Piling Industry Canada magazine December 2020

www.pilingindustrycanada.com

Issue 2 • 2020

construction’s response to covid-19

PIC Piling Canada rdc’sIndustry gary w. harris

canada games centre o-pile installation in northern ontario

Publications mail agreement #40934510

powering manitoba magazine with mmtp

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© 2020 Skyline Steel, LLC. Skyline Steel, LLC (doing business as Nucor Skyline) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nucor Corporation, the largest producer of steel in the United States.

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© 2020 Skyline Steel, LLC. Skyline Steel, LLC (doing business as Nucor Skyline) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nucor Corporation, the largest producer of steel in the United States.

In this issue PILING INDUSTRY NEWS Canadian Construction Association launches Construction R&D Portal and Construction Piling Industry Canada R&D Showcases to accelerate innovation 6

PIC

ECA expands team to support long-term growth vision 8 cca statement on interprovincial trade barriers 10

magazine features

Construction’s response to COVID-19 12

RDC’s Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre 20 O-pile installation in Northern Ontario 23

Panel on soil improvement by Rigid Inclusions 25 Powering Manitoba with MMTP 28

Published by DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road, Winnipeg, MB Canada R3L 0G5 President & CEO: David Langstaff Managing Editor: Lyndon McLean lyndon@delcommunications.com Sales Manager: Dayna Oulion dayna@delcommunications.com Advertising Account Executives: Jennifer Hebert | Michelle Raike Production services provided by: S.G. Bennett Marketing Services www.sgbennett.com Creative Director / Design: Kathleen Cable © Copyright 2020.

DEL Communications Inc. All rights reserved.The contents of this pub­lica­tion may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the publisher.

Nucor Skyline adds strength to Canal de l’Aqueduc with new bulkhead wall 32

EQUIPMENT PROFILE New LB Series in operation 16

Hercules Machinery moves to the next level with new Movax drills 34 Index to advertisers 10

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein and the reliability of the source, the publisher­in no way guarantees nor warrants the information and is not responsible for errors, omissions or statements made by advertisers. Opinions and recommendations made by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher, its directors, officers or employees.

Publications mail agreement #40934510 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3L 0G5 Email: david@delcommunications.com Printed in Canada | 12/2020

On the cover: Liebherr LB 45 It crosses through southern Germany, stretching between the French and the Czech borders. As part of the European Route 50, it is an important link between Paris and Prague: the A6 motorway. The upgrading of the motorway includes the rebuilding of the Neckartal Bridge at Heilbronn between the junctions Untereisesheim and Neckarsulm.

Hochtief Infrastructure GmbH installed the foundation piles using the new drilling rig type LB 45 from Liebherr. The name of the new machine comes from its nominal torque of 450 kNm. That is an increase of approximately 10 per cent from the already high performance of the LB 36 with 410 kNm. Foundation piles were also required on the “Neckar Island”, which lies about 100 m from the riverbank. The drilling rig was transported there by pontoon. Following transportation Hochtief built a pontoon bridge from the pontoon elements so site traffic could cross. However, the drilling rig was too heavy for the pontoon bridge. After completion of this construction phase, the bridge had to be rebuilt back to a pontoon so the LB 45 could return across the Neckar.

The simple handling of the machine proved to be a huge advantage both when operating it and when facing such logistical challenges.

During the six-month piling work, Hochtief installed 106 foundation piles using the Kelly drilling method with auger and rock drilling bucket. The company handled 170 t of steel reinforcements and 2,000 m³ of concrete in the process. On average, the piles are 11.5 m deep and have a diameter of 1.5 m. Depending on the density of the rock and the drilling depth, Hochtief required about two hours for each pile. Including concreting, 2.5 piles could be installed per day. Hochtief is particularly impressed with the handling and the power of the LB 45. The bridge is expected to be open for traffic mid-2022.

4 PIC Magazine • December 2020

Piling Industry News

Canadian Construction Association launches Construction R&D Portal and Construction R&D Showcases to accelerate innovation In a new endeavour to advance innovation within the industry, the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) and Cognit. ca announce the launch of the Construction R&D Portal and the Construction R&D Showcase speaker series in October.

The goal of this initiative is to help Canada’s $141 billion construction industry capitalize on the $14 billion of research performed by universities annually.

The Construction R&D Portal will give construction leaders unprecedented visibility into world-class expertise, research, facilities, and intellectual property that exist at post-secondary institutions across Canada. The Construction R&D Showcase will link industry executives and researchers with cutting-edge discoveries that can help the industry explore and adopt new innovations.

Fraser River Pile & Dredge (GP) Inc.

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6 PIC Magazine • December 2020

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“One of the key challenges for the industry has been to learn about cuttingedge innovation that is undertaken by academia and the talent behind it. It can be equally difficult for researchers to showcase their research to industry executives or even gain funding for new research,” said Mary Van Buren, president of CCA. “This new single access portal will overcome that challenge by helping our members accelerate innovation by exposing them to the most up to date research available on construction.”

“Cognit.ca was designed to help businesses access expertise, research, facilities and intellectual property at post-secondary institutions across the country,” said Mike Matheson, managing director of Cognit.ca. “We are thrilled to work with the CCA to bring these resources directly to Canada’s construction industry.”

The Construction R&D Portal leverages Cognit.ca’s extensive database of research activities undertaken by Canada’s postsecondary education institutions. The portal will give industry leaders a window into the latest research and discoveries as well as the ability to search Cognit.ca’s database of more than 225,000 research grants, more than 100,000 experts, thousands of pieces of intellectual property, thousands of pieces of research infrastructure and hundreds of research facilities from the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s Research Facilities Navigator. l

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Piling Industry News

ECA expands team to support long-term growth vision

By Brian M. Fraley, Owner, Fraley Construction Marketing

Gus Delfarno, BAUER and KLEMM Service Engineer.

Rod Kern, Applications Engineering Manager.

Matt Nastala, Philadelphia Service Manager.

Equipment Corporation of America (ECA), a leading distributor of specialty foundation equipment, has announced new hires at several of its branches in the United States.

ECA’s President/CEO Roy Kern is especially excited to announce the hiring of his son Rod who represents the fourth generation of the Kern family. “Rod will follow a similar path to my own by joining ECA at the ground level and learning all aspects of our operation from the ground up,” he says. “That experience will prepare him to eventually guide ECA in its second century of business.”

Rod Kern joins the ECA BAUER Service Team as Applications Engineering Manager. While completing his Civil 8 PIC Magazine • December 2020

Stephen Funaiock, Pittsburgh Service Manager.

Engi­neering Degree from Penn State, he worked at ECA as a Mechanic’s Assistant and then took on several internships. After graduation, Rod went earnrf master’s Degrees in Business Administration and Geotechnical Engineering from Cornell University. Once he completed those degrees, Rod began working for Moretrench (Keller North America) as a Staff Engineer. During his four years at Moretrench, Rod worked on a variety of large construction projects and was eventually promoted to Assistant Project Manager. His field and customer experience, combined with his education, allow him to find effective solutions to geotechnical problems for ECA’s customers.

Greg Barta, Mid-Atlantic Account Manager.

Rex Christensen, Midwest Account Manager.

As BAUER and KLEMM Service Engineer, Gus Delfarno expands ECA’s BAUER Service Team capabilities. The “Swiss Army Knife” of technicians, Gus began his career 10 years ago as a shop mechanic at Hayward Baker (Keller North America).

From the shop, he moved on to become a field mechanic learning how to service, assemble, repair, troubleshoot, and operate all equipment owned by Hayward Baker.

His curiosity and passion for learning how to work on and operate various types of equipment make him a versatile and highly useful addition to ECA’s BAUER Service Team.

Greg Barta joins ECA as Mid-Atlantic Account Manager. Greg started out in the United States Coast Guard and has since

spent his time in various sales roles for Caterpillar equipment dealerships around the country. He enjoys staying up to date with the latest technological advances in the field and behind the scenes so he can offer the most accurate and productive support.

