Geotechnical Instrumentation
Installation of 17 strain gages and 54 tilt meters on selected bent structures to monitor deflections during excavation
The North Shore Connector project extended the Port Authority of Allegheny County’s Light Rail Transit system 1.2 miles from the Gateway Subway Station located in downtown Pittsburgh to the North Shore. While remaining underground in twin-bored tunnels along the North Shore, the alignment would transition to an elevated alignment before terminating near the West End Bridge. The project supported the effort to revitalize downtown Pittsburgh and the North Shore’s residential areas, business districts, educational institutions, and entertainment developments.
Geocomp deployed its iSite® data logging system along with the iSiteCentral® web-based data management program to deliver data to the engineers on a real time basis, 24/7. Over two weekends, the existing supports under the SR 65 North and South approaches to Ft. Duquesne Bridge were cut away, allowing the load transfer of the highway structures above to new foundation elements. The old foundations had to be removed to make room for the new light rail tunnels. Geocomp engineers and technicians were on-site for 24-hour shifts monitoring the piers while the load was transferred using a complex post-tensioning process.