THE JOB
During the installation of a 42″ jack & bore casing below a three-track Class 1 railroad in Martinsburg, WV, ballast started showing in the spoils. Soon afterward a sinkhole appeared between tracks 2 & 3, 15 feet above the casing. The jack & bore installation was stopped, and the contractor reached out CJGeo requesting an emergency mobilization.
THE CHALLENGE
CJGeo had to mobilize with very little notice, and work had to be performed adjacent to an operational track.
THE SOLUTION
CJGeo mobilized two polyurethane grouting crews, who were on the road in less than an hour. Within four hours of the sinkhole formation, CJGeo was onsite with more than 250CY of material placement capacity.
CJGeo successfully grouted the sinkhole. Rail traffic continued on adjacent tracks, and the face of the bore was restored, allowing the jack & bore operation to safely restart. CJGeo performed this repair using a polyurethane grout with an elastic modulus similar to the existing soil in order to prevent creating a hard spot in the rail.
