The Ministry is building a province-wide database and now requires service providers to consider foundation reuse on every project.

Keywords

Highway 417

foundation reuse

steel H-piles

corrosion assessment

Ontario Ministry of Transportation