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L.B. Foster PILING NEWS
L.B. Foster Providing $4.7 Million Sheet Piling for Bureau of Reclamation Project
PZC™ 28 Sheet Piling Contract for Sacramento River Dam Fish Passage Improvement
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 18, 2009 - July 13, 2010 - Pittsburgh, PA-based L.B. Foster Company (NASDAQ: FSTR) has been awarded a $4.7 million contract to provide PZC sheet piling to Balfour Beatty Infrastructure of Fairfield, CA for use in phase II of the construction of the Red Bluff Fish Passage Improvement Project. PZC 28 sections will form a permanent structure within the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Red Bluff Diversion Dam complex on the Sacramento River. Balfour Beatty is building a 1,118 foot-long fish screen and pumping station at the Northern California Central Valley project site with funds provided from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The PZC sheet piling is manufactured by Gerdau Ameristeel in Petersburg, VA and shipped by rail to L.B. Foster’s Chowchilla, CA facility to be paired into sections for this environmentally-sensitive project. “The innovative design of PZC sheet pile provides a superior ball and socket interlock and is domestically produced to assure short lead times”, said Dan Schrager, L.B. Foster Sales Representative. L.B. Foster is installing interlock sealant to prevent permeation of water through the interlocks and also attaching protective tips to decrease damage during the installation process. “We are providing important value-added services that will facilitate the delivery of installation-ready sections as needed to expedite project completion,” noted Gary Wheeler, General Manager, L.B. Foster.
“This screen and pumping station will help allow fish to run unobstructed in the Sacramento river and will deliver water to more than 1,500 family farmers in the Sacramento valley via the Tehama Colusa Canal,” said Crandall Bates of Balfour Beatty. “It should be a win–win project for everyone involved.”
Construction of this unique project began in the early summer of 2010 with completion anticipated in 2012.
PZC™ is a trademark of Gerdau Ameristeel.
Panama Canal Authority Awards $20.5 Million Piling Contract to L.B. Foster
Pittsburgh Company to Supply Gerdau Ameristeel Sheet Piling for Panama Canal Expansion
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 18, 2009 - L.B. Foster Company (Nasdaq: FSTR) of Pittsburgh, PA has been awarded a $20.5 million contract to supply Gerdau Ameristeel sheet piling to the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) for use in the construction of the Panama Canal Expansion. The successful bidder for the PAC-4 contract opening later this year will install the piling for the excavation of the Pacific Access Channel and the construction of the Borinquen Dam. Gerdau Ameristeel's PS 31 flat steel sheets will be delivered in lengths of 56 ft. to 69 ft. Also, their PZC(TM) 26 Z-type sheet piling will be delivered in 49 ft. lengths.
"ACP is acting independently of the contractor in this purchase to minimize costs and pre-stage the material for a 1Q 2010 start of the PAC-4 construction contract," said Jim Wiehage, Houston/International Sales Manager for the Construction Products Group within L.B. Foster Company. "As with other Gerdau deliveries to international locations, the sophisticated logistics required for the shipment of $20 million of piling from mid-state Virginia and Texas to the middle of Panama are considerable," noted David Maedgen, Gerdau Ameristeel Piling Sales Manager. Gerdau Ameristeel and L.B. Foster teamed to assure the client that the piling will move expeditiously by rail and truck to US ports, by ship to an Atlantic terminal near Colon, Panama and then by trucks to the jobsite. The first delivery is scheduled for October 2009 with 3 additional shipments of equal size completing transit by the end of January 2010.
"L.B. Foster is proud to join with Gerdau Ameristeel to supply construction materials for such a monumental effort and to participate together in this historic project," said Don Foster, Senior Vice President of L.B. Foster's Construction Products Group. The Pacific Access Channel and the Borinquen Dam will be integral parts of the Panama Canal Expansion and provide navigation access to the Gaillard Cut via the new Pacific Post-Panama Locks. The completed canal project will allow ultra-large intermodal ships traveling from Asia to continue by sea to the US East Coast, rather than unloading containers on the West Coast and continuing freight by rail or truck across the United States.
