Research & Innovation

Bridge Pile Repair Using Underwater FRP Sleeve and Steel Reinforced Grout

Summary:

Structural repairs to a bridge that has supportive elements in a river, lake or other body of water can mean high costs and substantial disruption to the environment and area traffic. To remove the water and prepare the site for repairs, engineers would typically build a temporary wall and run pumps to keep the area dry for the duration of the project. The bridge’s deck might also be removed for easier access, and boat and vehicle traffic might be rerouted until the work is completed. In recent years, innovative construction materials and methods have been developed to offer a potentially faster and easier solution for repairing a bridge’s piles without removing the surrounding water. After learning of other states’ successes with these proprietary bridge pile repair systems, MnDOT and LRRB partnered on a demonstration project in Minnesota to compare two vendors’ systems on a bridge near St. Cloud. Both systems provided viable results, giving engineers in the state a new option to consider when repairing in-water bridge supports.

Final Deliverables:

• Bridge Pile Repair Using Underwater Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Sleeve and Steel Reinforced Grout (Report #2024-28)
• Implementation Summary: Repairing In-Water Bridge Supports Using Innovative Methods and Materials (Research Summary)

Related Materials:

Related Research:

Project Personnel:

Principal Investigator:  William Schilling
Technical Liaison:  Nickolas Haltvick
Project Coordinator:  Marcus Bekele
Panel Members: 
    Adam Ahrndt - District 8
    Edward Lutgen - Bridges
    James Hukriede - District 3
    Katie Fleming - Research and Innovation
    Michael Ginnaty - District 3
    Paul Pilarski - Bridges