Piling Industry Canada Winter 2018 issue

www.pilingindustrycanada.com

Issue 2 • 2018

PIC Piling Industry Canada

Very DEEP FOUNDATIONS AT 181 FREMONT IN SAN FRANCISCO

magazine flashback: Saving the calgary zoo

www.pilingindustrycanada.com

extracted acip piles for the new harbor bridge project

Publications mail agreement #40934510

www.canadianpile.com

3801-53 Avenue LAcombe, Ab T4L 2L6 bruce@canadianpile.com

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THERE’S NOTHING LEFT TO DO EXCEPT DRIVE IT INTO THE GROUND

AT NUCOR TUBULAR PRODUCTS WE DO ALL THE GROUND WORK SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO. We can bevel at 30° and our end plate or cone attachment welded to AWS D1.1 specifications will give you less handling costs and the ability to ship a finished pile to the job site. These services are provided in our Decatur, Alabama and Marseilles, Illinois Divisions for splicing cone and plate attachment.

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In this issue Today’s piling challenges 20

PILING INDUSTRY NEWS ECA and ECA Canada earn ADSC Safety Awards 6

PIC

Piling Industry Canada Junttan strengthens presence in the North American market 6

Equipment profile: Soilmec’s SR-65 EVO reaches new levels 22 Flashback: Saving the Calgary Zoo 24

ECA hosts customers at BAUER Oktoberfest in Germany 8

New Junttan product launch at the Bauma 2019 exhibition 26

Feature: Very deep foundations at 181 Fremont in San Francisco 10

Feature: Extracted ACIP piles for the New Harbor Bridge Project 28

Equipment profile: Liebherr THS 110 D-K crawler concrete pump 18

Special machine operator masters the most difficult conditions 30

magazine

Published by DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3L 0G5 President & CEO: David Langstaff Publisher: Jason Stefanik 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 Art Director: Kathy Cable Layout: Dave Bamburak Advertising Art: Dave Bamburak, Dana Jensen

Government needs to help the construction industry 19

© Copyright 2019. 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.

Index to advertisers

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.

American Piledriving Equipment, Inc..........................27

Liebherr Werk Nenzing GMBH............................OFC, IBC

Arntzen Corporation................................................................30

Loadtest............................................................................................11

Canadian Piledriving Equipment Inc.......................... IFC

Northstar Sharp’s Foundations Specialists................23

Equipment Corporation of America.....................16, 17

Nucor Tubular Products............................................................3

Fraser River Pile & Dredge GP Inc...............................8, 26

Platinum Grover International Inc.....................................5

Hammer & Steel Inc.............................................................OBC

RST Instruments Ltd.................................................................13

Hercules Machinery Corporation.......................................9

Samuel Roll Form Group.......................................................15

Interpipe Inc..................................................................................19

Skyline Steel......................................................................................7

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

Keller Foundations, LLC..........................................................21

Waterloo Barrier Inc..................................................................20

Printed in Canada – 12/2018

As pictured on the cover – The Colombian government’s 4G Toll Road Concession Program is the largest project in Latin America for the development of the road infrastructure. It involves the expansion or maintenance of about 7,000 kilometres of roads as well as the erection of new bridges. A two-lane road is being built on the 35-kilometre-long east-west route between Ibagué and Cajamarca and will include 40 bridges made of concrete elements. It is assumed the distance can then be covered in half the time that is currently required.

The contractor for the project is APP GICA S.A., a group of six Colombian construction companies. One of them, Mincivil, is applying the drilling rig type LB 36 from Liebherr for the installation of the bridge piles in Ibagué. Using the Kelly drilling method, the machine is installing piles with diameters of 1,500 millimetres and average depths of 30 metres. The number of piles varies according to the design of the bridge. Depending on the soil conditions, the LB 36 has a daily performance of 10- to 15-metre drilling depth.

Due to the close vicinity of the Nevado del Tolima, the soil consists of a hard rock layer and is extremely difficult to crack. A task which is a little too ambitious for many drilling rigs. It would seem they bow in awe of the 5,220-metre-high volcano. Daniel Rodriguez, Foundation Unit Business Manager at Mincivil, has already applied diverse deep foundation equipment. Thanks to his many years of experience, he is sure of one thing, “Only Liebherr comes into consideration with such hard soil conditions.”

4 PIC Magazine • December 2018

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Piling Industry News

ECA and ECA Canada earn ADSC safety awards Equipment Corporation of America (ECA) and ECA Canada, leading distributors of foundation construction equipment, have earned safety awards from the Association of Drilled Shaft Contractors (ADSC).

The awards were presented at the association’s Summer Meeting, which was held from July 9 to 12 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The 2018 Zero Lost Time Awards are awarded to companies that have achieved five or more consecutive years of work with no lost time accidents or lost work days in calendar year 2017. ECA was recognized in the “100,000 – 300,000 Man Hours Worked” category, and ECA Canada was recognized in the “Less Than 50,000 – 100,000 Man Hours Worked” category. ECA Canada had taken home an award in the “Less Than 50,000 Man-Hours Worked” category in 2016.

“As we celebrate a century in business, our commitment to safety is as young and fresh as ever,” said CEO Roy Kern. “Our continued success with these ASDC awards is a testament to our efforts to maintain a safe working environment in our U.S. and Canadian operations.”

ECA has been a leading supplier of foundation construction equipment in the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada for more than a century, offering sales, rentals, service, and parts and training from nine facilities throughout the Eastern U.S. and Eastern Canadian Provinces. Visit ecanet.com for the latest information on our everimproving specialty foundation equipment solutions. l

ADSC’s CEO Mike Moore (left) presented Zero Lost Time Safety Awards for ECA and ECA Canada to the company’s President Ben Dutton (center) and CEO Roy Kern at the ADSC Summer Meeting in Colorado Springs.

