I-95 Philadelphia Bridge Collapse, Emergency Repair Using Geosynthetic Reinforcement

Overview

I-95 Philadelphia Bridge Collapse, Emergency Repair Using Geosynthetic Reinforcement

Presenter: Vona Ojaruega - Huesker US

I-95 plays a critical role in serving a vast population of approximately 110 million people and is instrumental in facilitating approximately 40 percent of the United States\\\' gross domestic product (GDP). This interstate highway, stretching from Maine to Florida, serves as a vital transportation artery connecting numerous major cities and economic hubs along the eastern seaboard.

At about 6:15 am on June 11, 2023, a tanker carrying eighty-five hundred (8,500) gallons of gasoline lost control, collided with the Cottman exit bridge abutment of the I-95 in Philly and resulted in flames hot enough to cause a collapse of the north bound section of the I-95 Bridge above the exit ramp.

This presentation details the reconstruction approach involving the use of an Ultra-light weight recycled foamed glass aggregate and geogrid reinforcement which allowed for the reopening of the I-95 in record breaking time.

About the speaker: Vona Ojaruega received his Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from the University of Benin, Benin City Nigeria (UNIBEN) and then proceeded to get his Master’s in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte (UNCC). Vona currently works as a Technical Business Manager for Huesker North America, managing technical aspects for projects involving the use of high tenacity geosynthetics for reinforcement, stabilization and land reclamation.

This paper won the Case Study prize at the 2024 IGS Americas conference in Toronto

IGS UK Flyer I-95 Repair