2004-5 Pipe

2005 01 18 Riprap In, Old Pipe Out

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Today riprap arrived and was put in, and the final pieces of the old pipe were dug out, making way for the entrance structure that will be built in place.

Again the weather was clear and very cold. Frozen earth in the morning gives way to glop in late morning. Some snow predicted for tomorrow.

First the contractor had to take away six sections of pipe that arrived in error. This had to be an expensive mistake, since the pipe came from Roanoke, almost 200 miles away.

One of the excavators went down into the stream bed and began cleaning up a lot of the rubble that had been washed in by Gaston. This rubble was old concrete and brick that had been used as ballast under the old pipe. It is all going to be buried under the new riprap.

Ana again ..

And again ..

Back at the head end of the pipe the last sections of the old pipe were fished out.

Along with a huge sycamore stump. This was a very tall sycamore that was taken down a couple of months ago in preparation for this work. It took a lot of hacking and digging for even this large excavator to get it out.

And finally, the last section of the worthless old pipe comes out. This was unceremoniously smashed up and buried alongside the new pipe.

A load of riprap arrives. Each of these loads is about 20 tons, and it makes a huge screechy crash when it is dumped. This is all granite, and comes from (no kidding) Rockville VA. The stones weigh between 150 and 750 or maybe 100 pounds for the very largest ones.

Some of the riprap in place.

Riprap being pushed around. Largest rocks go in between the wing walls.

More of the same ..

Another huge crash of riprap. These trucks are a lot larger than they look. There are 5 rear axles.

At the end of the day one of the large excavators had to leave. The mud that accumulated over the last 3 days has frozen into the tracks and had to be jack hammered out. This took a while..

And away it goes..

Byee!

Below is what we got in trade. Compared to the excavator it looks like a push toy. This is for cleaning up and grading the "job site".

Tomorrow, more of the same .. riprap and headwall form building and pouring ..

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