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Manette Bridge

Geotechnical Exploration | Bridge Project

Project Description

Built in 1930, the Manette Bridge in Bremerton, Washington, is one of the oldest bridges in the state still open to regular traffic. It carries vehicular traffic across Dyes Inlet of Puget Sound.

In recent years, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) became concerned that the Manette Bridge had become structurally deficient, and proposed a replacement. However, with a view towards preserving the historic bridge, a local group persuaded WSDOT to do a thorough investigation of the concrete piers supporting the bridge in addition the regular visual inspections of the steel structure.

Team Members

Washington State Department of Transportation, Crux Subsurface Inc.

Crux’s Role

The bridge’s steel structure was supported on 1,800-foot long concrete piers approximately 100 ft above the water surface.

As an on-call contractor for WSDOT, Crux was contracted to drill three horizontal HQ borings and two, 4-inch masonry holes at various elevations into one of the central piers. This was done to collect samples of the concrete for further testing in WSDOT's labs. Due to the high profile and environmentally sensitive nature of the project, drill cuttings had to be contained and disposed of offsite.

Additionally, Crux was restricted to working during a six-hour window between morning and evening rush hours. Each day, Crux had to mobilize and set up cranes and drilling equipment, lower and stabilize the drilling platform at the borehole location, core the concrete test samples, abandon the borehole, and de-mobilize the equipment to the staging area.

Upon completion, each borehole was abandoned with grout. A temporary plug was installed at the collar of the borehole while the grout set. As the temporary plug was removed, the collar was patched with very fast setting grout.

Difficult Access

Crux arrived on the job with a 35-ton rough-terrain crane to suspend a Crux-designed drill platform, and 28-ton boom truck to suspend a man basket that would ferry equipment and personnel to the drilling platform. At each of the 3 borehole locations, the drilling platform was lowered to the proper elevation and the front of the platform was anchored to the pier. Water-tight rubber sheeting was fitted to the borehole collar to capture drill cuttings for later disposal.

To request additional information, please use our Contact Page or call 866-CRUXSUB (866-278-9782).