Matt Nastala has been named Philadelphia Service Manager. While Matt excels at customer communication, he really shines when it comes to system improvement and safety implementation. Matt previously worked for a Caterpillar dealer so his experience with heavy equipment makes him adept at recognizing issues, gathering data, and recommending a course of action.

Stephen Funaiock has been named Pittsburgh Service Manager. He started out in paving materials and quickly moved on to service supervisor before being promoted to Shop Manager for Cleveland Brothers. He later worked at American Contractors Equipment Company as manager of both the parts and service departments. Stephen’s reputation as an organized, dedicated, and detail-oriented team player will serve him well in this role.

Rex Christensen joins ECA as Midwest Account Manager. He is a seasoned professional known for developing and maintaining strong client relationships. Rex’s vast knowledge of equipment, especially in the mining industry, allows him to offer unmatched field service and technical support. Experience with training, safety, and project coordination made him an obvious choice for this new position.

“While there is no question the Coronavirus Pandemic has presented new challenges in the short term, ECA has always operated with a long-term outlook,” says Vice President – Sales and Marketing Jeff Harmston. “The hiring of talented employees represents our view that it’s important to constantly invest in our ability to serve the industry regardless of economic conditions.”

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Piling Industry News

CCA statement on interprovincial trade barriers All levels of government must work together to improve the free movement of goods, services, and workers – especially in challenging times The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) is urging all levels of government to support and enhance Canada’s economic recovery by maintaining a free-flowing system of trade and labour mobility between provinces.

CCA has long advocated that reciprocity and the free movement of construction materials, services and personnel within Canada are not only important underpinning principles of our federation but are essential elements of our national economy, a fact highlighted as COVID-19 continues to cause disruptions not only in critical supplies but also in workforces.

“Some regions have been harder hit economically than others. But the solution is not to reflexively turn inward. Interprovincial trade barriers are inefficient, and do not support fair, transparent and competitive procurement processes,” said CCA president Mary Van Buren. “When we are facing one of the biggest challenges in our history, it is more important than ever that we stand united and work together.”

Infrastructure: An investment in Canada and the communities Canadians live in CCA members − 70 per cent of which are small and medium-sized, family-run businesses – are asking for a clear, bal-

anced, fair, and flexible national economic stimulus plan that includes significant investment in infrastructure.

CCA has been advocating for all levels of government to continue investing in important infrastructure projects in all regions of Canada and has been pressing the federal government to reduce red tape and ensure that tenders are issued efficiently.

The Canadian construction industry is ready, willing, and able to partner with the Government of Canada and the Provinces to help our country re-build its economy and improve the quality of life of all Canadians. l

Index to advertisers American Piledriving Equipment............................................ OBC

Interpipe Inc...................................................................................31

Arntzen Corporation................................................................Wrap

Keller..................................................................................................5

Canadian Piledriving Equipment Inc........................................... 7

Liebherr Werk Nenzing Gmbh....................................OFC, 4, IBC

Equipment Corporation of America.................................18 & 19

Nucor Skyline........................................................................IFC & 3

Fraser River Pile & Dredge (GP) Inc............................................6

Platinum Grover International Inc.............................................13

Fugro Loadtest.................................................................................9

Samuel Roll Form Group..............................................................11

Hercules Machinery Corporation...............................................15

10 PIC Magazine • December 2020

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Construction’s response to

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted virtually every aspect of daily life in Canada but has also showcased the resiliency and tenacity of the Canadian construction industry

By Paul Adair

Prior to the arrival of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in March last year, the Canadian construction and industrial sectors were generally viewed as being strong performers and saw approximately 11 per cent of growth in commercial investment between 2018 and 2019. Once the seriousness of COVID-19 became apparent, however, a chill quickly descended on the industry as the entire country paused to see what might happen next.

But then the Canadian construction industry began to do what it does best: building a path through this crisis.

“The whole organization, as well as the entire industry, pulled together to start developing the processes and plans needed to help keep our front line safe, and keep construction moving forward,” says Reg Sopka, Regional HSE Manager at PCL Construction. “There were some projects that stalled initially, either due to logistics or government mandates, but they have all eventually come back as we demonstrated that we could continue to operate and contain − or even eliminate − the possibility of workplace spread of the virus.”

12 PIC Magazine • December 2020

That being said, working in the construction looks very different today than it did just nine months ago. The industry is much more cognizant of physical distancing (not even a phrase before COVID-19) and the number of workers allowed on the job site at any given time. There have also been a number of common industry-wide pandemic mitigation policies and procedures implemented to combat the virus, such as sending office-based people home, learning the appropriate use of PPE, active screening questionnaires and temperature checks, establishing placing hand sanitizer or hand washing stations, making walkways directional based on flow, and increased cleaning protocols with approved disinfectant in all high traffic areas, as well as visible signage to hammer the safety message home.

Getting used to the new rules and restriction has created challenges for some companies in the industry, particularly when it came to meeting the demand for hand sanitizer, cleaning agents, and PPE; most notably, N95 masks and respiratory protection.

“It really caused some stress early on as we were trying to predict the next shortage while aligning ourselves with the numerous health agencies,” says Sopka.

“There were times when we considered shutting down operations if we couldn’t find enough supply, but our procurement group did an excellent job of making sure that our operations across North America had access to the right type of supplies to keep going.”

In the long months ahead, PCL anticipates that industry will continue to perform as it has to now until the word comes from the appropriate government agencies indicating that it can relax. As the pandemic circulates across the globe, some of the long-term effects of supply chain will remain unknown, and what that does to any future opportunities continues to generate uncertainty in the sector.

“But the whole COVID-19 experience so far has taught us, is a lot about how to respond to unforeseen or extreme circumstances, as well as showcasing the resil-

ience of our people, partners, and trades; which is remarkable,” says Sopka.

Across Canada, the Canadian Construction Association endeavours to give voice to its more than 20,000 members of the construction industry working in, or with, Canada’s institutional, commercial, and industrial (ICI) space. In this role, the CCA has played an important part in the ongoing fight against COVID-19, especially in those early days of the pandemic where little was known about the virus,

and working alongside governments as a valued partner to better navigate the pandemic to ensure that the construction sector could keep working.

“Almost immediately, we had multiple calls with our members, colleagues, and with public health authorities to gather the best possible information at the time so that construction could go on in spite of COVID-19,” says CCA President Mary Van Buren. “Our industry very quickly came together in the spirit of collaboration

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to share best practices and, because of that, in most provinces (with the exception of Québec and − for a short time – Ontario) our work was able to continue.”

At the end of March, 2020, CCA released its initial draft of the COVID-19 Standardized Protocols for All Canadian Construction Sites and strongly encouraged the construction industry to implement the measures within on prevention, detection, and rapid response. The document provided best practices and offered a consistent national approach for industry to follow to protect itself and its workforce from the virus, as well as to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. As the understanding of the pandemic has evolved over time and new best practices have emerged, CCA has made sure the document remains current and has published updated versions as needed.

While the pandemic has been difficult, there have also been some silver linings to COVID-19, such as the promotion of higher health standards and more stringent hygiene protocols at job sites across the country, as well as putting a greater focus on maintaining the mental health and wellness of construction workers. In addition, the pandemic has created an opportunity to address the looming workforce shortfall facing industry as the Baby Boomers retire and younger generations demonstrate a decreasing interest in considering construction as a career.

“Many workers across Canada have become displaced because of COVID-19, and construction just might become more 14 PIC Magazine • December 2020

attractive for those looking to find new, good-paying careers,” says Van Buren.

“People are beginning to see construction in a new light because it’s an essential, safe, and highly valued industry that has been able to work during this pandemic. Not every industry can say that.”

