Technical paper: Site investigations on cavernous limestone for the Remochamps Viaduct, Belgium

Poor ground conditions on cavernous limestone created severe difficulties at the sites of four piers of the Remouchamps Viaduct. The discovery, during excavations for foundations, of large open cavities prompted a major re-appraisal of site investigation procedure, and also some redesign of the viaduct structure.

Introduction

The Remouchamps Viaduct carries the Liege to Arlon section of the E9 motorway across the Amblhve valley, incised into the Ardennes plateau of southern Belgium. It is 939m long and carries four lanes of traffic, 81m above the Amblbve River. Of its eleven piers and two abutments, seven are founded at least partly on limestone, and work associated with the difficult ground conditions was responsible for a 15o/o increase in overall cost. The viaduct was completed in 1980 at a cost of 1400 million Belgian Francs.