Junttan strengthens presence in the North American market We are excited to announce the addition of Mr. Tim Dutton as our new VP of Sales and Operations at Junttan USA, Inc. Tim started with Junttan USA’s team November 19, 2018, and he’ll be responsible for Junttan USA, Inc’s operations, sales, and development of our organization, customer support, and sales in the North American market.

With over 20 years of experience in the foundation and equipment industry, Tim will bring valuable knowledge to Junttan and strengthen our sales team. Tim has spent most of his career with drilling machines and vibro hammers in the U.S. market, and he has worked as a project manager for a foundation contractor. Therefore, Tim will also play a key role in developing our new MPX Multipurpose Drilling and Piling rigs product line in the future.

Most recently, Tim has worked for PKF MARK III, where he worked in estimating, as a field superintendent, and as project manager. Tim specifically carried out work for the NJDOT Maintenance Division, replacing deteriorating bridge-fender systems along the New Jersey Inter-Coastal Waterway (ICW) with state-of-the-art composite materials. All work was coordinated and carried out from a marine application on barges and boats with extensive pile driving and carpentry methods.

With Tim’s experience with piling and drilling equipment, as well as his technical background and field expertise, he will surely bring our 6 PIC Magazine • December 2018

North American market to a new level, making us better able to serve our valued existing and new customer with dedicated Junttan services, spare parts and sale. l

Miika Eskelinen, General Manager of Junttan USA Inc., and Tim Dutton.

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Piling Industry News

ECA hosts customers at BAUER Oktoberfest in Germany Equipment Corporation of America (ECA), a leading distributor of foundation construction equipment, joined BAUER Equipment America (BEA) in hosting 36 distinguished guests at the annual BAUER Oktoberfest Event in Germany from October 17th to 21st.

Each year, ECA joins Texas-based BEA to fund and organize a trip for some preferred clients to the country where its foundation equipment is manufactured. This year’s agenda included BAUER product presentations; guided tour and product demonstrations at BAUER Maschinen’s Aresing and Edelshausen factories; a visit to the BETEK facility in Aichhalden; jobsite visits in Stuttgart and Frankfurt; a guided tour of KLEMM’s Drolshagen factory; sightseeing in Cologne; and Oktoberfest in Munich.

“The Oktoberfest Event is a tradition we started back in 2004 when we picked up the BAUER line,” says CEO Roy Kern. “This is a unique opportunity to spend quality time with our customers and to introduce them to the people and companies that produce the

foundation equipment they rely upon every day.”

ECA has been a leading supplier of foundation construction equipment in the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada for more than a century. We are the exclusive distributor for BAUER Drills, Klemm Anchor and Micropile Drills, RTG Piling Rigs, MAT Grout Systems, Pileco Diesel Pile Hammers, HPSI Vibratory Pile Hammers, WORD International Drill Attachments,

Dawson Construction Products, Grizzly Side Grip Vibros, ALLU Ground Improvement Equipment, and DIGGA Dangle Drills.

ECA offers sales, rentals, service, and parts and training from nine facilities throughout the Eastern U.S. and Eastern Canadian provinces. Visit ecanet.com for the latest information on our ever-improving specialty foundation equipment solutions. l

ECA and BAUER Equipment America hosted 36 distinguished guests at the annual BAUER Oktoberfest Event in Germany.

Fraser River Pile & Dredge (GP) Inc.

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8 PIC Magazine • December 2018

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Very deep foundations at 181 Fremont in San Francisco

By Kirk Ellison, Ph.D., P.E., G.E., Arup North America; Eric S. Lindquist, Ph.D., P.E., Brierley Associates; and Peter Faust, Dipl.-Ing. Malcolm Drilling Company

The 181 Fremont Tower is an iconic new, mixed-use high-rise in the dense urban setting of downtown San Francisco, California, that celebrated its grand opening in May 2018. With a roof level at a height of 702 feet (214 metres) and an architectural spire topping out at a height of 802 feet (244.5 metres), the 57-story tower is the tallest mixeduse building west of the Mississippi. The below-grade components for the tower include a five level, 58-foot (17.7-metre) deep basement and 42 drilled shafts extending to depths of approximately 260 feet (79.2 metres) below street grade. At the time of construction in 2014, the drilled shafts were the deepest in San Francisco and helped to set a new precedent for supporting heavy structures on bedrock in a part of the city where large building settlements have been known to occur.

As discussed in this article, the design and construction of the basement and shafts deftly navigated a variety of difficult site conditions and constraints, such as loose fill and soft soils, shallow groundwater, a small project site in a dense urban setting, the proximity of other buildings, and the ongoing excavation and build-out of the adjacent Salesforce Transit Center.

10 PIC Magazine • December 2018

Site Location and Constraints The site is bounded by the Salesforce Transit Center (former Transbay Transit Center) to the north, the 199 Fremont building to the east, the historic “Townhall” building to the south and Fremont Street to the west.

The Salesforce Transit Center to the north is approximately 165 feet (50.3 metres) wide, 60 feet deep (18.3 metres) and extends for four city blocks. The above-grade portion consists of a bus-deck level and a rooftop garden, while the below-grade portion consists of an underground trainbox. Due to the shallow groundwater table and the relatively light weight of the transit center, its foundation consists of a mat with micropile tiedowns. At the time of construction of the 181 Fremont Tower, excavation and build-out of the trainbox was underway. The support of excavation for the trainbox consisted of a cement deep soil mixed (CDSM) cut-off wall supported by four levels of temporary walers and cross-lot braces. The 181 Fremont shoring system shared the CDSM wall for the transit center on one side.

