NEW ENGLANDS LARGEST STATIC LOAD TEST
Sakonet River Bridge Test Project, Tiverton, RI
Vynorius Piledriving, recently completed New Englands largest static load test. This was part of the second contract for pile testing to evaluate possible foundation solutions for the future Sakonnett River Bridge Project in Tiverton, RI.
This Test Program consisted of one 72" open ended pipe pile and a second 72" pipe pile with a prefabricated metal plug.
During the first phase of this test program, both piles were driven to a adepth of 135' utilizing a IHC S-600 Hydraulic Impact Hammer with a maximum rated energy of 443,000 ft/lbs. On August 30th 6000 Kips of preasure was placed on the 72" pile containing the prefabricated metal plug. A second test will be done on the open ended pipe pile to help evaluate the benefits of the plugged pile verses the open ended pile. During pahse two each pile will be extended and driven to refusal at an estimated depth of 185' to 270'. A third test may be perfromed at the owner's discretion.
The prefabricated metal plug consisted of a 2" thick plate with a 14" center hole cut outand was installed 50' up from the pile tip. The plug was installed to create a "Soil Plug" in the pile at a predictable depth. This condition would create a higher load capacity at a shorter depth than would the standard open ended pipe. RIDOT would hopefully realize a considerable cost savings utilizing shorter piles with the prefabricated metal plug. The 6000 kip reaction frame designed by Geotechnical Consultants, consisted of two 1500 kip reaction beams, 40 150 kip tie-downs and four 17 x 10 concrete pile caps. Terra Drilling Company installed 40 tie-downs in four groups of ten. Each tie-down group was cast into a 17 x 10 concrete cap. Each cap had four 2 1/2 " diameter Williamsons rods extending from the pile cap up to the reaction beams. The reaction beams were set one on top of the other to form an X. Four1800 kip jacks were utalized to create the 6000 kips of preasure needed for the test.