L.B. Foster Awarded $1.9 Million Piling Contract for Ohio River Wall
Ashland, KY Veteran's Riverfront Park Project Picks OPEN CELL(R) Design
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 27, 2009 -L.B. Foster Company (Nasdaq: FSTR) of Pittsburgh, PA has been awarded a $1.9 million contract by the City of Ashland, KY to supply Gerdau Ameristeel PS 27.5 flat sheet piling and PilePro connectors for the construction of an OPEN CELL structure at Veteran's Riverfront Park on the Ohio River. Project engineer KZF Design of Cincinnati, OH, recommended L.B. Foster and OPEN CELL technology over traditional tie-back walls to reduce material and installation costs. Gerdau Ameristeel flat sheets and PilePro connectors are best suited for the construction of OPEN CELL systems.
The OPEN CELL SHEET PILE((R)) system is a patented technology developed by PND Engineers, Inc. and marketed worldwide by L.B. Foster Company. "We became familiar with the benefits of this unique design and recommended this innovative and cost-saving technology to the City of Ashland," said David Tomley, P.E., Project Manager, KZF Design. "The OPEN CELL design provides superior load carrying capabilities at a reduced cost and offers future opportunities to construct recreational buildings at the Ohio River's edge," noted Rich Fifield, Sales Manager within the Construction Products Group of L.B. Foster Company. Smith Contractors, Inc. of Lawrenceburg, KY began work on the project in June 2009 and expects pile driving to be completed by the end of September 2009.
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L.B. Foster to Provide 480 Tons of TRU 12(TM) Pipe Piling to Minnesota DOT
Foundations of 8 Bridges to be Rebuilt with Cost-Efficient TRU 12" Pipe Piling
PITTSBURGH, July 23, 2009 - L.B. Foster Company (Nasdaq: FSTR) of Pittsburgh, PA has been awarded a contract to provide 480 tons of cost-efficient TRU 12" pipe piling and end plates for the reconstruction of 8 Minnesota Department of Transportation bridges in Steele County. The piling will be delivered to the subcontractor, Lunda Construction Company, in 30 to 50 foot lengths for use in the rehabilitation of 4 bridges in the city of Owatonna and 4 additional spans in the community of Waseca. TRU 12" pipe piling met or exceeded the Minnesota DOT's budget constraints and performance requirements for this series of bridge projects. "TRU 12 is becoming widely accepted and we anticipate it will soon become a staple in the piling market," said Don Foster, L.B. Foster Construction Products Senior Vice President.
L.B. Foster's innovative piling solution is ideal for demanding project budgets and tough construction requirements. "Cost-efficient TRU 12" pipe piling reduced the material costs and met all DOT project specifications," said Rich Mpistolarides, L.B. Foster Piling Sales Representative. Domestically-produced TRU 12 ERW pipe piling has an actual 12" OD diameter width, unlike typical 12.75" pile. This 3/4" difference lessens the amount of steel and construction fill needed per foot and allows up to 6% more pipe to be delivered in each truckload.
The first of 22 truckloads of pipe piling and end plates will begin delivery in September and complete during the Fall of 2010. "L.B. Foster's ability to stockpile product and ship it on an 'as needed' basis is critical to the construction schedule and another example of their value proposition," noted Steve Hoeschele, Lunda Construction Company Material Coordinator.
L.B. Foster to Provide Sheet Piling for New Orleans Flood Walls
$23.1 Million USACE Contract Awarded to L.B. Foster for Gerdau Ameristeel PZC Piling
PITTSBURGH, July 17, 2009 - L.B. Foster Company (Nasdaq: FSTR) of Pittsburgh, PA has been awarded a $23.1 million contract to provide steel sheet piling to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for the construction of T-wall type flood walls in the New Orleans area. The PZC(TM) piling will be manufactured in lengths of 20 to 75 feet at the Gerdau Ameristeel Petersburg, VA facility and stored for convenient availability at L.B. Foster's New Orleans storage facility. "Our local distribution facility will allow quick contractor access to the material required for T-wall installation in the USACE New Orleans District," said Ernie Koehler, L.B. Foster Construction Products Sales Manager.
T-wall construction is a field-proven design for effective flood wall structures that must withstand the surge elevation of a 100 year type hurricane. PZC-13 sheet piling will form an efficient below ground cutoff wall to prevent or minimize lateral water migration from undermining the T-wall. A protective coating of 16 mils of coal tar epoxy will be applied to the top 15 feet of each PZC steel sheet to assure long term corrosion resistance. "Our domestically produced PZC sheet piling is manufactured to be wider, lighter and stronger than traditional Z piling. The Army Corps has deemed this product to be an efficient solution for this type of critical application," noted David Maedgen, Gerdau Ameristeel Piling Sales Manager.
