Structure Reinforcement | Geotechnical Construction
Gibbon Falls Reinforcement
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Project Description
Gibbon Falls, in Yellowstone National Park, contains several hundred feet of historical masonry rock walls. The Federal Highway Administration and National Park Service worked together to develop a procedure to reinforce existing masonry walls without damaging the historical structures. The result would serve as a guide for repairing historical masonry wall structures in all national parks.
Team Members
National Park Service, Federal Highway Administration, Western Federal Lands Highway Division, Crux Subsurface Inc.
Crux’s Role
The project involved two parts: drilling and installation of reinforcement through the existing masonry walls; and the drilling, installation and testing of soil nails for a nearby soil nail wall development.
Crux utilized an air rotary system for drilling 70-foot boreholes, 10 degrees from vertical, to reinforce the existing old masonry walls. To address visual and structural concerns, it was critical to control deviation so as not to allow daylight through the 18-inch masonry wall. After drilling the borings through the wall and into competent native materials, a tubular steel pile was placed in the hole. The tubular steel pile was grouted into the bearing unit and the masonry wall.
In order to develop capacities for a soil nail wall, Crux drilled and installed several soil nails to varying depths. Drilling was completed using a down-the-hole hammer system. Nails were installed through the casing and pressure grouted in the bond zones on 5-foot intervals as the casing was extracted.
The work plan was developed to minimize impact to the public and reduce environmental disturbance..
To request additional information, please use our Contact Page or call 866-CRUXSUB (866-278-9782).