Looking ahead, COVID-19 is sure to cast a long shadow over the Canadian construction sector. Although the industry has done reasonably well through the first wave of the virus as it works through its backlog of projects, now that we are in the second wave, there has been a decline in both the number and value of permits issued this year compared to last. Part of the reason for this can be potentially linked to diminishing investor confidence over the course of the pandemic, as well as that municipalities may no longer have enough money in the bank to invest on much-needed infrastructure projects after – rightly − spending so much of their annual budgets on health priorities.

“The construction sector is concerned that, unless new projects start to come out faster, there will be a significant gap between the time companies wrap up current projects and take on new ones,” says Van Buren. “This will have the greatest impact on our medium to small trade contractors, which make up 70 per cent the industry; those who will often take out a lot of financing in order to ramp up a project.

It’s tremendously important that federal, provincial, and municipal governments all work together to get these kinds of projects out, and keep them moving.”

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, CCA’s message has remained consistent and clear: that construction should continue as long as it is safe to do so. The construction industry has responded to this message by ensuring that its facilities and job sites are as safe as possible, and by professionally adapting to whatever the virus has thrown at them to date.

“Virtually overnight, the Canadian construction industry has had to make significant changes to their daily operations

and routines, and has proven its resilience in tackling the challenges posed by COVID-19,” says Van Buren. “The construction industry can take pride in how it has come together to surmount this challenge.

We’re certainly not out of the woods yet, and there will be more challenges ahead, but we have shown that we are an economic sector that can withstand difficult times and come through them stronger than ever.”

As the second wave of COVID-19 has clearly demonstrated, the Canadian construction sector will need to remain vigilant against the threat of the virus until such time as a vaccine becomes readily available. To that end, the Government of Canada last April allocated approximately $1 billion to support the Plan to Mobilize Science to Fight COVID-19, which included vaccine development, treatment production, and virus tracking. The federal government has also invested an additional $1 billion to secure access to vaccine candidates, signing agreements with numerous companies to secure up to 358 million doses of their different COVID-19 vaccine candidates once they’re made available.

“Access to safe and effective vaccines is critical for Canada, and the government is doing its part to help support innovative Canadian companies in performing the research needed to demonstrate that their products meet Health Canada’s high safety, efficacy, and quality standards,” said Minister of Health Patty Hajdu in a press release.

At this time, there are three likely vaccine candidates currently under review and many others in clinical trials and in development. There is optimism, however, that after some very promising preliminary testing results from Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca, millions of vaccines could start being deployed in Canada as soon as January 2021. These vaccines would first be assigned to select priority groups, with a full rollout throughout the spring. l

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equipment Profile

New LB Series in operation The LB 45 is the successor of the proven drilling rig LB 36, and it celebrated its premiere directly with Liebherr.

A fully automated high-bay warehouse is being built at the works in Ehingen, and Kurt Motz Baubetriebsgesellschaft GmbH in Illertissen, Germany was awarded the contract for the foundation piles. Kurt Motz decided on five machines from Liebherr’s brand new series of drilling rigs.

Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH recently handed over the key for the LB 45, which is already successfully operating on its first jobsite.

And in September 2020, the company announced that Hochtief Infrastructure GmbH installed successfully the foundation piles for the rebuilding of the Neckartal Bridge at Heilbronn. The bridge crosses through southern Germany, stretching between the French and the Czech borders.

As part of the European Route 50, it is an 16 PIC Magazine • December 2020

important link between Paris and Prague: the A6 motorway.

High Expectations “We have maintained a close partnership for many years,” says Wolfgang Bucher, Leading Site Manager at Kurt Motz.

“Suggestions for improvement are discussed constructively and applied quickly.

That makes it possible for us to complete complicated construction projects without any problems.” The company has been a customer of Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH since the introduction of the series of drilling rigs and received the very first LRB 125.

Kurt Motz attaches a lot of importance to being on the cutting edge of technology. Therefore, between October 2020 and March 2021, the company is gradually converting to the new LB series from Liebherr with these five machines. Re-

cently Christoph Dona, Sales Manager at Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH, was able to hand over the key for the LB 45 to Wolfgang Bucher. One LB 20.1, one LB 25, and two LB 30s will follow.

Even more flexibility A decisive factor for exchanging the machines was the huge advantages in flexibility. The modular leader can be easily converted from the standard to a low head version. Remote control facilitates safe loading and unloading of the machine on or from the low loader, or assists during assembly.

“The new assistance systems such as Kelly Visualization and Ground Pressure Indication make life a lot easier,” machine operator Anestis Papanikolaou adds. “You can feel the 10 per cent more power of the LB 45 over its predecessor immediately.”

Thomas Markus, Workshop Manager at Kurt Motz, also emphasizes the good customer service with excellent advice and fast parts deliveries.

Features for higher safety and easier operation The ground load-bearing capacity and the monitoring of the ground pressure are decisive for the safe operation of a machine. The Ground Pressure Visualization of the LB 45 calculates the current ground pressure of the machine in real time and compares it with the specified safety limits of the relevant jobsite. The ground pressure is displayed in the operator’s cab, and the operator is permanently aware of whether the machine is situated in, or is approaching, a critical area. Dangerous work stages can so be avoided or adapted in good time.

Locking of the Kelly bar’s telescopic sections is made significantly easier due to the Kelly Visualization system in the LB 45.

Thanks to the real time display of the Kelly bar’s locking recesses on the cabin monitor, the operator is permanently informed of the actual distance to the next locking recess. Colour indications inform when the bar can be locked. Furthermore, false

positioning of the Kelly bar during the shake-off process is indicated through a warning signal. All assistance systems contribute to time savings, higher availability of the machine and a significant increase in safety during operation.

Challenge

First deployment The LB 45 celebrated its premiere directly with Liebherr. A fully automated high-bay warehouse is being built at the works in Ehingen and Kurt Motz was awarded the contract for the foundation piles. Approximately 450 piles, equivalent to about 9,000 drilling metres, will be installed by the brand new LB 45 together with the drilling rig LB 28 using the Kelly drilling method.

Machine operator Anestis Papanikolaou gives an encouraging feedback: “The expectations of the LB 45 were high, but they have been fulfilled 100 per cent.”

bridge from the pontoon elements so

On the Way from Paris to Prague The upgrading of the A6 motorway includes the rebuilding of the Neckartal Bridge at Heilbronn between the junctions Untereisesheim and Neckarsulm.

Hochtief Infrastructure GmbH installed the foundation piles using the new drilling rig type LB 45 from Liebherr. The name of the new machine comes from its nominal torque of 450 kNm. That’s an increase of approximately 10 per cent compared to the already high performance of the LB 36, with 410 kNm.

Foundation piles were also required on the “Neckar Island” which lies about 100 m from the riverbank. The drilling rig was transported there by pontoon. Following transportation Hochtief built a pontoon that site traffic could cross. However, the drilling rig was too heavy for the pontoon bridge. After completion of this construction phase, the bridge had to be rebuilt back to a pontoon so that the LB 45 could return across the Neckar. The simple handling of the machine proved to be a huge advantage both when operating it and when facing such logistic challenges.

Implementation During the six-month piling work, Hochtief installed 106 foundation piles using the Kelly drilling method with auger and rock drilling bucket. The company handled 170 tons of steel reinforcements and 2,000 cubic metres of concrete in the process. On average, the piles are 11.5 metres deep and have a diameter of 1.5 metres. Depending on the density of the rock and the drilling depth, Hochtief required about two hours for each pile. Including concreting, 2.5 piles could be installed per day. Hochtief is particularly impressed with the handling and the power of the LB 45. The bridge is expected to be open for traffic mid-2022.

For more information about the LB 45, visit https://www.liebherr.com/en/deu/products/ construction-machines/deep-foundation/drilling-rigs/lb-45.html. l Piling Industry Canada • December 2020 17

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LESS AIR, MORE ENERGY

RDC’s Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre The magnificent new sports complex at Red Deer College has become an iconic destination location for sports excellence right in the heart of Alberta

By Paul Adair

Harris Canada Games Centre.

