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SDOT- High bridge repair: Continuing post-tensioning prep; more exterior epoxy injection and carbon-fiber wrapping ahead | Westside Seattle
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SDOT- High bridge repair: Continuing post-tensioning prep; more exterior epoxy injection and carbon-fiber wrapping ahead
SDOT- High bridge repair: Continuing post-tensioning prep; more exterior epoxy injection and carbon-fiber wrapping ahead
The West Seattle High Rise Bridge as seen March 17, 2022. Work continues even as the concrete truck driver's strike is still happening. Some movement was expected by the week of March 21 as Teamsters Union Local 174 offered to come back to work for three select companies while contract negotiations continue. The wooden fences you see in the photo are access points to get down inside the bridge girders.
Photo by Patrick Robinson
Fri, 03/18/2022
Information from Seattle Department of Transportation
This week, we continued epoxy crack injection and carbon-fiber wrap work to reinforce the bridge’s concrete. We begin this work by injecting the epoxy compound into cracks at very high pressures.
Once the cracks are filled and the concrete surface is smoothed, we press sheets of carbon-fiber wrap with a similar compound and apply them on the epoxy-filled concrete surface. After the carbon-fiber wrap dries, we paint over it with a protective coating.
We will repeat this process on all three of the bridge’s spans and complete another phase of this work after we install the new post-tensioning cables inside the bridge.
Pouring a bonding compound into the carbon-fiber press to strengthen the wrap. SDOT Photo
Unravelling a roll of carbon-fiber wrap and applying it to concrete that has been injected with an epoxy compound. SDOT Photo
Painting the carbon-fiber wrap with a protective coating. SDOT Photo
We also completed more core drilling this week and built more forms for future post-tensioning components.
An update on the ongoing concrete strike
Over the past week, we’ve seen progress made on the concrete strike. We’ve been working diligently with our contractor on strategies to get concrete that meets our needs on the bridge as soon as possible.
Our West Seattle Bridge construction contractor, Kraemer North America, has already reached out to all the concrete suppliers available to determine who can supply the special type of concrete needed for the bridge. Kraemer is working every day to reorder their schedule to minimize delays as much as possible.
The West Seattle Bridge program requires specialized concrete, which can hold more than 20 million pounds of force and must sustain its strength for decades to come. This will be used to form structures inside the bridge to hold new steel cables, which strengthen the bridge. Not every concrete supplier can provide this type of concrete, and we are still working to arrange for a delivery with whichever supplier can provide this as soon as possible.
