Project Overview

The bridge is situated over soft, settlement susceptible marshy soils. The bridge’s grade needed to be raised by 8-10 feet to accommodate the new design. Traditional fill materials would have added excessive weight, increasing the risk of soil settlement and damage to the surrounding wetlands. A lightweight fill solution was essential to raise the grade without compromising the integrity of the marshy area or incurring the costs of with steel piles.

Design Challenges

The bridge is situated over soft, settlement susceptible marshy soils. The bridge’s grade needed to be raised by 8-10 feet to accommodate the new design. Traditional fill materials would have added excessive weight, increasing the risk of soil settlement and damage to the surrounding wetlands. A lightweight fill solution was essential to raise the grade without compromising the integrity of the marshy area or incurring the costs of with steel piles.

Glavel as a Solution

Glavel was selected as a cost-effective lightweight fill for the project. Its low bulk density allowed the project team to raise the specified grade without overloading and damaging the surrounding marshy areas. By using Glavel, the project team was able to reduce environmental impacts and construction costs.