California Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge damaged by rains/earth 1

[JAE]

Some fractures at the tops of some columns - apparently some mudslides hitting them below.

http://www.montereycountyweekly.com...cle_59c5aaac-f466-11e6-ae4f-0741bcadb46c.html

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[hokie66]

That section of California Highway 1 has experienced lots of problems. It is tough road building country.

 

[dik]

Aw... more hairline cracks...

Dik

 

[hokie66]

Just guessing from the photos, but it looks like the base of that column has moved down the hill.

 

[MikeHalloran]

Yeah, and I swear I see curvature in the topmost foot or two of the column, suggesting that the base may have moved quite a lot.


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[msquared48]

The article JAE posted said it had shifted laterally. Looks like the connection to the superstructure is also torqued.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[hokie66]

If I had bothered to read the article instead of just looking at the pictures, I would have seen the statement that "the base of the column moved downhill" due to the landslip.

 

[IRstuff]

This is probably a better shot, which shows the result of the shifting of the footing

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

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[berkshire]

Here is the latest report.
B.E.

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.

 

[JAE]

Going to have to replace it.
From this view I'd have to agree.

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[azcats]

Anyone know what type of foundation was used on the pier that slid down the hill?

 

[JoshPlumSE]

Thanks Berkshire.... That 2nd article had much better pictures to show the extent of damage.

 

[msquared48]

Wow! That shows a lot of vertical movement.

Yep. Definitely replace here - no patch and sack.

I wonder if concrete arch on augercast pile or caissons further up the hillside would work better...

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[zeusfaber]

Two lines in that article made me smile:

"I can't really state in what direction it may be moving."

"It's unknown at this point how the existing structure will be demolished."

I suppose the spokesman was taking a less simplistic view than I was.

A.

 

[JohnRBaker]

I would expect that the "existing structure will be demolished" in due time, even if they do nothing but wait for the effects of Mother Nature and gravity. As for the "direction it may be moving", may I suggest that it's probably DOWN.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[itsmoked]

Cars should only cross it now at a very high rate of speed.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[IRstuff]

"Cars should only cross it now at a very high rate of speed"

That bump that the bridge experiences when the cars hit the other side of the dip in the roadway should accelerate the deterioration and possibly help with the demolition. ;-)

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[azcats]

[URL unfurl="true"]http://www.ksbw.com/article/problems-with-crane-slow-demolition-of-pfeiffer-canyon-bridge/9129063[/url]

Looks like day 1 of demo didn't go as well as hoped.

 

[Spartan5]

"Shivers said explosives are not an option for environmental reasons."

I'm as green as they come. But if the goal is to just get the thing to collapse, it seems like a few carefully placed shape charges would be just the ticket.

 

[msquared48]

With the instability of the base, just a kicker charge a few feet above the ground surface and on the opposite side of the direction of sliding should suffice.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)