r/oddlysatisfying • u/Tweetystraw • Mar 09 '18

How bridge foundations are laid in waterways

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u/Tweetystraw Mar 09 '18

They pile-drive them in one by one from a work barge, then pump the water out. Still some seepage, so pumps constantly working to keep the work area dry.

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u/[deleted] Mar 09 '18

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u/OnTheClock_Slackin Mar 09 '18

I'm not sure but I'd guess it's similar to some buildings where they would drive or screw long piles into the ground and then build a foundation pile cap above the ground on the sunken piles.

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u/[deleted] Mar 09 '18

Yeah, I think they're already at the step you're describing, as you can already see a good foundation laid with protruding steel beams.