I started on a post back in January, realizing I never finished it when I started writing a new one for this project. So, this one now covers a few months!
Work on the land bents began back in November, before it got really cold! There are 5 land-based bents (Bent 1 on the “south” side of the river and Bents 2 – 5 on the “north” side of the river). Work started with Bent 2 in November, of which Paul took a few photos that I have put into the slideshow below. After a pause for the holidays and scheduling, work on Bent 3 was started in January. The drilled shaft contractor, Hayes Drilling, begins shaft excavation in late afternoon so that that is completed early in the morning for concrete to be placed in the daytime. This means that Paul is verifying the low temperature forecasts of the local KC weather personalities, as well as messing up his sleep habits with many late nights (early mornings?) spent observing the shaft excavations. Paul writes concerning the progress as of this week:
The main pylon is beginning to take shape as the delta-tower rises out of the river. The drilled shafts are complete at Bents 2 and 3, including base-grouting for QA purposes. Despite encountering several difficult boulders right above bedrock, the shafts at Bent 4 have been installed and are awaiting base-grouting. Hayes has constructed three of the five shafts at Bent 5. When complete, they’ll move their operation to the south bank to complete the five shafts at Bent 1.
Pile sleeves have been installed behind the MSE walls at the north and south end bents and are awaiting HP14x73 piles. The piles at the south end bent will be driven after settlement of the fill is mostly complete. The north end bent piles will be installed upon completion of the Bent 5 shafts.
The MSE abutments are being constructed prior to pile driving, hence the sleeves (corrugated metal pipe) being set for the piles.
I have complied a slideshow from some of Paul’s latest pictures. There are a couple in there from early work on site. You can see the pylon tower in the river is coming on up!
More pictures here.
Previous post here, here and here.
