December 11, 2005:
Then next phase of Pearman unbuilding
This is sort of a week in review. The worksite - Pearman on the left
and Grace on the right
The cranes are still sort of hanging around for the next phase which
starts this week
Bob McCabe's team has completed girder and roadway removal up to the point
where a change in strategy is required - looking west
and looking east
This is all that remains of the Pearman supports where a crane can be used
to remove the girders
This is an inside joke. Ted runs the concrete cutter, and speaks
Michigan English. Ted has little experience with multicultural groups
and is unfamiliar with Boston English so the Boston guys think his name is Tad. To remind
them that he really is Ted required a little sign on the shoulder
The next stage of unbuilding requires the services of a jack-up barge.
The jack-up barge is basically a barge with legs and teeth for climbing.
(See the right-most leg). The legs are lowered to
the river bottom in order to stabilize the barge. The platform is then jacked
up and the excavators are used to disassemble the pier caps and supports.
The strategy, though, it not clear to me just yet
Looking at the other end of the Pearman - all that remains are some supports,
a few girders, the foot of D-25.
At the Mt. Pleasant end is
the bone yard - harvested Pearman shoulders ready for transplantation
to artifical reefs
Walking back, maintenance and repairs are required to keep the shears,
specifically, in good working order. Here is Kevin working on
in his shop.
In addition, the concrete cutting blades are frequently replaced. Ted
gets about 350 feet of cutting when the roadway aggregate contains
quartz and about 700 feet when softer and lighter
aggregrate is used (specifically on the main spans).