Project Description

The client had recently completed a bridge project entailing building spans of the new bridge on steel piles driven into the river bottom. Once the new spans were completed the old bridge was demolished, the new spans were loaded on a barge, floated to the new bridge footing, and lifted on to the new footings.

Once the spans were in place, the client needed to remove the 19 steel piles that held the new spans during construction. The piles were 48 and 60 inches OD with 7/8 inch wall thickness.

Mactech Role in the Project

Mactech provided our 33-60 inch ID sever machine to cut piles 15 feet below the river bed.

Mactech’s Value Added to the Project

With record rains in the area, the river was running very high and the current made it difficult to work in the river using conventional methods. Mactech’s machine enabled the client to cut and remove piles without the need to use divers for dredging and torch cutting.

Alternative Methods to Mactech’s Solution

Diving was considered but ultimately deemed unsafe.

Steps Taken to Complete the Job

  • Client contacted Mactech in February to discuss the possibility of using our equipment for the final phase of the project
  • Mobilized in March
  • Cutting of 19 piles completed in four days
  • Average cut time: 60 minutes

Results

The customer was very pleased with our ID pipe sever machine and our subsea cutting services. Going forward, the client has an alternative to using divers for the removal of piles.