Apalachicola Florida - 1997

On February 18, 1997 a new World Load Testing Record was set by LOADTEST, Inc. at the Florida Department of Transportation’s State Route 20 bridge over the Apalachicola River, near Blountstown, Florida.
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A total load of 15,000 tons (135 MN) was applied to a drilled shaft using a setup with three Osterberg Cells. This new record surpasses the previous world mark of 7,300 tons (65 MN), set in Georgia. The record setting foundation was installed as part of a testing program developed by FDOT District 3 Geotechnical Engineer Bubba Knight. Other testing at the S.R. 20 bridge site includes multi-level O-Cell load testing and lateral load testing of the foundations.

The record setting load test was conducted on a 9 foot (2.75 m) diameter, 127 feet (38.7m) deep drilled shaft. LOADTEST, Inc. utilized three 34-inch (850 mm) diameter Osterberg Cells installed on a single plane near the base of the shaft. The drilled shaft was socketed into limerock and was constructed using a mineral slurry to support the shaft excavation. Forty-two sister bar strain gages were monitored during the loading to assist in the analysis of the side shear load distribution from the limerock and overburden soils.

Drilled shaft foundations for the test piers were constructed by Farmer Drilling Company. Dames & Moore provided the geotechnical engineering services and the project manager is Parsons Brinckerhoff . Odebrecht Contractors of Florida is the General Contractor for the bridge. As a direct result of testing, the Florida D.O.T. was able to review and refine the foundation and shaft design, thus reducing the foundation installation time and associated costs.


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