A type of bridge pile often seen in offshore applications could help reduce the cost of bridge building or replacement of aging spans. So reports Science Daily.
Research using 100-foot long, large open-ended pipe piles (LOEPPs) is being conducted by engineers at Purdue University in collaboration with the Indiana Department of Transportation. LOEPPs are routinely used in wind turbines and oil platforms. In the current test project, LOEPPS will be used in the foundation of a bridge spanning the Wabash River near the Purdue campus in West Lafayette, Indiana.
One advantage of LOEPPS is that it is easier to drive the pipes into the riverbed soil compared to traditional closed-ended piles, which will be used for the end piers. Also, the pile is larger than conventional piles, so fewer are needed, which can reduce cost.
The researchers will study various measures to assess how the pipes behave, given they are driven so deep into the riverbed soil.