Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-20
ABUTMENT
| BEYOND REPAIR
Capt. Whitehurst Reports
New Structure Should
Be Considered.

Repairs to the deteriorated abut-
ments on the Virginia side OF Chain
Bridge are impractical from either
an engineering or economical stand
point, Capt. H. G.. Whitehurst, AS
sistant Engineer Commissioner, re-
ported today to Engineer Commits
sioner William B. Ladue.
Instead Of attempting to repair the
abutment, Capt. Whitehurst suggested
that a definite plan for replacing the
entire bridge be decided upon. and
outlined several for consideration OF
the Commissioners. One contem'
plates a monumental structure cost.
ing several millions of dollars. which
would be constructed in the vicinity
of the old structure, while the other
proposes a less pretentious span:
which would use the existing piers OF
the present bridge and would cost
about S350,000.
should the Commissioners decide on
a. monumental bridge Capt. White
hurst said steps should be taken
Immediately to begin the work ana
bids sought for the construction or
new abutnent on the Virginia SIDE.
hepOEG u AduuC'
Capt, Whitehurst's recommenda-
tons were contained in report
which he prepared at the request OF
the Engineer Commissioners. following
the closing OK Chain Bridge to vehi-
cular traffic. The report follows:
Numerous inspections OF the Vir-
GINA abutment have led US to believe
that it's construction is of a face wall
of varying thickness with a possible
maximum of 20 inches. The largest
stones were dowled together at the
time of construction with metal
dowls, approximately 1 inch In dia-
meter. Many Of the smaller stones
not so dowled have slipped out ana
practically all Of the joint mortar has
disappeared and the bowels Where
visible show considerable rust ana de-
| terioration.
"The face wall was apparently con.
structed directly on large and sloping
| boulders, the bottom course being
doweled to the same. Some OF these
boulders have, through the action OF
| the waters, slipped from their orig
inal positions and left portions OF the
| face wall suspended or caught upon
bowels. Large cracks have appeared
| in the face and wing walls at various
| points.
"From all that is known and can be
ascertained there Is loose rock ana
! the dirt fill behind the weakened face
| wall containing many large cavities.
| Observations have shown the face
| wall to have moved toward the river
at various points, and many or the
| foundation stones show considerable
movement in the same direction. The
| lhlItn0Qnt
slopes off gradually to the channel,
which is adjacent to the abutment
face at several places and at others
there Is practically a vertical drop to
| the 35>or 40 foot deep channel.
Expense of Repair.
ITO repair the existing abutment
| would require an expensive Golfer dam
| in order to reach the most vital part
of the structure, the foundation.
,, am of the opinion after fairly inspect
| ing this structure that 1t is not prac-
teal from either an engineering stand
point or an economical one to attempt
any repair to the Virginia abutment
that would be short of entire replace
| ment upon a stable and adequate
foundation.
Replacement Of the Virginia abut-
ment in it's present location is feasible.
The cost of such replacement would
/, be in excess Of that given for a new
abutment further south, as, added to
the masonry and excavating cost in.
cluded in that estimate, would be the
| cost of temporarily supporting the
river span, probable Golfer dam and
the probability of rock removal with.
out the use Of explosives. It is esti-
mated that such replacement would
cost approximately $4,000 plus the
! complete redecking Of the bridge or
| the installation of traffic treads and
minor redecking: Such an amount
would require the available balance
of the entire bridge repair appropria.
ton.
"While very little has been obligated
from this $500 fund the expenditure
of such an amount would necessarily
defer many other urgent bridge re-
pair operations under consideration.
consideration has been given and
an estimate prepared for construction
of a new Virginia abutment and new
river span based upon such work, be-
ing in accordance with the projected
plans for the entire replacement OF
Chain Bridge.
the cost of complete redecking or the
installation Of traffic treads and minor
redecking. This procedure is per.
haps the most logical Of the projected
plans for replacement If Chain Bridge
are satisfactory. The cost Of this. how
ever, is such as to prohibit our I'M
dertaking the work without a specific
appropriation. Personally, am not
in accord with the projected plans
for replacement. However, do not
at this time desire to enter into this
phase of the question.
Other Plans Discarded.