The 364-foot (111-metre) high, 27-story 199 Fremont building to the east has four basement levels extending to a depth of approximately 50 feet (15.2 metres) below the

ground surface. Due to its proximity to the 181 Fremont excavation, the shoring wall for the 181 Fremont basement was placed directly adjacent to the existing abandoned shoring wall for the 199 Fremont basement.

The Townhall building (also known as 342 Howard Street or the Marine Electric building) to the south is separated from the 181 Fremont Tower by a narrow walkway that provides access to the 199 Fremont building from Fremont Street. The Townhall building is a three-story masonry building (that has undergone a seismic upgrade) with a one-

Fig. 2. Satellite image of the 181 Fremont Tower site (Google Earth).

Franciscan Complex Bedrock was en-

metre) thick mat, and an eight-foot (2.4 me-

countered under the Valley Deposits at

tre) wide by 12-foot (3.7 m) deep pile cap

depths ranging from approximately 222 to

ring beam that ties together 34 of the drilled

236 feet (67.7 to 71.9 metres). In this part

shafts located along the perimeter of the

of the city, the Franciscan Complex consists

structure. As the mat rests on compressible

of a chaotic mixture of competent blocks of

Bay Mud and the deep shafts provide rela-

sandstone, siltstone, and sheared shale float-

tively rigid support to the structure, the thin

ing within a softer clayey mélange matrix.

mat was able to be designed primarily to re-

Very Deep Foundations The foundations for the 181 Fremont Fig. 3. Plan view of the deep foundation system and contours of depth to bedrock (in feet).

sist hydrostatic uplift and a small heave load.

Design of the Drilled Shafts

Tower consist of 17 each five-foot (1.5 me-

Drilled shafts to bedrock were identified at

tre) diameter drilled shafts, 25 each six -foot

an early stage of design as the preferred foun-

(1.8 metre) diameter shafts, a three-foot (0.9

dation solution for several reasons:

level basement bearing on strip footings with timber piles.

Finally, Fremont Street to the west is a particularly busy roadway that provides access to a large portion of the city from the I-80 off-ramp near the end of the San Francisco Bay Bridge.

Geology and Subsurface Conditions The project site is located near the edge of the San Francisco Bay and was formerly part of the historic Yerba Buena Cove prior to its reclamation in 1853. Thus, soils underlying the site consist of alluvial sand and clay deposits that alternate due to past depositional changes at the bay margin.

The fill material in the upper approximately 15 feet (4.6 metres) is underlain by interbedded marine deposits consisting of soft to stiff clays (Bay Mud) and medium dense to dense sands (marine sands) to a depth of approximately 85 feet (25.9 metres). The interbedded marine deposits are underlain by a stiffer marine clay known as Old Bay Clay (or Yerba Buena Mud) to a depth of approximately 165 feet (50.3 metres) that is relatively homogeneous and slightly overconsolidated.

The Old Bay Clay is underlain by a very stiff clay with interbedded sands and gravels that are terrestrial, colluvial, fluvial and possibly estuarine in origin. This layer is referred to herein as “Valley Deposits,” since the presence of some cobbles and large pieces of wood indicate that debris flows likely filled a valley that once existed at the site between Rincon Hill to the south and Telegraph Hill to the north.

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Piling Industry Canada • December 2018 11

1. Large seismic demands necessitate the transfer of loads to great depths to provide adequate resistance.

2. Net unloading due to the excavation and build-out of the adjacent transit centre could otherwise enable movement along a slip surface type mechanism extending from the southern edge of the tower to the northern edge of the transit centre while passing through the bottom of the Valley Deposits.

3. Case studies from nearby sites indicated that shallower pile systems can mobilize creep settlement of the lightly overconsolidated Old Bay Clay under heavy loading.

Unlike many conventional high rise buildings, the primary structural system for resisting wind and seismic loads at the 181 Fremont Tower relies on mega braces located at the exterior of the structure rather than a more conventional reinforced concrete core.

This enables the structure to function with a more open floor plan, which is desirable given the small footprint of the site; however, it also tends to concentrate large dynamic loads at the corners of the foundation. Due to the proximity of the property boundary, pile groups placed at the corners would have been subjected to large eccentric loading. Instead, the potential for differential settlement due to plunging of the corner shafts was mitigated by tying the exterior shafts together with the pile cap ring beam.

Integral to the design process was the construction of a test shaft that was loaded via bi-directional expansion of a cluster of three hydraulic load cells (i.e., Osterberg cells or O-cells) positioned within the rebar cage approximately 20 feet (6.1 metres) from the shaft tip. The test shaft was not sacrificial and was able to be incorporated as a permanent foundation element at a relatively lightly loaded location with little uplift demand.

The design side friction (i.e., the slope of the line on the load-elevation plot), which was assumed to develop within the bedrock, is approximately half of the amount that was demonstrated to develop during the load test. This is to account for the possibility that the chaotic arrangement of competent blocks within the Franciscan Complex Bedrock could have contributed to a high capacity at 12 PIC Magazine • December 2018

the test shaft that should not be relied upon elsewhere. However, the higher side friction was permitted at a few locations where the presence of intact sandstone made for particularly difficult drilling conditions.

The diameter and length of each drilled shaft was selected to achieve the required ultimate capacity based on the subsurface conditions at the shaft. Thus, on-site observation by the design engineering staff was critical to identify the material encountered during excavation of each shaft so that its tip depth could be shortened or lengthened as required. Despite the small building footprint, the variation in stratigraphy across the site was significant. For example, the depth to bedrock varied by as much as 14 feet (4.3 metres) across the site. The bedrock contours were updated and distributed regularly during construction to aid in the estimation of required tip depth (and rebar cage length) for subsequent shafts.

