From the August 2000 issue of The Beacon -- The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge has completed another major milestone on its way to spanning the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau--the jet-grouting process is complete.

Jet-grouting was used to strengthen fissures in the bedrock at the Pier 3 site. The crevices in the bedrock were filled with cement grout through a process similar to that of visiting your local dentist.

Borings were made to a determined depth and a jet-grouting tool was inserted. The tool used high-pressure water and air to flush silt and other weak deposits from the surrounding area and simultaneously fill those spaces with a cement mix.

The process took about a year and a half to complete. Jet grouting was necessary for the bridge to meet the seismic requirements for Southeast Missouri.

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