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Construction of the New Sunset Beach, NC, Bridge
Jo O'Keefe Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved
Projected completion date: December 14, 2010
English Construction Company, Inc., Lynchburg, Virginia
May 17, 2008 - June 30, 2008
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Sketch of the
new bridge to Sunset Beach, NC
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May 17, 2008:
Rebars awaiting concrete footings
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The first rebars
covered by forms
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Built-up rebars
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A construction crane,
the old water tower, and the new fire station, relocated partly because
of the location of the bridge and partly because a newer facility was
needed
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NCDOT
Construction Headquarters
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May 25, 2008:
First bridge columns with reinforced steel and concrete
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Second set of rebars
covered by forms with work platform on top. Ironically a crane for maintenance
work being done to the exist Sunset Beach Bridge is visible in the background.
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May 30, 2008:
Additional work for the
new bridge and its egress is taking place along side of the causeway.
Large wooden forms reinforced with steel have been built. Cement trucks,
unable to carry full-capacity loads because of the limitations of the
pontoon bridge, amble across the bridge and down the causeway to fill
the forms with concrete. After the cement hardens, each form provides
a reinforced concrete deck slab or mat. Approximately 140 slabs will
be used for the causeway detour that vehicles will use during bridge
construction. All together, there will be approximately 400 slabs because
of widening of the causeway. A close up of one form is shown on the
left. Two piles of already-made mats and a row of three work forms are
in the right-hand photo. In the left-hand photo it appears that another
row of work forms is being constructed.
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June 11, 2008:
I finally "got"
it. I understood what the engineers had been telling me. The red forms
were placed around the steel green rebars. Then concrete was poured
into the forms. Afterwards, the forms will be removed. The results are
concrete columns reinforced with steel. In the photo on the left, dark
wet concrete is being poured into the bucket. In the photo on the right,
the bucket is being lifted up toward the work platform.
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Bucket further
up
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Bucket of concrete
being centered over form surrounding rebars
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Empty bucket of
concrete being lowered back down to the concrete mixer. Approximately
two truckloads of concrete are needed to fill each column.
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June 12, 2008:
The widened causeway
will extend to the brown soil on the left. Its elevation will be at
the height of the top of the pile.
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This is the foundation
of a detour ramp that will be used for awhile during bridge construction
and causeway modifications.
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Because I am very
concerned about the animals in our environment, I was pleased to learn
that this matting is biodegradable. The slopes have been permanently
seeded. Matting was installed to prevent erosion, holding the dirt in
place until grass has established itself on those slopes.
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June 15, 2008:
These are the first two
concrete columns that were complete and on which beams were installed
to support the bridge. They are nearest the Intracoastal Waterway.
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First two pairs
of columns with support beams
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This photo shows
five pairs of columns in four different stages. The two pairs furthest
back have support beams on top. The next pair are concrete columns without
support beams. The second-closest pair, encircled by red molds, are
the ones photographed (above) on June 11 into which concrete was poured.
The final, green rebar pair in front, will be wrapped in molds and then
filled with concrete.
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June 16, 2008:
English Construction
Company employees closed the boat ramp next to the bridge. Only construction
vehicles may enter the area henceforth.
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June 18, 2008: Work continues in still another area. A massive pile of dirt is being hauled in and shaped to make the approach ramp to the bridge. It is near the fire station. Multiple vehicles are involved. Dump truck after dump truck delivers dirt. One is leaving in the background. | |
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June 22, 2008:
First columns with a
cap. This will support the girders that will support the bridge deck.
These columns are nearest the intracoastal waterway.
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June 30, 2008:
The left image shows both staff of English Construction Company and
NCDOT conferring about placement of the first round beams that will
support the causeway detour. The instrument on the left pointing vertically
toward you with a man leaning against it is the hammer that will be
used to pound the beams into the ground, which is marsh. The terrain
is sloped and leads to marsh. The "beams" on the right will
be used under the deck slabs that will be the surface of the causeway
detour. All of this equipment is on a newly filled-in ramp area for
the detour.
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