Construction and Integrity Testing of the Drilled Shafts Malcolm Drilling installed the drilled shafts from the existing grade using a Bauer BG46 drill rig with a 263-ft (80.2 metre) long Kelly bar. Since the overburden soil layers consisted of loose manmade fill, including old wooden piles, and several sand lenses to depths of about 80 feet (24.4 metres), temporary steel casing was used to stabilize these layers during construction. Drilling beyond the casing in the mostly stiff clay layers proceeded using polymer slurry (i.e. drilling support fluid). The Valley Deposits were believed to pose a significant risk to borehole stability due to their loose matrix of

Fig. 4-alt. Base slab installation and connection to the drilled shaft foundation system.

Fig. 5. Interpreted drilled shaft capacity with depth.

gravel and cobble components. Therefore, a higher-grade KB polymer was used because the product allows for immediate slurry enhancement with stabilizing additives when loose soil layers are encountered.

Since the small site (140 by 130 feet [42.7 by 39.6 metres] in plan) is in San Francisco’s financial district and at least two other major construction projects were underway throughout construction (i.e.

Salesforce Transit Center and Salesforce Tower), traffic and site logistics were major drivers for all construction activities.

For example: • Rebar cages had to be spliced multiple times over the borehole since delivery of long cages was not possible.

• Slurry tanks had to be moved during production and covered to provide some storage capacity.

• Large deliveries were restricted to limited windows and unscheduled events posed a significant time delay risk.

Fig. 6. Aerial view of the small project site.

• The drilled shaft construction was performed in two shifts, almost around the clock, in close collaboration with the general contractor.

The shafts were completed ahead of schedule and no anomalies were revealed by the integrity testing via crosshole sonic logging (CSL). The success of the drilled shaft installation is attributed to the close collaboration between the engineers, general contractor and specialty foundation contractor, as well as the focus on shaft cleanliness.

Support of Excavation Support for the approximately 60-foot (18.3 metre) deep excavation for the 181 Fremont basement included new cutter soil mixed (CSM) walls along the south, east and west sides of the site, and the existing CDSM wall along the north side, which was in use

Fig. 5. Interpreted drilled shaft capacity with depth.

Design of the CSM Wall and Bracing The new 3.3-foot (one metre) thick cutter soil mixed (CSM) shoring walls were reinforced with W30 (W760) steel piles and were designed to act as both a stiff structural wall and to provide groundwater cutoff. Soil mix-

for the construction of the below grade

ing extended to a depth of 95 feet (29 me-

portion of the adjacent Salesforce Transit

tres) below existing grade to penetrate into

Center project. CSM differs from CDSM in

the relatively impermeable Old Bay Clay for

that it employs a mixing tool with two sets

a bottom seal.

of counter-rotating, vertically mounted cut-

The internal bracing system consisted

ter wheels to form rectangular soil-cement

primarily of W36 (W920) perimeter walers

panels, as opposed to circular secant shafts.

and 36-inch (914-millimetre) diameter pipe

Four levels of internal bracing were used to

struts. Due to the particularly high loads at

restrain the soil mixed shoring walls.

the lowest bracing level, stacked double wal-

Monitor with Confidence

ers were required. The struts were designed and detailed to be preloaded using hydraulic rams to reduce deflection of the shoring system and to ensure that the bracing loads were distributed as intended. Pin pile supports were provided for a heavy boxed wide flange member that was designed to carry significant axial loads across the excavation in a north-south direction.

To ensure continuity of load transfer across the adjacent transit centre site, the bracing elevations were coordinated with the bracing levels for the transit centre project, which were in place when the 181 Fremont excavation commenced. In addition, the bracing was configured to be removed progressively to minimize conflicts with the permanent basement construction. The shoring design also had to be closely coordinated with the project’s tower crane foundation; a steel grillage supported on four tightly bunched drilled shafts, and temporary work trestles that accommodated a large crawler crane and a hydraulic excavator.

Construction and Monitoring of the CSM Wall and Bracing Compliance with the horizontal deflection limits (i.e., no more than one inch (25 millimetres) at the top level of bracing and 1.5

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Summary Very close collaboration between the owner, geotechnical engineer, structural engineer, general contractor, and specialty foundation and shoring subcontractor was critical to the successful completion of the subsurface components of the 181 Fremont Tower. Detailed planning and extra effort up-front (e.g. soil investigation, obstruction removal, work sequencing and contingency planning) benefited the construction schedule and overall project cost. l Fig. 8. Spaced waler pair for bracing load adjustment at shared shoring wall

Fig. 9. SSSI model to examine seismic interaction between 181 Fremont Tower and Salesforce Transit Center

inches (38 millimetres) below the top level of bracing) was assessed via regular monitoring of six inclinometers embedded through the soil mix walls and extending into bedrock, and approximately 40 glass prism survey monuments mounted to the tops of the soldier piles in the CSM walls. The inclinometers were read manually at approximately two-week intervals with the calibration/ interpretation of each reading corroborated by measurements from the nearby survey monuments. Monitoring of the survey monuments was performed in two-hour increments by extending an automated total station (AMTS) network that was already in place for the Salesforce Transit Center project. This survey data was made accessible in near real time to the contractors, engineers, adjacent property owners and other stakeholders through an online portal.

