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Historic Bridge Restoration with Limestone Segmental Retaining Wall System

Project Name

Hog Point Bridge #128

Customer Name
Tippecanoe County, Indiana

Design / Specifying Engineer
Stewart S. Kline, Principal of H. Stewart Kline & Associates

Block Manufacturer
Purdy Concrete, Inc.

Wall Installer
Jack Isom Construction

Project Location
Tippecanoe County, IN

Year Built
2010

Project Scope

Redi-Rock Chosen for Historic Bridge Restoration

THE CHALLENGE: Rehab a beautiful, historic bridge

When this Indiana county needed to restore this historic bridge, the project was no simple task.
The bridge was a four-span, closed-spandrel concrete arch bridge over the Tippecanoe River in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. The bridge was originally built in 1925, then rehabilitated in 1977. The total length of the bridge measured 378.8 ft. and the largest span was 97.1 ft.

THE SOLUTION: Precast, Limestone Redi-Rock abutments

H. Stewart Kline & Associates was the design firm for the project. Stewart W. Kline explained why the County chose Redi-Rock for the project:

"We've used Redi-Rock previously in some historic situations when we were tying into limestone abutments. Since this project was an arch rehabilitation, the idea was to try to do something that would aesthetically keep with the character bridge which has been an area landmark for generations. We were trying to use something that looked like it fit in and complemented the bridge," he said.

Redi-Rock Limestone texture mimics the look of natural cut limestone, and has been used in historic projects across the country. The massive, one-ton size of each block gives walls a scale to match large-scale projects such as this, along with the ability to build tall gravity walls that often require no reinforcement.

Kline utilized several different block types from the Redi-Rock arsenal to minimize the excavation and reinforcement required throughout the project. 41 In. Series blocks as well as 9 In. Setback blocks allowed engineers to maximize the wall heights.

THE DESIGN: 10,000 sq. ft. of gravity walls

The construction project's goal was not only to restore the bridge, but to widen the roadway as well. "The old road was very steep; it had over a 9 percent grade, so we had to cut our way through the valley with a wall to shallow the grade and widen the road," Kline explained.

On the other end of the bridge, Redi-Rock walls served as fill walls to widen the roadway. As the walls approached the arch, they curve behind the old wing walls all the way to the base, "basically relieving pressure off the old wing walls as the road widened," Kline said.

In total, 10,757 sq. ft. of Redi-Rock gravity walls were specified for the project. More square footage was added as the project progressed due to the soil situation.

Almost all of the walls in the project were specified as gravity walls. Kline utilized the Redi-Rock 9 In. Setback blocks throughout the project to increase the setback of the walls and allow taller gravity walls to be built. In some sections, the design alternated between Redi-Rock 41 In. blocks and 9 In. Setback blocks to vary the batter.

THE OUTCOME: A photogenic finish

The cut walls were slated for winter installation, and the job is scheduled to be completed in late 2011. "It's turning out really well, and it's certainly one of our more photogenic projects," Kline said.

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