CONDITION OF LARGE CAISSONS DURING CONSTRUCTION

NEW YORK CITYS NARROWS BRIDGE PIER FOUNDATION CONSISTED OF A MASSIVE CONCRETE CAISSON WITH OPEN WELLS FOR DREDGING. PLACEMENT WAS BY OPEN DREDGE METHOD. BOTH TOWER PIERS ARE EMBEDDED IN GLACIAL SAND. THE BROOKLYN TOWER PIER IS FOUNDED 170 FT. BELOW SEA LEVEL ON SILTY CLAY. THE STATEN ISLAND PIER IS FOUNDED AT MINUS 105 FT. ON TRANSITION OF MORAINAL DEPOSIT. DURING THE CONSTRUCTION, THE DRIVING FORCE FOR SEATING THE CAISSON WAS GAINED BY REMOVING THE SUPPORTING SOILS AT THE BOTTOM. AT ANY STAGE OF THE SINKING, THE EFFECTIVE WEIGHT OF A CAISSON SHOULD EXCEED THE ANTICIPATED RESISTANCE, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE SKIN FRICTION ON CAISSON SURFACE AS WELL AS THE BEARING RESISTANCE OF SOILS AT THE CUTTING EDGE. THE THEORETICAL METHODS FOR DETERMINING SUCH RESISTANCE ON THE BASIS OF SOIL TESTS ARE NOT OFTEN RELIABLE AND EXPERIENCES OF INDIVIDUAL ENGINEERS ARE WIDELY DIVERSIFIED. A REVIEW OF THE ACTUAL MECHANICS OF SINKING A CAISSON IS MADE.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1965/74/74-005.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Yang, Nai C
• Publication Date: 1965

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 68-84
• Monograph Title: Soil stresses; Foundation settlement; Caisson Stability
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 74
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alternatives analysis; Bearing capacity; Bearings; Caissons; Construction management; Mechanics; Methodology; Reviews; Shipwrecks; Skin resistance; Soils; Theory
• Identifier Terms: Tacoma Narrows Bridge
• Uncontrolled Terms: Large
• Geographic Terms: New York (New York)
• Old TRIS Terms: Construction operations; Open caisson; Open dredge method; Placing; Resistance; Soil bearing capacity
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Geotechnology; Highways; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00214407
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Mar 9 1994 12:00AM