The specified dewatering criterion (i.e., groundwater should be lowered by no more than five feet [1.5 metres] outside the excavation) was assessed via manual reading of piezometers at two locations: one adjacent to the soil mix wall along Fremont Street and the other adjacent to the soil mix walls near the truncated southeast corner of the building footprint. Two nested piezometers were installed in each borehole, where the casing was slotted within the fill and marine sand layers.

and structure-soil-structure interaction (SSSI) phenomena. For example, to mitigate the potential for excessive movements to impact the transit center and the 199 Fremont and Townhall buildings during construction, the shoring system was designed to limit ground deformations within permissible limits. In addition, at the shared transit center shoring wall, special bracing details were employed to provide a means of controlling the response of the transit center shoring to the 181 Fremont excavation. At this location, a pair of walers with spacers were used to provide a gap where jacks could be installed, if necessary, to locally adjust the loads in the bracing system. In addition, this detail reduced the potential for longitudinal load transfer between the bracing system and the shared shoring wall.

The potential for SSSI was also considered during the seismic design of the tower. Since both the transit center trainbox and the 181 Fremont basement were cast directly against the shoring wall, there is a direct load path for the two structures to interact during an earthquake. In fact, as a condition of approval for the project proceed, SSSI analysis was required to demonstrate whether there would be an impact on the seismic performance of the adjacent transit center. To this end, a suite of bedrock-propagating ground motion time histories was applied to a large 3D finite element model that included both structures (and a simplified representation of the Salesforce Tower) embedded within the soil/rock domain.

Structure-Structure and StructureSoil-Structure Interaction Due to the proximity of the site to several nearby structures, major consideration was given to potential structure-structure 14 PIC Magazine • December 2018

Acknowledgements •D eveloper - Jay Paul Company •A rchitectural Design - Heller Manus Architects • S tructural Engineer - Arup North America •G eotechnical Engineer - Arup North America • S horing Designer - Brierley Associates •G eneral Contractor - Level 10 Construction • S pecialty Foundation Contractor - Malcolm Drilling

The authors would like to extend a special thanks to Stephen McLandrich (formerly Arup) who was the geotechnical engineer of record for the project.

Author info Kirk Ellison, Ph.D., P.E., G.E., is a senior engineer at Arup North America. He works on a variety of high-profile geotechnical projects in the building and infrastructure sectors in San Francisco and around the world, with special emphasis on seismic soil-structure-interaction analysis.

Eric S. Lindquist, Ph.D., P.E., is a managing principal and the nationwide director of engineering at Brierley Associates. He specializes in solving complex construction engineering challenges, most notably associated with support or excavation, earth retention and deep foundations, for notable public and private sector projects across the U.S. Peter Faust, Dipl.-Ing., is vice president of business development at Malcolm Drilling Company. He has been involved in the design and construction of numerous large and complex foundation projects throughout the world.

This article was originally published in DFI’s bimonthly magazine, Deep Foundations, September/ October issue. DFI is an international technical association of firms and individuals involved in the deep foundations and related industry. Deep Foundations is a member publication. To join DFI and receive the magazine, go to www.dfi.org for further information

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Liebherr THS 110 D-K crawler concrete pump especially suited to special civil engineering works

The concrete pump, which is fitted onto a crawler running gear, is moved and controlled via a radio remote control.

• Concrete pump on a crawler running

pump’s powerful pump unit impresses with

frequent relocation around the construction

gear with a maximum delivery rate of

its smooth operation and outstanding suc-

site. The concrete pump, which is fitted onto

102 m³/h

tion performance. The hydraulic system

a crawler running gear, is moved and con-

• Particularly suited for job sites that in-

is easy to maintain thanks to the open hy-

trolled via a radio remote control.

volve frequent relocation around the

draulic circuit. Further user-friendly details

A typical application for crawler con-

construction site

also contribute to optimum serviceabil-

crete pumps is providing drilling rigs with

ity. During the design phase, it was ensured

concrete for bored-piling foundations. This

that wear parts could be quickly and easily

involves drilling deep holes into the ground

• Intermat 2018 will see Liebherr intro-

replaced. The smooth surfaces of the pump

and filling them with concrete as the drill is

duce the THS 110 D-K crawler concrete

housing are easy to clean, and the shape of

removed. The crawler concrete pump is em-

pump, which offers a maximum deliv-

the concrete hopper, devoid of edges and

ployed in the various application positions

ery rate of 102 m³/h and features a six-

projections, minimizes the accumulation

alongside the drilling rig, its concrete hose

cylinder engine. The series of Liebherr

of concrete residue and soiling. The crawler

remaining permanently connected to the

crawler concrete pumps encompasses a

concrete pump’s extensive standard scope

drilling rig.

total of three models – the THS 80 D-K,

of delivery includes, for example, a 500-litre

Liebherr drilling rigs and Liebherr crawler

the THS 110 D-K and the THS 140 D-K

water tank with water pump and a lockable

concrete pumps can also communicate with

with maximum delivery rates ranging

toolbox.

each other via radio. The pumping processes

• Radio remote control included as standard

from 65 m³/h to 135 m³/h.

The THS 110 D-K crawler concrete 18 PIC Magazine • December 2018

The Liebherr crawler concrete pump is especially well-suited to site work that involves

can be controlled by the driver of the drilling rig from the cab. l

Government needs to help the construction industry The Canadian construction industry is enon the import of foreign steel will hurt the couraged by the Canadian Government’s construction industry, its workers and fundecision to provide relief on specific aludamentally all Canadians by raising prices, minum and steel products, the Canadian damaging competitiveness for business and Construction Association (CCA) said repotentially delaying projects necessary for cently. building Canada’s infrastructure. l “Our industry has been hit hard over the last few months, and this relief will bring some much-needed good news as we are working hard at building the infrastructure Interpipe Inc. is a steel pipe distributor of new that Canadians need,” said Mary Van Buand used structural steel pipe. We have two ren, President of CCA. large locations of Seamless, ERW, “As welcome as these measures are, stocking this relief is temporary, and the uncertainty will Spiralweld and DSAW pipe. still affect competitiveness and business Interpipe Inc. is a steel pipe distributor of new confidence in Canada. The industry and and used structural steel pipe.

