In-the-Wet Construction of a New Gated Dam Braddock Locks and Dam, Monongahela River, PA

A new navigation dam to be constructed near Braddock, Pennsylvania will initiate the last phase of modernizing locks and dams on the Monongahela River. By replacing the nearly 100-year old fixed crest Dam 2 with a gated dam, the Army Corps of Engineers in Pittsburgh will be able to replace old and inefficient locks at Charleroi and eliminate completely Locks and Dam 3 at Elizabeth. This $705 million Lower Mon Project is an important component of the Corps' Civil Works program not only for the benefits it will provide to the Nation's Inland Waterways System, but also for the innovations it will bring about in the way the Corps does business. The new Braddock Dam will be constructed using innovative in-the­wet construction techniques to achieve cost and time savings and improve quality. Bergmann Associates was the lead design Architect/Engineering firm, with subconsultants Ben C. Gerwick and D' Appolonia, employed by the Pittsburgh District for the innovative features of the Braddock Dam construction. The Pittsburgh District made the decision to use in-the-wet construction for the Braddock Dam in July 1997 and this pioneering effort involved innovative design and acquisition processes to meet the challenges in-the-wet construction would present. The Corps of Engineers and its Architect/Engineer team successfully completed Plans and Specifications for the new Braddock Dam to allow a Request For Proposal to be issued on schedule in December 1998. To aid in the understanding of the construction technology utilized for the Braddock Dam project, the Corps contracted visualization services from Cartesian FX, a Division of Bergmann Associates, to produced two 3-D digitally animated videos. The first video, a 14-minute general description of the project, was produced in 1997 at the same time as the concept design. The second video, a 40-minute detailed description of the project was produced in 1998 as the final design was being completed. This video was distributed to over 300 contractors as part of the Request For Proposal solicitation package to enhance their understanding of the design details and sequencing of the project. On July 1, 1999, the Corps awarded a construction contract to the Joint Venture of the J. A. Jones Construction Company and Traylor, Bros., Inc. to construct the new Braddock Dam. This paper presents technical information on the innovative in-the-wet aspects of the Braddock Dam construction.