Shovels first broke ground at Red Deer College’s (RDC) Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre in the fall of 2015. And after three years of construction, the new, world-class facility officially opened its doors to the public and took a significant step in establishing the college as a destination location for sports excellence.

Designed by Calgary-based Stantec Architecture Ltd., the $88-million Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre is a structural marvel; stunning in scale and an instant, iconic visual landmark for RDC’s main campus. Featuring a glowing, dynamic roof projecting out toward the City of Red Deer, the building is a symbol of the connection between the college, community, and the nearby Waskasoo Creek.

Built for the 2019 Canada Winter Games (the largest multi-sport event to be hosted in Alberta since Calgary’s 1988 Olympics), the new 250,000-square-foot facility includes an arena with a flexiblesized ice surface and spectator seating for 1,100. The flexible capacity of the ice surface – seamlessly transitioning from NHLto Olympic-size – gives the centre the only Olympic ice surface in central Alberta. The arena is home ice for the Red Deer College Kings and Queens hockey teams and can 20 PIC Magazine • December 2020

also accommodate various tradeshows, minor sports, and dry land events.

The centre also features a 1,750-squaremetre double gymnasium with capacity for up to 1,200 spectators and accommodates basketball, volleyball, badminton, convocation, and other major events. A running track circles the gym from above, and a modern fitness centre allows athletes from all RDC sports to train in the same space. In addition, the centre houses treatment and rehabilitation rooms, movement and sport studios, an anatomy lab, offices, and classrooms.

“The beauty of the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre is that every room is a classroom,” says Trent Rix, Director, Ancillary & Sport Services at RDC. “Virtually every single space in the facility is an academic space, particularly as it relates to our kinesiology programming. It truly is a centre for excellence, and there’s nothing comparable in the area to it. Being able to elevate our game in that regard has been huge for us.”

The piling contractor for Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre was Soletanche Bachy (SB) Canada out of Edmonton.

SB Canada’s in-house team designed and constructed the 287 bored Cap-in-

Place (CIP) belled concrete piles needed for the project and relied on three Watson 2100 Rubber tire drill rigs for installation.

Piles with shaft diameters from 400 to 750 millimetres were founded at 10.5 metres below top of slab where the bells were constructed to various diameters, from 900 to 2,230 millimetres.

SB Canada was awarded the project based on its ability to provide a value-engineered design alternate to match the location’s soil conditions, using a static load test prior to construction of the production piles in order to prove the geotechnical design parameters. The static load test piles were constructed two weeks in advance of the main piling works to allow for the load test to take place when concrete reached a seven-day strength of 25 megapascals (MPa) or greater.

“SB Canada self-performed the static load test − using our load test set up − to perform a successful test achieving a final load of 225 per cent of the design load and moving the pile 50.38 millimetres,” says Brian Horner, VP Operations – Western Canada at SB Canada. “Structural and Geotechnical consultants then approved the results provided by SB Canada to proceed with our alternate pile design. We

Hockey arena.

Fas Gas-On the Run Gymnasium.

Harris Canada Games Centre interior.

successfully completed the project on time and within budget, and the client was very impressed with our performance, quality, and expertise, both on site and in the office.”

The high, 41-foot ceilings above the performance gymnasium provide the clearance needed to attract a number of national-level events. Only two days after hosting the 2019 Canada Winter Games, RDC was able to host the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Volleyball National Championship, featuring the

top eight volleyball teams from across the country.

And in January 2020, Red Deer College also successfully hosted the World Baton Twirling Federation (WBTF) 2020 Pan Pacific Cup, attracting athletes from all over the world thanks – in large part – the amount of ceiling clearance needed to permit a sport like baton twirling to happen.

“Obviously the COVID-19 situation has made it more difficult to continue hosting these kinds of events at this time, but we probably received about eight years of

experience in hosting large-scale events in less than six months,” says Rix While the centre allows RDC’s athletic teams to train, practice, and compete under one roof for the first time, the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre was also built to serve the City of Red Deer. Local community groups, such as the family-orientated Red Deer Pond Hockey organization and Red Deer Minor Hockey Midget AAA Female Chiefs, use the facility to host weekly games and consolidate most of their game-play in a single venue. Additionally, Hockey Alberta partners with RDC to base their operations at the centre, hosting high-performance camps, provincial team training, and other events.

“We aren’t about protecting the facility for our college teams and a few handselected groups that train and play here,” says Rix. “The Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre is a wide-open, community access facility, and the majority of people who spend their time in the fitness centre are community members. The building is open for all, and that is something that has become part of its broad appeal, and had been huge for us in building lasting connections.”

In all, the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre is but part – albeit a huge part - of a larger campus-wide undertaking that saw three buildings added to the main campus in the span of eight months.

Piling Industry Canada • December 2020 21

RDC Alternative Energy Lab exterior.

The other two buildings were an alternative energy lab and a new residence to increase on-campus housing. These three new buildings together increased the net area of the RDC campus by up to 30 per cent.

“It is the largest investiture of growth in the history of RDC since the initial building of the college back in the 1960s,” says Jason Mudry, Director, Campus Management at RDC. “This was a massive undertaking in terms of all the work being done at the same time and coordinating all the construction sites at once was a monumental task for everyone involved.”

Because the scale of the existing recreational facilities on campus was so small in comparison to the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, from an operational planning perspective, it was like starting from scratch. Compounding this challenge was the fact that coordinating the operation side of the project was running concurrent to the construction side, and ensuring that those two sides converged on a specific date for the grand opening took tremendous effort.

“I remember being here the night before we opened and we were still sweeping 22 PIC Magazine • December 2020

floors and moving construction pieces out of the way,” says Rix. “By the time the first people stepped through the doors, however, everything looked magnificent. There is always that fear that you are not going to be ready, but when you have something the scale of a Canada Games chomping at your heels, it provides a significant amount of motivation to push through and keep going.”

The Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre is pursuing LEED Silver certification, signifying RDC’s commitment to sustainability and maintaining a green campus. There are approximately 2,200 solar panels covering the flat roof sections of the building that generate a significant amount of power through an alternative renewable power source. In addition, the centre has capacity for grey water recycling, collecting rainwater off the building to help flush toilets and reduce overall water use. There’s also a small demonstration geo-thermal unit housed within the building.

“The centre and the technology within have become an extension of the learning classroom for the college,” says Mudry.

“Not only are we able to save on utility

dollars, but we also get to use the facility as an education component so students can come in and become actively involved in the study of the building from an energy utility perspective.”

The response to the centre has been overwhelmingly positive and RDC greatly values what the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre has brought to the college, providing opportunities to become a destination of choice for high-performance sport and sport tourism, and creating spaces that are changing some of the culture at the campus in terms of student engagement relative to health and wellness.

“The number of students we have who now come to work out in our facilities, or take in campus recreation events, has grown tremendously because of this building,” says Rix. “We are incredibly proud of the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre and this pause brought on by the pandemic has made us anxious about getting back to business. RDC wants to contribute to our region’s plans to grow sport tourism in the area, and this facility will be an important key in making that happen.” l

O-pile installation in Northern Ontario

By Anojan Sivaloganathan, Project Manager, Keller Foundations Ltd. Unexpected ground conditions were encountered at the proposed site for tailings dam expansion at Alamos Gold Inc. in Dubreuilville, requiring a 40-metre-long cut-off wall with a maximum required hydraulic conductivity of 1 x 10-7 m/s. Subsurface condition generally comprised of two- to nine-metre thick sand and gravel till with cobbles and boulders and a flowing water condition underlaid by bedrock (strong granitic with some quartz veins).

Various ground engineering techniques were considered for the cut-off wall, and ultimately an interlocking pipe pile (OPile) system was chosen as the preferred option for the following reasons:

1. Robust technique in challenging ground condition. Boulders and hydraulic gradient during construction is not an issue.

