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Overcoming Challenges for the Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel Site Investigation
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Authority is expanding their bridge tunnel network by adding a parallel tunnel under the Thimble Shoal navigation channel utilizing a design build contract. As part of the design build contract a supplemental site investigation was planned and performed. The dynamic depositional environment of the Chesapeake Bay between estuarine and marine conditions, in addition to historic construction and dredging activity, resulted in variability in the soil composition over short distances at the project site. This investigation was carried out by the Authority to refine the ground parameters presented in the geotechnical baseline report (GBR) considering planned alignment changes from the base technical concept as well as to gather information to be used in design and permitting. The scope of the supplementary investigation included land-based and water-based investigations. Over one mile of land-based borings and cone penetrometer tests (CPTs) were completed, including seismic cone CPTs, dilatometer tests, and instrumentation installation. For the water-based investigation, nearly a half mile of borings and CPTs were completed in just 24 days. This paper describes the rationale behind the supplemental investigation, its scope, how the resulting data were integrated into the design of the project, and the technical challenges inherent with working on open waters in close proximity to the area’s highly active commercial and Navy ports.
Overcoming Challenges for the Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel Site Investigation
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Authority is expanding their bridge tunnel network by adding a parallel tunnel under the Thimble Shoal navigation channel utilizing a design build contract. As part of the design build contract a supplemental site investigation was planned and performed. The dynamic depositional environment of the Chesapeake Bay between estuarine and marine conditions, in addition to historic construction and dredging activity, resulted in variability in the soil composition over short distances at the project site. This investigation was carried out by the Authority to refine the ground parameters presented in the geotechnical baseline report (GBR) considering planned alignment changes from the base technical concept as well as to gather information to be used in design and permitting. The scope of the supplementary investigation included land-based and water-based investigations. Over one mile of land-based borings and cone penetrometer tests (CPTs) were completed, including seismic cone CPTs, dilatometer tests, and instrumentation installation. For the water-based investigation, nearly a half mile of borings and CPTs were completed in just 24 days. This paper describes the rationale behind the supplemental investigation, its scope, how the resulting data were integrated into the design of the project, and the technical challenges inherent with working on open waters in close proximity to the area’s highly active commercial and Navy ports.
Overcoming Challenges for the Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel Site Investigation
Wachenfeld, Amanda (author) / Kibby, Scott (author) / Perrone, Frank (author) / Ballesta, Jose (author)
Eighth International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering ; 2019 ; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Geo-Congress 2019 ; 241-254
2019-03-21
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
Overcoming Challenges for the Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel Site Investigation
| British Library Conference Proceedings | 2019
Digging Deeper—Supplemental Geotechnical Site Investigation for Parallel Thimble Shoal Tunnel
| British Library Conference Proceedings | 2019
Online Contents | 2010