IHNC LAKE BORGNE SURGE BARRIER

ORLEANS PARISH, LOUISIANA

The Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC) Lake Borgne Surge Barrier Project consists of a two-mile long floodwall with two gate structures providing flood protection to the City of New Orleans. Eustis Engineering Services, L.L.C. is the Geotechnical Designer of Record for the Lake Borgne Surge Barrier Project tasked with oversight of multiple geotechnical engineering entities and providing technical expertise to Shaw Engineering and Infrastructure, the Design-Build Contractor for the project. Eustis Engineering managed the exploration program which consisted of 5-in. diameter, undisturbed mud rotary drilled sampling, cone penetration testing, in-situ pressure meter testing, and all laboratory testing.

A comprehensive pile load test program was developed for the project that comprised multiple sites testing 26 piles with a series of dynamic and static load test procedures. Robust pile sizes included 66-in. diameter, roller spun concrete and 36-in. diameter, open end steel pipe piles driven beyond 200 feet in depth and tested beyond 2 million pounds. Our professional services included dynamic pile testing, static load test monitoring, and interpretation. A lateral load plan was created and implemented to verify lateral soil response to support a variance by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the project. The plan included strain gage instrumentation and cutting edge monitoring of pile deflections.

Professional engineering services included the development of soil parameters site-wide by project feature from soil exploration data and geologic knowledge of the area. Eustis Engineering performed the geotechnical engineering for the GIWW Bypass Gate, developed estimates of pile capacity, and determined pile drivability for the entire project. As Designer of Record, Eustis Engineering reviewed all geotechnical engineering submittals and guided all other consultants through the design procedures mandated by the USACE. Being a Design-Build project, the Geotechnical Designer of Record has been instrumental in working with Shaw E & I to explore avenues for project cost savings while maintaining an aggressive schedule for completion.