2.

Cut-off wall can be embedded into sound rock easily through the weathered zone.

3. Single-visit installation using a rotarypercussive drilling process.

4. Mechanical watertight interlocks – low risk.

5. Rapid construction – time is money.

A total of 68 no. – 610 millimetre-diameter O-Piles of lengths varying from five to 11 metres were required. Knowing that top of rock varied and due to limited borehole

information, additional subsurface investigation work was carried out to determine the profile of the top rock so that pipe piles can be prefabricated off-site.

An engineered, level working platform was provided during all the O-Pile works to allow continued operation throughout the project. As an added security, timber mats were used to mitigate any risk of local ground settlement during O-Pile construction.

A pile guide and a template were used to set up the pile on location and ensure verticality during O-Pile installation. As an added measure, drill mast and pipe pile alignment were verified using a digital

Piling Industry Canada • December 2020 23

level at least three times per pipe pile or as determined appropriate by the field crew.

Furthermore, after installing each O-Pile, a plumb bob was used to verify the verticality.

A rotary percussion reverse circulation drilling technique with a down-the-hole hammer was used to advance the permanent pre-fabricated pipe pile complete with ring bit, connectors (male and/or female), Wadit sealant on the female connector, and grout pipe to the target depth in a single pass. The drilling method involved the simultaneous advancement of permanent pipe pile and internal drill string with air/water flush. A track-mounted LB28 drill rig modified to accommodate the OPile installation process was used for the drilling operation. All drill cuttings were evacuated from the hole using a diverter attached to the drill head and transferred through the cyclone. Each pipe was embedded minimum one metre into sound rock.

Grouting inside each of the pipe piles were carried out by lowering a tremie hose to the base of the permanently cased hole and pumping until a theoretical volume of 400 litres was reached (approximately 1.5-metre-high grout volume), to create a minimum one-metre-high grout plug.

Once the inside grouting of each pipe pile was complete, the grouting of the annulus space in rock commenced soon after. Grout was injected via grout tubes that were initially prefabricated onto the pipe piles. The bottom 600 millimetres of annulus space between the pipe pile and the rock interface was grouted by injecting a minimum of 110 litres (i.e. three times the theoretical volume to fill up the 600-millimetre-high annulus space) under pressure; however, if the pressure exceeded two to five bars (approximately 0.25 -0.50 bar per meter depth), grouting was terminated. A secondary grout was prefabricated to the O-Pile in case of any unexpected difficulties when grouting through the first grout tube. Port opening operation was conducted by injection of water through the grout tubes prior to grouting operation.

A full-time technician was dedicated to 24 PIC Magazine • December 2020

performing quality control and quality assurance including drill logs, grout logs, record of piling spreadsheet and inspection and testing plan (ITP) for each installed O-Pile.

As a quality assurance check, the following cut-off wall permeability testing procedure was used to confirm the adequacy of the O-Pile cut-off wall: • Installed monitoring wells/piezometers on the upstream and downstream of the eventual cut-off wall location.

• Installed pumping well on the downstream (in between the monitoring well/ piezometer and the eventual cut-off wall location) but close to the eventual cut-off wall location.

• To determine the baseline data (permeability through an invisible plane along the eventual cutoff wall), a pump test was performed prior to O-Pile installation.

•P ump test post cut-off wall installation was performed to determine the permeability of the cut-off wall.

Overall, the client (Ledcor) and the owner (Alamos Gold) were extremely pleased with the professionalism, resourcefulness, and execution of the cut-off wall. Keller’s early involvement was appreciated as we diligently explained the pros and cons of each of the potential techniques to better educate the client/owner, discussed and resolved anticipated constructability and schedule issues, and addressed client’s time sensitive requirements as this work was on their critical path. During construction, Keller provided high caliber experienced personnel working six days a week for six straight weeks without a turnaround to accurately carry out the tasks with high regards to safety and quality, to complete it as per schedule. l

Panel on soil improvement

by Rigid Inclusions

By José Clemente, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, Bechtel Corporation

Rigid inclusions being installed for tanks, energy facilities in Connecticut.

Photo credit: Keller.

This article was originally published in DFI’s bi-monthly member magazine, Deep Foundations, Sept/Oct 2020 issue. DFI is an international technical association of firms and individuals in the deep foundations and related industries. To join DFI and receive the magazine, go to www.dfi.org.

Rigid Inclusions (RIs) are cementitious columns that are significantly stiffer than the surrounding soil and are used to improve ground performance. The use of RIs has gained widespread acceptance, but common misconceptions or concerns can exist among engineers who are less familiar with RI differences from piles regarding their design and behavior. To address issues related to RIs, a panel was assembled for an interactive discussion during the American Society of Civil Engineer’s (ASCE) Geo-Congress held in February. This article reviews the panel’s discussion of various RI uses and RI design and reinforcement needs. Moderated by José Clemente, the panel was made up of DFI and ASCE members, consisting of six practitioners and one academic: • José Clemente (moderator), Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, Bechtel Corporation • Tanner Blackburn, Ph.D., P.E., Keller Foundations • Jie Han, Ph.D., University of Kansas • Roberto Lopez, P.E., Malcolm Drilling • Morgan NeSmith, P.E., Berkel & Company • Timothy Siegel, P.E., G.E., D.GE, Dan Brown and Associates • Sonia Swift, Menard Group USA RIs are not structurally connected to the superstructure. Instead, a load-transfer fill mat or platform is typically installed between the top of RIs and the bottom of a superstructure. This arrange-

ment allows for load sharing with the surrounding soil.

Topics discussed at the panel included stress distribution between RIs and soil, RI use for settlement control and liquefaction mitigation, performance, and design of RIs under seismic loading, and steel reinforcement of RIs. Quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) issues were also discussed as briefly summarized in this article from the panelists.

Settlement Control Initial development of RIs in Europe in the 1970s was to support area loads such as highway embankments, tank foundations and structures on mat foundations. RIs continue to be used extensively for these applications. Typically, the main geotechnical consideration has been settlement reduction. Because of their load-sharing capabilities, RIs carry part of the foundation load (figure 1) reducing stresses on the soil and consequently reducing total and differential settlements. Additional benefits can be derived when RIs are installed in granular soils by using displacement methods that can result in densification of the soil surrounding the RIs. Serviceability limit state (settlement) design is employed, and the RIs are typically not reinforced. Use of RIs for settlement reduction has been extended to carry concentrated loads under footings in a manner analogous to a pile. In these cases, the bearing capacity of the RIs becomes a geotechnical consideration that must be accounted for.

Piling Industry Canada • December 2020 25

Figure 1: Large-scale plate test of load distributed between RIs and soil.

QA/QC aspects include field verification of soil densification and/ or load testing of RIs to confirm design assumptions. Load testing is often carried out on individual RIs, and this is particularly suitable when RIs carry concentrated loads. Load testing of large-scale footings with multiple RIs is sometimes needed to verify soil/RI response to loading. Settlement monitoring during, and sometimes after, construction is recommended.

Stress Distribution Figure 2: Embankment stress distributions along length of RIs.

Figure 3: Horizontal shear with RI-supported embankment.

RIs and the surrounding soil will behave as a composite system.

Thus, a rational representation of the soil-RI interaction is a fundamental aspect of RI design. For instance, when the distribution in load between the RIs and the soil is evaluated using a large-scale plate load test, the distribution varies with footing pressure. At lower footing pressures (and smaller displacements), the RIs resist a higher percentage of the load as compared to higher footing pressures and larger displacements. In the case of RIs within an embankment, vertical stresses from the overlying embankment will cause settlement and negative skin friction along the length of the RIs (figure 2). As a result, the RIs will behave like piles. It may seem intuitive that the RIs beneath an embankment may be considered to be in pure shear in a conventional limit equilibrium analysis; however, consideration should be made for the fact that the RIs will attract the embankment stress and transfer that stress deeper into the soil profile.