L.B. Foster/Gerdau Ameristeel sheet piling will form a protective barrier within T-wall structures in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Charles and Plaquemine parishes. The USACE determined it would be beneficial to source material while mill capacity is readily available. "Gerdau Ameristeel and L.B. Foster worked closely as a strategic team to manage manufacturing costs and rolling capacity to win this important material supply contract," said Gary Wheeler, L.B. Foster Piling General Manager. Material shipments for the Corps of Engineers T-wall projects are scheduled to be completed by June 2011.
L.B. Foster Provides Steel Sheet Piles for Post-Katrina Emergency Interim Flood Protection System
A failure of 450 ft. of floodwall lining the east side of the 17th Street Canal in New Orleans caused extensive damage when Hurricane Katrina made landfall on August 29, 2005. The immediate need was to provide an interim flood protection system that would prevent any reoccurrence of the storm surge from moving into the canal.
Contractor Boh Bros Construction Co., L.L.C.. along with numerous local construction / engineering related companies, and government agencies were awarded the project to construct the temporary pump station.
The foundation had to be designed to transmit very high lateral loads into extremely poor soil. Construction consisted of 2,530 tons of PZCTM-18, PZ-35 and PZ-40 steel sheet piles manufactured by strategic supply partner Gerdau Ameristeel.
To read more click here for PDF. 
L.B. Foster Supplies Steel Pile System for Combi-Wall Construction
L.B. Foster recently provided steel piling to the Freeport Regional Water Authority (a joint venture of the Sacramento County Water Agency and the East Bay Municipal Utility District) for a project on the Sacramento River in California. When completed, a new water intake and pumping station will supply water from the Sacramento River to customers in Sacramento County and the East Bay. A Combi-Wall structure was built to provide support for this new station. Various types of piles were utilized on this project from several strategic supply partners of L.B. Foster – 3,200 tons of various types of steel sheet piles (PZC™-13, PZC™-18 and PZC™-26) produced by supplier Gerdau Ameristeel and PSp 1017 Beams from supplier Peiner. PilePro Connectors were also used on the project, from PilePro. L.B. Foster also worked closely with local contractor Balfour Beatty during this project.
To read more click here for PDF
L.B. Foster Provides Piling for City of San Diego’s Hodges Reservoir Pump House
The Lake Hodges Project will connect the City of San Diego’s Hodges Reservoir with the Water Authority’s Olivenhain Reservoir. The connection will provide the ability to store 20,000 acre-feet of water at Hodges Reservoir for emergency use.
L.B. Foster and strategic supply partner Gerdau Ameristeel provided approximately 1,100 tons of PS 27.5 flat web sheets as well as the PilePro Connectors and steel fabrication required to construct the cofferdam for the pump house inlet-outlet structure.
L.B. Foster also worked closely with contractor Traylor Pacific during this project.
To read more click here for PDF.
L.B. Foster Supplied H-Beams used in Tank Substructure Project
L.B. Foster recently supplied over 700 tons of HP 12 X 53 H-Beam piles for a project to build an ethanol tank farm. The foundations for several multimillion gallon ethanol storage tanks consisted of driven H-Beams and concrete caps. Local Peoria-based Otto Baum, a subsidiary of Core Construction, acted as the contractor on this project.
The H-beams were supplied by strategic supply partner Gerdau Ameristeel. During the construction, 70 ft. H-Beam sections were initially driven into the ground using a vibro hammer. A 50 ft. section was then bolted and welded to the 70 ft. section using a splicer. This lengthened H-Beam section was then further driven into the ground using a diesel hammer.
To read more click here for PDF.
