SR 20 Roadway Bridge Over the Apalachicola River

Ardaman & Associates, Inc., in cooperation with the Florida Department of Transportation, District 3 Office successfully conducted a geotechnical exploration and provided design recommendations for the foundations of the S.R. 20 roadway bridge over the Apalachicola River

The geotechnical exploration and recommendations for the foundations of the proposed bridge that connects Calhoun and Liberty Counties in North Florida, was a landmark in the practice of geotechnical engineering in Florida.  The joint efforts of Ardaman and the owner, the Florida Department of Transportation, District 3, resulted in the design and testing of one of the largest drilled shaft foundations in the state.  Extensive field exploration (which included borings within the river performed from a floating platform) and a comprehensive laboratory program (including over 235 individual tests) supported the geotechnical design for the 7 to 9-foot diameter drilled shaft foundations.  A load test, designed by Ardaman and FDOT, conducted on a test shaft, resulted in an axial test load of 15,000 tons, the largest load to date for a test of this type.

The project was selected for a Grand Award by the Florida Institute of Consulting Engineers as part of their Engineering Excellence Awards program.