In addition, horizontal shear stresses are present near the edges of embankments (figure 3). The design of underlying RIs should thus consider the shear and bending resulting from the embankment shear stresses, as well as other potential loading/stress conditions when more complex design demands exists.

Liquefaction Mitigation

Figure 4: RI-soil interactions from seismically induced loadings.

RIs can provide stiffened soil responses to seismic loading. This effect is more pronounced when the RIs are installed using full soildisplacement methods that do not remove soil from the ground.

Typically, the displacement of predominantly coarse-grained soils results in densification of these soils surrounding the installed RIs, consequently increasing their resistance to seismic loading. The required increase in resistance is determined by analytical methods and is verified by QA/QC activities that include performing in situ tests before and after RI installation.

Verification of increase in soil density, strength, and modulus is typically needed to ensure that design requirements are met. In situ tests routinely performed include the standard penetration test (SPT), cone penetration test (CPT) and dilatometer test (DMT), as well as shear wave velocity (Vs) measurements.

A detailed case history of drilled displacement rigid inclusions used for liquefaction mitigation was presented in the January/February 2019 edition of Deep Foundations magazine.

Seismic Loading RIs have limited lateral capacity and stiffness because of their relative slenderness and lack of — or limited — reinforcement. As a result, they elicit brittle behavior under lateral loading conditions.

In areas of moderate to high seismicity, earthquake-induced lateral 26 PIC Magazine • December 2020

loading of RIs is a significant design consideration. Seismic loading of RIs results from a combination of inertial loading due to dynamic response of the superstructure being supported, and kinematic loading due to transient or permanent ground deformation during an event. This loading and deformation due to a seismic event will impose bending moments throughout the entire length of the element, which must be incorporated into the RI design.

Vertical load (P) and overturning moments (M) applied to a foundation by seismic inertial loading must be incorporated into the vertical loading design of the RIs (figure 4). Shear loads (V) are resisted by passive soil resistance against the foundation and through shear transfer to the load transfer platform and to the soil and RIs below it.

In addition to the inertial superstructure loading, the kinematic loading due to transient or permanent soil deformation is significant and must be included in the structural evaluation of RI elements. While the soil-structure interaction during seismic events is complex, simplified methods of analysis are available that may suffice for many RI projects. In addition, fully coupled, 3-D numerical analysis methods are available for critical projects.

Transient free-field soil displacement can be estimated by performing site response analyses, and permanent soil displacements can be evaluated using seismic slope stability methods. These free field soil-displacement distributions can be applied as a pseudostatic kinematic load to a beam on a nonlinear Winkler foundation analysis (for example, L-Pile). The structural response of the RI to the pseudostatic deflection would be investigated and moment capacity versus demand would be checked. Locations with significant moment demand typically occur at inflection points in the soil displacement profile (interfaces between soft and stiff soils) and in zones of higher curvature (see red circles in figure 4).

The performance of RIs subjected to seismic inertial and kinematic loading must be evaluated for both capacity and serviceability objectives. If moment demand exceeds capacity, there is a potential for plastic hinges to develop. That situation has potential engineering consequences and impacts on system performance, such as decreased system bearing capacity and additional settlement, and must be addressed.

Steel Reinforcement RIs are typically unreinforced, fully grouted elements that are designed to resist axial compressive forces. However, there are some conditions in which RIs are reinforced, either with a single center steel bar or with a steel cage. Typical design scenarios that require reinforcement of RIs include: when RIs need to resist tensile forces; when RIs are subjected to large lateral forces or bending moments (typically due to lateral movement of walls or embankments); when RIs are used to resist seismic forces (shear); and, when constructability concerns exist, such as: RIs being closely spaced and requiring installation in two passes; expected site heave during RI installation; follow-on work that involves significant excavations; or when vibrations occur near installed RIs.

Reinforcement used for constructability reasons consists of a single steel center bar installed over the top 10 to 20 feet (three to 6.1 metres) of the RIs. The purpose of the steel is to provide the RIs with more capacity and to maintain continuity in the event of cracking. RIs are also occasionally used to resist tensile forces or to support embankments over soft soils that experience large lateral movements during construction. In these cases, the RIs are reinforced with steel cages to resist lateral forces.

The design of steel-reinforced RIs varies drastically depending on the reason for the reinforcement. Typically, no reinforcement design is required when RIs are reinforced solely for constructability concerns. The bar is typically sized based on construction practices and material availability, and is most often a No. 8 bar, Gr. 60 steel. In these cases, the RI is installed and then the steel bar is pushed into the center of the RI. When the reinforcement is required for tensile forces, the RI is designed to structurally resist the tensile force. Then, the geotechnical capacity of the soil surrounding the reinforced portion of the RI is checked, since that capacity generally dictates the length to which the steel reinforcement needs to extend. For RIs resisting large lateral forces, bending moments, or that are subjected to seismic forces, the design generally follows guidelines similar to those used for auger-cast piles.

Conclusions RIs can be used for a variety of ground improvement applications ranging from settlement control to liquefaction mitigation. Design of RIs needs to account for proper load-sharing considerations, including inertial and kinematic loading under seismic conditions.

Steel reinforcement is generally not used, but is required when RIs are subjected to uplift, bending and lateral loading. A robust QA/ QC program is essential to confirming the effectiveness of RIs for the applications discussed here.

José Clemente, Ph.D., P.E., D.GE, is the manager of geotechnical engineering for Bechtel. He’s also a Bechtel Fellow and vice chair of the GeoInstitute’s Soil Improvement Committee for the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Tanner Blackburn, Ph.D., P.E., is vice president of engineering for Keller North America. He has over 15 years of experience in geotechnical engineering design and construction.

Jie Han, Ph.D., is the Glenn L. Parker Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Kansas and chair of the Geo-Institute’s Soil Improvement Committee for the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Roberto Lopez, P.E., is chief engineer for Malcolm Drilling. He has over 30 years of experience and oversees the technical aspects, design and engineering of projects in the United States.

Morgan NeSmith, P.E., is Berkel’s director of engineering and the immediate past chair of the DFI Augered Cast-In-Place and Drilled Displacement Pile Committee as well as a current member of the DFI Board of Trustees.

Tim Siegel, P.E., G.E., D.GE, is CEO and a senior principal engineer for Dan Brown and Associates and chair of DFI’s Ground Improvement Committee. He has over 25 years of experience in foundations and ground improvement.

Sonia Swift is the design manager at Menard USA and has 14 years of experience in the industry. She focuses on ground improvement design and construction. l Piling Industry Canada • December 2020 27

Powering Manitoba with MMTP

Completed last year, the Manitoba–Minnesota Transmission Project is bringing electrical security and more access to U.S. markets

By Paul Adair

Tower assembly using sky crane (guyed).

28 PIC Magazine • December 2020

Going into service on June 1, 2020, Manitoba Hydro’s new Manitoba–Minnesota Transmission Project (MMTP) is a 213-kilometre, 500 kilovolt AC transmission line designed to deliver additional electricity down to the public utility’s southern neighbour, Minnesota Power, over the next 15 years. The completion of MMTP creates a new level of interconnectivity that will strengthen the overall reliability and grid stability of Manitoba’s electricity supply, allowing Manitoba Hydro to fulfill current export sales agreements and providing additional access to markets in the United States, as well as further import capacity if required during emergency situations.

Manitoba Hydro segmented the construction of MMTP into two contracted sections, with Valard Construction working on Section Two from September 2019 to April 2020. This stretch of the project included 132 kilometres of transmission line installation, and incorporated such activities as access, clearing, tower assembly, tower erection, distribution crossings, the stringing of triple bundle conductor and including optical ground wire (OPGW).

