Caltrans records reveal concerns about Bay Bridge concrete
A builder of the new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge failed to disclose that a 19-foot section of concrete in the foundation of the span's signature tower had not hardened before it was tested. By keeping quiet about the problem, the builder prevented further examination or repair.
The Bee found descriptions of the apparent defect in records provided by Caltrans last fall to reassure the public about the overall stability of the suspension segment of the bridge's eastern span. Experts said the problem, combined with other construction and testing lapses by the California Department of Transportation and its contractors, raises new questions about the structural integrity of the bridge.
Kiewit-FCI-Manson, a joint venture, built the foundation as part of a $177 million contract. It did not provide the problematic 2007 test results until after a Bee investigation in November showed that a Caltrans employee skipped required test preparation for separate checks of the same foundation and fabricated results on other structures.
The agency plans to open the $6.5 billion structure, the costliest public-works project in state history, by Labor Day 2013 to serve an estimated 100 million drivers annually. Caltrans said the bridge is sound and can withstand any anticipated earthquake.
Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/26/4519092/caltrans-records-reveal-concerns.html
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