A Pennsylvania-based company with expertise in solving geotechnical construction problems is testing the proposed solution to stabilize the northbound Interstate 65 bridge over Wildcat Creek, Indiana Department of Transportation spokeswoman Debbie Calder said.
Nicholson Construction on Sunday sent workers and equipment to design and build a permanent fix for the bridge that caused INDOT on Aug. 7 to shutdown northbound lanes of I-65 between Lebanon and Lafayette, she said.
Testing the solution
Micropiles, high-strength small-diameter steel casings with rods and grout, will be installed through the footers of the existing center pier and deep into the subsoil to stop the pier from sinking, INDOT announced last week.
To test the solution, crews worked Monday through Wednesday to install a test micropile near the center pier.
The grout must cure for three days.
Then engineers will evaluate how effectively the test micropile distributes the weight of the bridge to adjacent soils, according to INDOT.
The results will shape the final design of the bridge repairs, INDOT spokesman Will Wingfield said.
The center pier on the northbound bridge over Wildcat Creek sank 9 inches after crews from Walsh Construction Co. drove into the ground steel piles to widen the bridge, according to INDOT.