“Valard is Canada’s largest premier utility contractor and has the capacity and capability − together with local knowledge and experience − to successfully construct,” says Dave Torgerson, Chief Operating Officer at Valard Construction. “The

project was completed on time within a compressed schedule of seven-and-a-half months.”

Valard used a variety of different piling equipment, large excavators, and cranes for the project’s precast foundation solutions. The screw piles were installed using a 470 John Deere excavator and 880D Tigercat with 225,000 ft./lbs drive-heads.

While the concrete foundations were supplied by Manitoba Hydro, Valard produced all material for the screw piles and driven piles in-house, which were a mixture of lengths and helices.

In the sections of the project where seepage and sloughing in the excavations were extensive, or in places with several metres of spongy peat rather than firm soil, the pre-cast concrete foundation proved to be extremely difficult to install, and precast concrete foundations were considered not feasible. In the face of this challenge, Valard proposed an alternative driven-pile solution that was successfully used following testing by Manitoba Hydro.

“Our driven-pile solution was something that Manitoba Hydro had never used before but has been extensively used

by Valard,” says Torgerson. “The driven piles were valuable for installing in those areas where other solutions were just not possible because of difficult and unknown subsurface ground conditions.”

Valard’s driven-pile solution consisted of driving the 18- to 24-metre deep pipe piles through the upper wet weak layers and terminating in the lower denser soils, assuring a sound foundation for the towers and resulting in a much faster and economical installation, particularly when compared to the installation of the precast concrete footings, helical piles, or micropiles.

Representative samples of the driven piles were tested using Pile Dynamic Analysis (PDA) and the sample capacities were determined using Case Pile Wave Analysis Program (CAPWAP) software.

This PDA testing proved invaluable by confirming the pile’s capacity and reducing the amount of extensions and splicing required.

“Foundations are generally the longest activity in the construction of a power line, and if you can shorten this, you have a good chance to meet − and perhaps beat − the schedule,” says Torgerson. “The driven−pile solution offered this for MMTP, with savings. Manitoba Hydro was very engaged and receptive to the driven−pile solution, allowing Valard to perform trial tests, driving, and Pile Dynamic Analysis (PDA) in various ground conditions to determine the optimal pile and driver design.”

The long path of the MMTP crosses the Red River Floodway south of Winnipeg, which presented an engineering challenge for Manitoba Hydro’s in-house designers to overcome while following the stringent requirements for placing towers on either side of it. The design of these foundations resulted in one of the largest cast-in-place foundations ever used on a transmission line project in Manitoba, taking approximately three months to install.

“When the floodway is in use, the MMTP tower footprints could potentially be submerged,” says Project Engineer Eryn Brown. “As a result, in collaboration with the provincial floodway authority, Manitoba Hydro designed foundations that would be elevated to clear a once-in-200year flood level.”

Provincially, the MMTP is a Class 3 development under the Manitoba Environment Act, which required a comprehensive scoping process and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). A Clean Environment Commission Hearing was also held and recommendations from that body informed the Environment Act Licence that was ultimately issued at the Provincial level.

And because the project is an international power line impacting an existing in-

Foundation at the Red River Crossing.

ternational power line (Riel IPL), a Federal Certificate was also required to move the project forward. This required a comprehensive federal application and a public hearing with the Canada Energy Regulator (previously known as the National Energy Board, or NEB). The project needed to meet requirements of both the NEB Act (now the CER Act) and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. All told, the regulatory review process for the project took roughly four years to complete: the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project was filed with the Province of Manitoba on September 2015, and the licence was received April 2019; the application with the NEB was filed December 2016 with the certificate received by August 2019.

“There were numerous steps taken to Piling Industry Canada • December 2020 29

MPM25 Junttan pile driver installing a pile for the only driven-pile anchor on the MMTP line.

ensure the project had the least impact to the environment,” says Brown. “Manitoba Hydro used an iterative, transparent and streamlined routing methodology, informed by expert analysis and comprehensive engagement with Indigenous and local communities to plan a route that balanced and limited impact. This included input from Indigenous traditional knowledge studies and environmental field studies.”

A comprehensive environmental protection program was also designed to limit impacts of the project on the environment, as well as on Manitobans. As part of this program, Manitoba Hydro produced a wide variety of plans to guide contractors during construction, such as (but not limited to) a biosecurity management plan, cultural and heritage resources protection plan, golden winged-warbler habitat management plan, and rehabilitation and invasive species management plan.

In addition, Manitoba Hydro established a MMTP Monitoring Committee comprised of representatives from Indigenous communities, Manitoba Hydro, 30 PIC Magazine • December 2020

and the Province. The purpose of this Committee was to support effective and meaningful Indigenous participation in monitoring the construction and operation of the MMTP project.

“The MMTP Monitoring Committee hired four Indigenous monitors (two compliance and environment monitors, a traditional monitor, and a communications monitor), who reported to the MMTP Committee members on project activities,” says Brown. “These monitors would work alongside Manitoba Hydro crews to monitor the implementation of mitigation measures and help ensure protection of the culturally and environmentally sensitive features.”

Manitoba Hydro also established the MMTP Landowner Advisory Committee, a group of landowners affected by the project who met regularly to review their concerns and discuss how Manitoba Hydro has resolved them, as well as advising on ways to effectively mitigate any issues.

The shortened schedule of the MMPT (from an expected two to three years down to just eight months) proved to be

a significant challenge given the terrain along the right of way. This challenge was further compounded by unseasonal fall flooding in 2019 that caused a six to eight week delay and a provincial state of emergency called for the surrounding areas.

“While the aggressive schedule was our biggest challenge, another difficulty was related to access, with plenty of low lying land, high water tables, and deep weak soils overlain by muskeg that was exacerbated by the extreme rainfall and flooding last fall,” says Torgerson. “Valard was able to overcome all of these challenges − and more − through quick project planning ONTARIO and our expertise in the industry.”

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We have two andin used structural of steel pipe.thicknesses We have weather, timber matting needed be laid 3” toOD – 48” OD a variety wall MountMiles Hope,Road, Ontario Mount Hope, Ontario Fax: large stocking locations of of Seamless, ERW, several stocking locations Seamless, L0R 1WO(905) 679-6544 down over certain areas along projL0R 1WO arethestocked in Spiralweld both locations. and DSAW pipe.

ERW, Spiralweld and DSAW pipe.

Local: (905) (905) 679-6999 679-6999 ect’s right of way to provide access. Once Local: Toll Free: Free: (877) (877) 468-7473 Toll 468-7473 3” OD – 48” OD in a variety of wall thicknesses the ground froze in early November, 3" OD –min 48" OD in a seamless variety of wall thicknesses Fax: (905) 679-6544 679-6544 Piling howPipe 80,000 yield pipe for Fax: (905) QUEBEC are stocked in both locations. are stocked in all three locations. ever, it allowed contractors access to most Micro Piling.

805 1 ère Avenue areas of the project site under typical froPiling QUEBEC Piling Pipe Pipe 80,000 80,000 min min yield yield seamless seamless pipe pipe for for Ville Ste. Catherine, Quebec QUEBEC zen conditions. The tower installation was Micro Piling.

805 1 1 ère ère Avenue Avenue 805 Micro Piling.

J5C 1C5 Seamless and ERW pipe for Driven Piles, Ville Ste. Catherine, Quebec also able to be expedited by flying the towJ5C 1C5 Seamless and pipe for for Driven Driven Piles, Piles, Screw Piles and Drill Piles.

Seamless and ERW ERW pipe ers in with air cranes and using helicopter Local: (450) 638-3320 Screw Piles and Drill Piles.

Local: (450) 638-3320 Screw Piles and Drill Piles. erection methods to set the towers.

Toll Free: 514-0040 Toll Free: (888) (888) 514-0040 Fax: (450) 638-3340 Large Diameter pipe for Driven Pile or Caissons.

Large Diameter pipe for Driven Pile or Caissons.

