Trout Brook Bridge - Official Work Thread

[Dave Buczkowski]

More like a phft Dink.

[Carl G. Soderstrom]

No Steam, Capstan, or Horse power?

Oh! Right! It has to be done THIS decade.

[Mike Fox]

what's the total number of piles to be driven?

22 seems to be my recollection, but that may a be an old number..

[ALAIN DELASSUS]

Hi ! How long will it take to drive them in?

[Bill Baskerville]

what's the total number of piles to be driven?

22 seems to be my recollection, but that may a be an old number..

Eleven on each side of the stream. Four on each corner and three in a row in the center. The first was driven yesterday and three more today which completes four in the south east corner.

[Bill Reidy]

Thanks Bill.  Sounds like great progress so far!

[Brendan Barry]

For those not on facebook here's pictures of the start of the pile installation. The pictures were posted on the museums facebook page tonight.

https://www.facebook.com/WWFRailway

[Jeff Schumaker]

What is the purpose of the corner piles?

Jeff S.

[Roger Cole]

Are the pilings sharpened like a pencil before pounding or are they driven down flat?

[James Patten]

They are sharpened.  There's a giant pile sharpener hidden off to the side (kidding - they use a chain saw).

[Benjamin Campbell]

Exciting progress! How deep were they able to be driven and are they in close proximity to buried remnants from the piles from the original bridges?

[Bill Baskerville]

 According to my rough calculations from the first one on Thursday they are probably about 20 some feet into the ground. Jason of course knows exactly how they are.

[John Kokas]

Depth is not the determining factor,. These are friction piles which means the soil resistance against the pile determines the load.  I have had 25 ton piles at 30 feet and the same resistance on other piles at 80 feet.  I actually had a 40 ton pile go 100 feet and disappear into the soil as we discovered an underground cavern.  I will let Jason or Mike give us the exact design load.

[Mike Fox]

Design load was for 10 tons per pile, but that was using smaller piles. Not sure where we are with the larger piles, but will be fine.

The soil is also the determining factor for the piles. There is about 12 feet (if I remember correctly) of clay that these are going through to get to the glacial till, which is what I am in building the wall. I am told there is a noticeable increase in resistance when the pile reaches the glacial till. That is very good load bearing material.

There is ledge relatively close by, but too deep to find with the piles.

[John L Dobson]

Are the piles rot-proofed in any way?