Projects
Highway Bridge Demolition
Two highway bridge removal jobs in early 2016 were classic examples of how diamond wire saws in the hands of experienced operators can expedite these time sensitive projects and make up schedule.
Location
Houston, TX
Location
New Orleans, LA
Contractor
DH Griffin Construction
Contractor
Boh Brothers
Highway 290 - Houston, TX
In this critical path outage at an on ramp bridge between Highway 290 and the Beltway, DH Griffin Construction removed the ramp deck and bridge girders. Bluegrass then moved in to do the concrete cutting.
The first step was removing the center potion of the bent cap in order to decrease the overall weight. We ran two saws simultaneously, while two cranes were positioned to hold the cap in position. In 4 hours the 70 ton (140,000 lb.) section was released and the cranes lowered it to the ground.
The cranes then hoisted into position our 60” frame underwater wire saw, and we attached that to the vertical column. Our patented 4 wheel drive technology pushed the diamond wire through the concrete, cutting the joint where the cap rested on the column. That cut took 3 hours, yielding a reusable concrete column and a 35-ton chunk of concrete which the cranes lowered to the ground.
OUTCOME: In a shift and a half, Bluegrass had mobilized to make 3 cuts, released 105 tons of concrete, and left the columns intact and ready to be reused under the replacement bridge.
Wisner Boulevard - New Orleans, LA
In a similar project Bluegrass demonstrated the characteristic that sets us apart in the industry: making up schedule. We were contracted by Boh Brothers to cut the bridge caps and piers at Wisner Boulevard, a major travel route in New Orleans and therefore a time sensitive project.
To expedite cutting times, we mobilized 2 underwater frame saws cutting simultaneously to release the bridge caps. We cut the 24” x 36” x 60’ concrete cap in 30 minutes, and a crane lowered it to the ground. Then 2 freeform saws went into action simultaneously cutting the 2 concrete support piers in 45 minutes. Twice more this scenario was repeated, safely removing a total of 3 caps and 6 piers in 2 shifts.
OUTCOME: Despite a delayed start time due to a CSX train — expected to be the last crossing before the bridge closed — making an emergency stop directly on the bridge our experienced technicians and reliable equipment made up the lost time without compromising safety, keeping this critical path project on schedule.