This week Teichert Construction started to access the hillside north of Brushy Creek bridge to prepare for installation of 2 retaining wall structures. Part of this preparation work is exploratory drilling and inclinometer installation. Exploratory drilling in the hillside is necessary for County engineers to confirm the existing hillside soil conditions and make any necessary modifications to the retaining wall design prior to actual installation. Inclinometers are plastic casings (90 ft in depth) installed on the hillside that are located behind the retaining wall location that measure any hillside movement. Measuring any "hillside" creep is necessary as part of the overall installation process to ensure that retaining wall construction isn't affecting slope stability and as well as providing long term maintenance monitoring. Progress continues with the Brushy Creek bridge widening effort as Teichert Construction crews excavated for foundation footings at the south abutment. This operation will be followed with pile driving, anticipated to begin next week (6/28/10).
.Looking north at an inclinometer location. Note, the portion of the hillside, leftside in the picture (down slope) will be excavated for the retaining wall itself.
Inclinometer casing.
Teichert Construction crew excavating the footing for the southern abutment.