Joint ASCE/BAPG Meeting - Foundation Design and Construction of the New NY Bridge

Presented By:   Robert J. Palermo, P.E., GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.

This presentation is eligible for 1 PDH.

Abstract

The New NY Bridge (Tappan Zee Bridge Replacement) is a $3.14B Design-Build project with the New York State Thruway Authority.  The project consists of the design and construction of two new 3-mile long multiple span structures that carry I-87/287 across the Hudson River between Rockland and Westchester Counties.  The twin bridges each include approximately 2 miles of approach spans over water and a ¾-mile main span cable stayed bridge.  The new bridges are located immediately to the north of the existing bridge.  The new alignment parallels the existing alignment through the center of the crossing and then ties into the existing alignment shortly past the shoreline at both ends.

The New NY Bridge is currently under construction and the first span of the new twin-span bridge is scheduled to open in 2017. The second bridge is scheduled to be complete in 2018. The new bridge is being designed and constructed to last 100 years without major structural maintenance. The 1,100 pipe pile foundations for the new crossing are up to 6 feet in diameter, and are designed to accommodate future bus rapid transit, light rail or commuter rail.

The bridge was designed and is being constructed by Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC (TZC), a consortium of Fluor, American Bridge, Granite, and Traylor Bros. HDR is the lead designer and major sub-consultants include GZA, Buckland & Taylor and URS.

Two multi-span, 3.1 mile long bridges are currently under construction to replace the existing 60-year old Tappan Zee Bridge that crosses the Hudson River in New York.  The geology at the site generally consists of a thick deposit of soft, organic soils overlying glacial lake varved clays up to 500 feet in thickness.  The main span towers and anchor piers of the bridge are supported on 6-ft diameter, open-ended steel pipe piles bearing on either glacial till or sedimentary or metamorphic bedrock at depths of up to 270 feet below the Hudson River.

The presentation will address the high capacity deep foundations that used to support the new bridge superstructure.  The nominal resistance of these piles is up to 31,135 KN (7,000 kips). The remaining portions of the bridge are designed to be supported on 3-ft and 4-ft diameter, open-ended steel pipe piles, about half of which are friction piles in the deep glacial lake varved clay deposit. The required nominal resistance of the friction piles is up to 19,125 KN (4,300 kips). 

A summary of the challenges associated with the design and construction of the high capacity piles, the requirements of the extensive pile load test program and related construction constraints will also be discussed.

Biography

Robert J. Palermo, P.E. Senior Vice President

GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.

Bob Palermo is a Senior Vice President with GZA GeoEnvironmental (GZA) with 40 years of experience in geotechnical engineering for bridges, buildings and underground construction. Bob joined GZA in 1978 after receiving his B.S. in Civil Engineering at Northeastern, and is a registered professional engineer in 17 states.  He is currently GZA’s Principal Geotechnical Engineer and technical leader for GZA’s infrastructure projects. 

His experience includes soil mechanics, shallow and deep foundation engineering, seismic design, underpinning, ground improvement, construction dewatering, lateral support systems, tunneling in soil and rock, and blasting. Bob is the Lead Geotechnical Engineer on the HDR Team for the Tappan Zee project, and was responsible for TZC’s subsurface exploration program, foundation design, pile load test program and instrumentation monitoring of the existing Tappan Zee Bridge during pile installation for the New NY Bridge.

Some of Bob’s other project experience includes the rehabilitation of the Queens Boulevard Bridge in Queens, the Second Avenue Subway and No.7 Line Subway Extension in Manhattan, the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel project in Boston and the Carolina Bays Parkway in Myrtle Beach, SC. Bob also has experience managing construction projects involving environmental issues, such as handling and disposal of contaminated soil and groundwater encountered during excavation and permit compliance issues. 

ASCE and BAPG will both be responsible for their own organizations registrations.

**Please be sure to email the vice-president@bapg.org to cancel your registration if needed.  ASCE and BAPG are responsible for all no-shows.**

The meeting is kindly being sponsored by GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. :