L.B. Foster Company Provides Steel Sheet Piles Used In OPEN CELL® Structures
L.B. Foster was selected to supply PS 31 flat web sheet pile used to construct 43 OPEN CELL structures for this project. The OPEN CELL design was determined to be the most cost-effective solution to construct a bulkhead for the LNG docking facility. The initial rolling began in July 2006 at the then Chaparral Steel (now Gerdau Ameristeel) plant in Midlothian, TX. Gerdau Ameristeel is L.B. Foster’s strategic supply partner for steel sheet piling. The 69-foot face sheets used in the construction were transported to Houston, transloaded and sent to a Houston-based coater. They were then transported via truck to the Sabine Pass jobsite. The tail wall sheets — in 77- to 80-foot lengths — had to be shipped via rail to a public port near the jobsite, transloaded and then barged down the Sabine River to the jobsite. Construction began in the spring of 2007 and was completed by the end of the year. In all, the 43 individual OPEN CELL structures required over 4,300 tons of PS 31 flat web steel sheet pile.
To read more click here for PDF.
Breakwater Constructed Using L.B. Foster Supplied Steel Sheet and Pipe Pile
L.B. Foster recently completed a key project with the Texas Department of Transportation. A ferry shuttles cars between Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula across the Houston Ship Channel. The ferry landing on the Bolivar Peninsula side needed to be completely rebuilt. As a part of that rebuilding, a breakwater was constructed using a Combi-Wall structure.
The length of the breakwater is approximately 450 ft. It was built using 320 tons of PZ 27 steel sheet piles in 60 ft. lengths, produced by L.B. Foster’s strategic partner Gerdau Ameristeel. The top 30 ft. of the pile was coated with a thermal sprayed aluminum coating. The bottom 30 ft. utilized an epoxy coating. In addition, 1,572 tons of pipe piling – 54 inch OD x .625 wall X 105 ft. lengths – were used in the project and supplied by another strategic partner, Northwest Pipe. The top 30 ft. of the pipe pile was coated with a thermal sprayed aluminum coating and the bottom 75 ft. utilized an epoxy coating.
To read more click here for PDF.
Boat Slip Constructed Using OPEN CELL® Structure and L.B. Foster Sheet Pile
The Argosy Casino boat slip expansion is the largest OPEN CELL structure built on the Ohio River to date. It is the first structure built with back-to-back facewalls and interlaced tailwalls. It is also the first structure constructed at ground level, excavated and then flooded. 4,100 tons of PS 27.5 flat web steel sheet pile were used during the construction. Original bids to build the slip using other techniques were rejected in favor of using the more cost-effective OPEN CELL technology. L.B. Foster's strategic supply partner, the then Chaparral Steel (now Gerdau Ameristeel), rolled the flat web steel sheet pile in early 2006. The sheet pile was transported via rail to a transloading and storage facility near Cincinnati, OH. Due to permitting delays, actual construction did not begin until the spring of 2007 and was completed in seven months, which allowed the hulls for the new gaming vessel to be floated into place in November 2007. This accelerated schedule required close coordination between L.B. Foster and local contractor Richard Goettle, Inc. to ensure timely and consistent delivery of the steel sheet piles to the construction site.
To read more click here for PDF.
L.B. Foster Company Provides Pipe Piling for September 11 Memorial Bridge Reconstruction Project
The Rt. 70 Bridge project is currently under construction and involves the staged erection of two fixed bridges to replace the existing deficient drawbridge constructed circa 1936 over the Manasquan River in New Jersey.
Contractor George Harms Construction Co., Inc. is constructing each of the approximately 720' long and 47' wide bridges allowing for two travel lanes, shoulders and a sidewalk for both east and westbound traffic.
Foundation construction consists of 24" diameter steel pipe piles manufactured by strategic supply partner Northwest Pipe. In each foundation, there are between 26 and 37 piles filled with concrete that extend approximately 110' to a dense sand layer.
To read more click here for PDF.
L.B. Foster Provides Piling for New Multi-Story Bus Depot
Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York City Transit have approved the construction of a new bus depot on Staten Island, which when finished, will have space to service and maintain 200 or more buses. This multi-level building required the structural stability that is provided by a Combi-Wall system. L.B. Foster worked closely with local contractor Tully Construction Co. Inc. during the early stages of this project.
Various types of piles were utilized to create this Combi-Wall structure. Several strategic supply partners of L.B. Foster participated to provide approximately 1,377 net tons of beams along with 837 net tons of PZCTM-13, produced by supplier Gerdau Ameristeel. To connect the sheets to the beams approximately 15,000 LF of PilePro Connectors were used.