We have two andin used structural of steel pipe.thicknesses We have 3” OD – 48” OD a variety wall large stocking locations of of Seamless, ERW, investors need stability of a permanent soseveral stocking locations Seamless, are stocked in Spiralweld both locations. and DSAW pipe. pipe.

ERW, Spiralweld and DSAW lution to the ongoing trade dispute to allow them to better plan for the future” added 3” –48" 48”OD ODininaavariety varietyof ofwall wallthicknesses thicknesses 3" OD OD –min Piling Pipe 80,000 yield seamless pipe for Ms. Van Buren. are stocked in both locations. are stocked in all three locations.

Micro Piling.

The CCA has long advocated for reciPiling Piling Pipe Pipe 80,000 80,000 min min yield yield seamless seamless pipe pipe for for procity and the establishment and mainMicro Piling.

Micro Piling. tenance of a free-flowing international sysSeamless and ERW pipe for Driven Piles, tem of trade, both regarding goods as well Seamless and pipe for for Driven Driven Piles, Piles, Screw Piles and Drill Piles.

Seamless and ERW ERW pipe Screw Piles and Drill Piles. as services. CCA supports international Screw Piles and Drill Piles. free trade agreements, including provisions Large DiameterLarge pipe for Driven Caissons.

Diameter pipe for for Pile Drivenor Pile or Large Diameter pipe Driven Piles or Caissons.

Caissons. respecting government procurement.

The CCA had recently commented that the construction industry has been disregarded by the Canadian government in its decision to impose provisional safeguard measures on steel products. ‘’We have been understanding while the negotiations were in progress with the U.S. government, but the outcome is that the construction industry has been ignored.

Not only do the steel and aluminium tariffs remain; these safeguards are another blow to the industry,’’ said Mary Van Buren, CCA’s president, who called on the government to dedicate research and development funds to improve productivity and to allow for accelerated depreciation on capital equipment. Van Buren said the U.S.-imposed tariffs and these safeguards

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www.interpipe.com Piling Industry Canada • December 2018 19

Today’s piling challenges Provided by Hercules Machinery Corporation

Piling projects have gotten exponentially

thermore, the element of the unknown when

more complex as spaces constrict, build-

driving soil can pose challenges on equip-

ings rise, and expectations grow. Especially

ment selection.

complex projects pose a challenge: how to

Changes in public expectations and envi-

manage the logistics of equipment needed to

ronmental conditions have added to the list

complete pile driving and foundational proj-

of piling challenges as well. Noise and vibra-

ects. Site conditions have historically limited

tory restraints need to be considered with

the type or the amount of equipment that

each project in which the public could be

can be brought in to tackle a project. Fur-

affected. Widespread infrastructure growth

has spurred concerns with earthquake safety and building integrity. Buildings today need to be prepared for environmental disasters, designed to meet modern capacity expectations, and capable of withstanding periods of high stress. Remaining within scope and controlling costs while considering all of these requirements can seem impossible.

Hercules Machinery Corporation (HMC) has a pile-driving solution to meet every challenge. Whether it be environmental or spatial, HMC has the tools necessary to complete a project within spec. An example of adaptability can be found with the Movax SG-75V, a high-frequency pile driver. It minimizes environmental disturbances through use of variable eccentric movement. The SG75V is fitted with heavy duty arms capable of driving sheet piles, H-piles, tubular steel piles, and much more.

Benefits of a Comprehensive Piling Solution Piling solutions that factor in broad soil testing, adverse or compound piling conditions, and environmental limitations decrease project slowdowns. They can reduce wasted idle time in between equipment set up and take down. Adaptable and customiz20 PIC Magazine • December 2018

an inventory of adaptable piling tools that

to evolve, a total piling solution is a neces-

complete the work of multiple traditional

sity. Plans should include contingency for

machines in less time and with less equip-

difficult soil and environmental conditions.

ment. The H20 Hydraulic Hammer is easy to

They should factor in the limitations of space

use and operate. With three energy settings,

and disruptions of environments. Tools that

it is suitable for multiple pile driving require-

limit noise, vibration, and waste soil while

ments. Furthermore, it can drive load-bear-

remaining adaptable to unique projects have

ing pile up to 197 tons. In addition to the

a competitive edge over traditional and more

H20, Hercules also has a wide selection of

costly piling equipment. Hercules Machin-

TAD drills, driving hammers, sidegrip vibra-

ery Corporation continues to provide inno-

tory drivers, and steel pipe piles.

vative foundation technology and the total

As the challenges of pile driving continue

piling solution. l

able machinery allows for fewer machines, higher-degree piling precision, and faster project completion.

The piling industry has evolved into a competitive arena. Building projects are no longer single-faceted. Instead, project managers must consider and compare the costs and benefits of a great number of piling options. Without doubt, piling methods that can meet requirements of heightened loads and adapt to new materials and soil conditions have gained a competitive edge in a challenging market.

Hercules Machinery Corporation has been providing comprehensive piling solutions for decades. As the industry has evolved, HMC has stayed one step ahead.

HMC’s inventory of drills, hammers, and drivers features simple and strong design.

Design optimized for continuous, strenuous operation. A comprehensive approach is recommended for any project that needs to remain within scope while remaining agile enough to overcome unexpected and sudden piling changes.

