Puketapu Bridge Replacement

Spiral Drillers were contracted to complete the piled foundations for the replacement Puketapu Bridge structure that was destroyed during Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023.

Works involved 6 Nos. 1050mm diameter Reinforced Concrete Bored Piles for the abutment structures down to 15 metres deep and 6 Nos. 1800mm diameter Reinforced Concrete Bored Piles for the pier structures down to 45 metres deep.

We utilised our SR65 Soilmec Drill Rig and PVE10NL (14ton ram Hydraulic Hammer) to install 25mm thick permanent casings down to depths of 33 metres through river gravels, cobbles, and limestone layers. Casings were all driven ahead of auguring to maintain immediate contact with the surrounding ground to satisfy the design intent.

Piling works were undertaken in an active riverbed where environmental controls had to be implemented to ensure contamination of the stream was avoided. Due to the superstructure being significantly higher than the riverbed level and a continuous pile/column design, Spiral Drillers constructed a frame to enable pile starters to extend up to 4.5 metres above the ground level, enabling the splice of the reinforcing for the columns to be in a suitable zone.