Other challenges faced by the MMPT Fax: (450) 638-3340 Fax: (450) 638-3340 Large Diameter pipe for Driven Piles or Caissons. were primarily related to the amount of pre-work required on preparatory materials and the almost four-year regulatory process, as well as the great efforts that went into stakeholder engagement and concerns regarding ground conditions.

And as geotechnical drilling often proved unexpected subsurface conditions ongoing throughout project, Valard would also encounter artisan water conditions in certain areas that would further complicate the installation process.

“All of this, as well as a pandemic at the end, and to still come in on schedule and on budget — that’s a testament to the amazing abilities of the team and the staff who worked on MMTP from all phases of www.interpipe.com the project,” says Brown. l Piling Industry Canada • December 2020 31

Nucor Skyline adds strength to Canal de l’Aqueduc with new bulkhead wall

By Janet Himstead, Technical Writer, Nucor Skyline

Built in 1853, the Canal de l’Aqueduc on the Island of Montreal in Québec, Canada, is an open-air aqueduct. The canal serves as part of the drinking water supply for the city of Montreal and draws water from the Saint Lawrence River. It runs through the city of LaSalle and the boroughs of Verdun and Le Sud-Ouest, where it ends at an underground reservoir and pumping station in the City of Montreal.

While the canal itself is closed off with fences, it is lined with wetlands, a bicycle path, and a park along its southern banks for pedestrians and bicyclists to enjoy the beauty surrounding it. The canal runs approximately 8,100 metres in length and 32 PIC Magazine • December 2020

varies between 30 and 50 metres in width.

Canals, waterways, and wetlands are exposed continuously to erosion and flooding from rainfall and runoff. One way to keep the earthen sides of a canal from eroding is to build a retaining wall. A retaining wall helps keep the earth in place and protects the surrounding areas from runoff and flooding. Preventing the runoff also increases the water quality in the canal by keeping the turbidity low. A retaining wall that retains soil on the backside and water on the front side is called a seawall or a bulkhead. These walls come in many forms, such as concrete, interlocking steel sheet piles, or steel combi-wall systems.

At Canal de l’Aqueduc, there was an additional reason for the bulkhead wall, as a new highway was being built alongside the canal, and the bulkhead would also add support for the roadway. The existing elevated highway near the canal will be demolished and the new highway will be built at ground level.

The joint venture of KPH-Turcot/WSP/

ETPO, located in Québec, reached out to Nucor Skyline Canada for their engineering expertise in steel retaining and bulkhead walls. Steel sheet pile bulkhead walls are often used in soft soil and tight spaces.

The site at Canal de l’Aqueduc consisted of approximately one to two metres of soft, shallow soils over the rock layer and did not permit driving the sheet piling deep enough to develop toe support. Nucor Skyline’s engineering team proposed various solutions to toe pin and anchor the sheet piling wall into the bedrock and stabilize the wall. Because of the soft soil conditions and the slope of the soil toward the centre of the canal, the design team from WSP opted for a toe-pin wall system to obtain maximum stability. Project drawings were prepared by Nucor Skyline’s engineering team.

The optimal solution for the bulkhead wall at Canal de l’Aqueduc consisted of using approximately 1,300 net tons of AZ 36700N and AZ 46-700N sheet pile sections with casing welded to the sheet pile for driving to bedrock. The sheet piles ranged in length from six to 15.24 metres. Because the sheet piles will be in a corrosive, marine environment, the piles were coated with a coal tar epoxy to enhance their life.

Using a vibratory hammer, Groupe ETPO, the general contractor on the job, was able to drive the sheets without incident to bedrock. A drilling rig was then utilized to drill into the bedrock through the casing. Steel toe-pins were inserted into the casing and ultimately, the rock. Once the toe-pins were in place deep in the bedrock, grout was injected into the casing and rock layer to solidify the system. Walers were installed on the back side of the bulkhead wall for additional stability and to set up the tieback system.

A deadman wall was installed on the other side of the proposed roadbed in

order to utilize a tieback system from the bulkhead wall. Anchoring the sheets near the top of the wall will limit wall deflection and prevent settlements on the future highway. The top of the wall is supported by the tie rod and the bottom of the wall is anchored by the toe-pin. The sheet pile acts as a supported beam between the two reaction points.

The project was completed successfully, and the new highway is in use at the Canal de l’Aqueduc.

For more information on bulkhead walls and other project using steel sheet piling, please visit www.nucorskyline.com. l

Piling Industry Canada • December 2020 33

equipment Profile

Hercules Machinery moves to the next level with new Movax drills Hercules Machinery is launching two new drills to the North America market from their partnership with the Movax line out of Finland. These drills are true attachments. Oher attachment drills can only drill 25 feet deep where the TAD32 will go 30 feet deep and the KB70 will go 50 feet. Other drills capable of those depths are dedicated drill rigs.

TAD-32 Features • Excavator-mounted auger drive attachments for cast in-situ piling and other earth drilling work. Especially suitable for work in confined spaces while still being good at reaching over obstacles. The telescopic design keeps the machine low and allows working on sites with limited headroom without compromising on drilling depth.

• Hydraulically operated telescopic Kelly bar with two extension.

• Available with different type of augers for normal soil conditions, hard clay, hard soil etc.

• Controlled with the MOVAX Control System (MCS™) − MCS Lite, MCS Pro or MCS Pro+auto.

• Reporting and documentation of piling works with M-logbook™ (optional, requires MCS Pro or MCS Pro+auto).

The TAD and KB are easy on and off the excavator − and when drilling is done, the contractor has the excavator to work with, not a drill rig sitting until the next drill job. These new drills are a perfect companion piece to other HMC products, all of which are excavator-mounted, allowing contractors to save time, money, and reduce the crew size on their piling projects.

KB-70S Features •E xcavator-mounted auger drive attachments for cast in-situ piling and other earth drilling work. Especially suitable for work in confined spaces while still being good at reaching over obstacles.

The telescopic design keeps the machine low and allows working on sites with limited headroom without compromising on drilling depth.

•E quipped with interlocking telescopic Kelly bar •A vailable with different type of augers for normal soil conditions, hard clay, hard soil, etc.

•C ontrolled with the MOVAX Control System (MCS™) •A vailable with the MOVAX Information Management System (MIMS™)

Technical Data

Technical Data

Weight w/o adapter and auger kg 3,200 Height w/o auger mm 3,855 Depth mm 1,673 Width mm 1,013 Return pressure, max bar 5 Oil flow rate l/min 75 − 250 Oil flow rate l/min 0 Max return pressure bar 5 Hole depth m 9 Hole diameter* mm 400 – 1,000 Drill speedrange rpm 11 −74 Side tilt angle degrees +/- 30 Torque Nm 30,000 Auger pressing force N 15,000 Auger pulling force N 30,000 Auger diameter mm 0

Weight w/o adapter and auge kg 5,500 – 5,800 Height mm 4,500 Operating pressure bar 350 Oil flow rate l/min 100 − 200 Hole depth m 12 − 15 Hole diameter * mm 420 – 1,500 Drill speedrange rpm 10 − 120 Side tilt angle degrees +/- 15 Torque Nm 70,000 Crowd force kN 190 Extraction force kN 57

*Depending on soil conditions and tooling.

34 PIC Magazine • December 2020

*Depending on soil conditions and tooling.

Experience the Progress.

Liebherr deep foundation machinery • • • • • •

High availability and long service-life due to robust equipment technology Low emission and high efficiency thanks to intelligent drive systems Operating comfort through innovative control concept Matching working tools ensure excellent productivity Optimized construction processes thanks to comprehensive consultation Appropriate crawler concrete pump with digital link to the drilling rig

Liebherr-Canada Ltd. 1015 Sutton Drive, Burlington, ON, L7L 5Z8, Canada Phone: +1 905 319-9222 info.lca@liebherr.com facebook.com/LiebherrConstruction www.liebherr.com

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