Real-world Impact Modern and comprehensive piling solutions, such as those offered by HMC, result in safer buildings, less lifecycle costs, and fewer repairs. The ability to drive pile without affecting surrounding areas and communities leads to increased public and client satisfaction.

Tool adaptability and flexibility is no longer an aspiration but a construction baseline. Hercules Machinery Corporation has Piling Industry Canada • December 2018 21

Soilmec’s SR-65 EVO reaches new levels of performance and comfort Provided by Soilmec North America Inc. The new Soilmec SR-65 EVO was designed with focus comfort, per-

degrees. The rig’s completed with a radio remote-control board for rig

formance, versatility and safety, thanks to an impressive list of best in-

loading and unloading from trucks, and an automatic acoustic alarm

class advantages and class-exclusive features. The SR-65 EVO does its

during rig traveling and turret rotation. The geometry of the base ma-

best in LDP segmental casing technology and deep CFA piles. These

chine, the engine and heat exchangers layout, fiberglass canopies, and

targets are achieved by using a compact structure, a heavily reworked geometry that features the smartest transport configuration, a new range of rotary head and an updated electronic system.

The SR-65 EVO has been thought to be smart and flexible. It can be set to transport with the kelly bar still mounted on the mast for a quick rig set up. The kelly bar and counterweight can be removed to get the transport weight below 110,000 pounds. The compact rotary head conveys 190,657 lbf-ft of torque, to overcome hard ground conditions. Set on a special cradle, it allows to change the rotary axle spacing that can be set from 2.5 feet to three feet, four inches. The 74,186 lbf winch-crowd system, with 16m stroke, makes the SR-65 EVO a leading machine in the segmental casing market.

The SR-65 EVO is powered by a Cummins QSL9 Tier 4 final Diesel engine with an automatic low idle system to optimize fuel consumption. With open crankcase ventilation filters, particulate filters and a high temperature regeneration system the rig can get up to 90 per cent reduction of particulates and up to 50 per cent reduction in nitrogen oxides. It provides a power of 350 HP that can be easily set up to offer a power surplus up to 379 HP, making the rig capable of easily overcoming the most difficult situations. The SR-65 EVO is built in

the insulating system, lead the SR-65 EVO to be the most silent rig in its category.

The SR-65 EVO comes with a 3.4-foot-wide H-cab, designed with the operator in mind for the best comfort, control and productivity.

The H-cab features large windows for more space and visibility, and a sliding door for easier access and unintentional closing. Features also include an operator seat with a fully adjustable air suspension device with additional lumbar support, a climate control unit, and loadsensing hydraulic control manipulators. The adjustable touch screen DMS-ON-BOARD allows for real-time control of rig parameters and alarms, and for real-time monitoring and storage of technology parameters.

The high strength steel mast is engineered for the best weight-toperformance ratio. A telescopic 54-foot kelly bar allows for reach up to a maximum excavation depth of 256 feet. The modular mast design allows to set the machine in different configurations with a quick procedure that boosts the rigs multi-functionality and adaptability. The removal of the upper element makes it possible to get the rig into a 27.9 feet LHR configuration. The conversion to the quick CFA config-

compliance with the new EN 16228 standards with special features for

uration takes only a few hours and allows to reach up to 77 feet. CFA

easier accessibility, more visibility, and safer maneuverability. The rig

4th line pull- and displacement-pile kits are also available. The SR-65

is equipped with handrails on the platform, a video-camera kit with

EVO is a revolutionary machine, easy to operate: the best answer for

a dedicated 7-inch monitor, and adjustable mirrors to see a full 360

all the contractors looking for performance and versatility. l

22 PIC Magazine • December 2018

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Flashback: Saving the Calgary Zoo The Calgary Zoo is located in the Bridgeland neighborhood of Calgary, just east of the city’s downtown. It is accessible via light rail system, car, and bicycle/foot via the Bow River pathway. A large portion of the zoo is located on St. George’s Island in the Bow River. The zoo, a world-class facility, is home to almost 800 animals and 130 different species. The 120-acre zoo is organized into six distinct zones: Destination Africa, Canadian Wilds, Penguin Plunge, Dorothy Harvie Botanical Gardens and ENMAX Conservatory, Eurasia, and Prehistoric Park.

In June 2013, a massive slow-moving weather system dumped over four inches of rain on the region in a 24-hour period. The national

24 PIC Magazine • December 2018

forecaster predicted that rainfall could double within the next few days, forcing a state of emergency to be declared in at least a dozen communities. The storm, aided in part by springtime run-off, brought the Bow River to 100-year flood levels and sent the administration, veterinarians, zookeepers, and various other zoo personnel scrambling to remove the majority of the 215 animals that inhabited the 23-acre portion of the zoo located on St. George’s Island. With the river levels well above normal, there was little doubt that the animals had to be evacuated for their protection, as well as the safety of the surrounding communities. During a 12-hour period, as river waters rose rapidly, more than 140 animals were relocated to safer habitats, either off-site or to higher ground within the zoo. Water depths on the island during the flood ranged from one to six feet, causing more than $50 million in damages. Over 40 buildings, animal enclosures, and botanical exhibits were damaged during the 48-plus-hour deluge.

Once the floodwaters receded, engineers were brought in to evaluate the situation. Several options, including moving the zoo to another site, were discussed. In the end, it was decided the best overall option was to build a sheet pile wall around the island for flood protection. “We did a lot of cost-benefit analysis around, ‘Is it cheaper to fortify the island or is it cheaper to move the zoo?’ And it’s actually much cheaper to fortify the island,” said Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

The massive flood mitigation project included the construction of a major floodwall around the Calgary Zoo. The official bid called for the installation of up to 23,000 square-metres of sheeting around the entire perimeter of St. George’s Island. The cofferdam project is part of a much larger plan to preserve Calgary Zoo’s multi-milliondollar investment.

