Supporting Miter Gate Maintenance on the Upper Mississippi River

BDI has partnered with the St. Paul District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to support ongoing maintenance operations at Lock & Dam sites along the Upper Mississippi River. In the winter, during the off-season for river traffic, these sites are dewatered on a scheduled cycle to allow for inspection and maintenance of key structural components,…

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Lake Limestone Spillway

Sterling C. Robertson Dam impounds the Navasota River forming Lake Limestone, which serves primarily as a water supply reservoir. The dam, completed in 1978, features an approximately 250-foot-wide concrete service spillway which has been slated for significant rehabilitation. As part of the rehabilitation effort, BDI was engaged by Stantec to locate and measure the extent…

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Validating Concrete Overlay Performance on a Key Interstate Corridor

To ensure the long-term performance of two twin reinforced concrete T-beam bridges carrying Interstate 81 over Tattle Branch Road in Smyth County, Virginia, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) engaged BDI to evaluate recent concrete repairs. These bridges serve a vital role on a heavily traveled truck route, making structural reliability a top priority. Following the contractor’s application…

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USDA Forest Service

Bridges with unknown reinforcement and/or material properties present a unique challenge for owners. Lack of adequate structural information, often caused by lost or damaged plans, prevents these structures from being properly evaluated, and leads to uncertainty about the adequacy of these bridges for current design, legal, and permit loads. To help bridge owners facing this…

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DeCordova Bend Dam: Ultrasonic Tomography

The DeCordova Bend Dam forms the Lake Granbury Reservoir on the Brazos River southeast of Granbury, TX and was constructed between 1966 and 1969. In conjunction with other consultants, BDI performed concrete material sampling and a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) at select portions of the dam to facilitate operational and structural improvements to the dam. A…

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DeCordova Bend Dam: Ultrasonic Testing

The DeCordova Bend Dam forms the Lake Granbury Reservoir on the Brazos River southeast of Granbury, TX and was constructed between 1966 and 1969. In conjunction with other consultants, BDI performed concrete material sampling and a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) at select portions of the dam to facilitate operational and structural improvements to the dam. A…

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DeCordova Bend Dam GPR

The DeCordova Bend Dam forms the Lake Granbury Reservoir on the Brazos River southeast of Granbury, TX and was constructed between 1966 and 1969. In conjunction with other consultants, BDI performed concrete material sampling and a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) at select portions of the dam to facilitate operational and structural improvements to the dam. A…

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Big Creek Dams 5 and 6 Concrete Material Testing

Big Creek Dams 5 and 6 impound water along Big Creek near Big Creek, California and were constructed in 1921 and 1923, respectively. New increases to minimum instream flows (MIF) require increasing the diameter of existing MIF conduits through the dams. The dam owner contracted a consultant to design the larger MIF conduits and associated…

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Big Creek Dams 5 and 6 – Anchor Testing

Big Creek Dams 5 and 6 impound water along Big Creek near Big Creek, California and were constructed in 1921 and 1923, respectively. New increases to minimum instream flows (MIF) require increasing the diameter of existing MIF conduits through the dams. The dam owner contracted a consultant to design the larger MIF conduits and associated…

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Anna Maria Hardness Testing

View of bascule pinion gear assembly

Anna Maria Island (Manatee Ave.) Bridge connects the mainland city of Bradenton, FL to Anna Maria Island. This double-leaf bascule drawbridge, built in 1957, makes frequent openings due to the structure’s low clearance. While the bridge has been slated for replacement, due to its low clearance, narrow lanes, and older design, there is no established…

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