SR-158 Bridge Value Engineering: A Calibrated Effort-Video

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A bridge project in coastal Alabama faced strict sediment-control requirements because nearby waterways supplied drinking water. The original design used concrete piles that would require predrilling or jetting through dense upper soils, generating large volumes of material to contain and dispose of.<br /><br />The contractor proposed a value-engineering alternative: open-ended steel pipe piles, which could be vibrated close to their final depth and driven without predrilling or jetting. Because Alabama DOT had limited experience with this approach, the team conducted five static and five dynamic pile tests. Comparing results established a conservative calibration factor, which was used to develop bearing graphs and guide pile acceptance.<br /><br />The alternative avoided sediment-producing work and gave the contractor greater control over testing. Although some piles were longer than initially estimated, the project required no additional restrikes and finished about four months sooner, saving approximately $400,000—around 4% of the contract value.

Keywords

bridge project

sediment control

steel pipe piles

pile testing

value engineering