The zoo typically sees in excess of 1 million visitors per year, and in order to minimize the disruption to patrons, the work had to be completed during the off-peak seasons of spring and fall. With these parameters in mind, the customer required that the steel be delivered within six weeks.

As a project partner, Nucor Skyline supplied 5,000 tons of NZ 26 sheet pile. The NZ sheet pile has the Larssen interlock, known to be the most watertight interlock of all sheet piles and unmatched in the industry. The interlock is a crucial part of the sheet pile design. This four-point connection offers superior performance and shear load transfer. Working as a one Nucor team, our sales, manufacturing, pairing, and transportation teams, were able to cut the standard delivery time by 50 per cent. The first 3,000 tons of NZ 26 sheet piling were delivered to Alberta just five weeks from the order date − a deadline our overseas competitors were unable to fulfill.

Nucor has invested $115 million in the NZ sheet pile line, which is wider, lighter, and made in the USA. Visit www.nucorskyline.com. l “Keller Canada is extremely thrilled that we selected Nucor Skyline as our sheet pile supplier for the Calgary Zoo Flood Mitigation project. Nucor Skyline provided exceptional and timely service as promised by the sales team. The material arrived ahead of schedule and met all the required specifications. With a North American manufacturing plant, Keller also had the ability to make adjustments to our order when the conditions onsite changed, without impacting our schedule. Keller also benefited from the assistance of the engineering and drafting services in the early stages of the project. Our experience with Skyline has been great, and we look forward to working with their team on future projects.”

– George Power, Project Manager, Keller Canada Piling Industry Canada • December 2018 25

New Junttan product launch at the Bauma 2019 exhibition Junttan MPx50, the new Junttan multi-

The Junttan-designed, purpose-built

purpose drilling and piling rig, will be

piling rig undercarriage ensures upmost

launched in Bauma 2019, which takes

stability for the rig. Special attention

place in Munich April 8 to 14, 2019.

has been paid to the mobilization and

This multifunctional piling rig is de-

easiness of transportation of the MPx50.

signed for different work methods, in-

The rig can be transported with a lead-

cluding DTH, Kelly, CFA, displacement, driven cast-in situ, and driven pile work done with a Junttan hydraulic hammer.

The new Junttan MPx50 has a completely new design and features, which

er, which can be folded to shorten the transport length. The specially designed undercarriage comes with tracks that are easy to dismantle for restricted transportation conditions. l

Junttan has developed in close co-operation with customers from different markets. Productivity and safety of operation have been key features in developing this new smaller brother of MPx90, which was launched by Junttan in Bauma 2016.

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Rendering of the New Harbor Bridge.

(Courtesy of Figg Engineering)

The nearly $900 million U.S. 181 Harbor Bridge Project (HBP) in Corpus Christi, Texas will include the development, design and construction of 6.2 miles (10 kilometres) of combined bridge and roadway. The HBP will include the construction of a new six-lane Harbor Bridge along with the reconstruction of adjoining sections of two freeways.

This will be the longest cable stay bridge in the U.S. when the project is completed. Once the new bridge is open to the traveling public, the existing steel arch Harbor Bridge will be demolished.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has determined that U.S. 181 and the existing Harbor Bridge must be improved to maintain a safe and efficient transportation corridor. The existing bridge has safety issues associated with the lack of shoulders, steep grade, a reverse curve, and an accident rate that is higher than the statewide average.

In addition, the existing Harbor Bridge has high maintenance costs and provides no acceptable access for those on foot or on bicycles. Furthermore, the bridge’s vertical navigational clearance of 138 feet (42 metres), which met World War II standards when it was constructed, makes it difficult for the Port of Corpus Christi to compete with other Gulf Coast deep water ports because of current larger ship sizes. The top of the existing steel arch bridge is at a height of 243 feet (74 metres), but the vertical navigational clearFig. 2. Interaction / conflict of new drilled shafts with existing ACIP piles.

Extracted ACIP Piles for the New Harbor Bridge Project

By Tracy Brettmann, P.E., D.GE, A. H. Beck Foundation Company ance of the new bridge will be 205 feet (62.5 metres), meaning that the existing structure would almost fit under the new bridge.

The new bridge will allow TxDOT to improve safety, thereby reducing accident rates; provide better opportunities for moving people and goods throughout the region; provide adequate capacity to meet future traffic demand; and provide greater economic development opportunities for the Port of Corpus Christi.

The new cable stayed bridge will have a main span length of 1,661 feet (506 metres) between the main towers. When completed, the main towers of the bridge will be 538 feet (164 metres) tall, making the bridge the tallest structure in south Texas. The main towers will be supported on a group of 20 drilled shafts that are 10 feet (three metres) in diameter with an embedded length of 230 feet (70 metres). The north tower is located where a previous industrial warehouse was sited, which was supported on closely-spaced augered cast-in-place (ACIP) piles that are 16 inches (400 millimetres) in nominal diameter and embedded 65 feet (20 metres).

Where the ACIP piles conflicted with the proposed drilled shafts, the ACIP piles had to be removed, and the amount of steel reinforcement in the ACIP piles required that each pile be extracted in one piece. In addition, the actual diameter of the piles was expected to vary significantly due to the layered soft soil conditions encountered in the upper 50 feet (15 metres) of the profile.

North Tower Foundation The foundation for the north tower is positioned adjacent to the Corpus Christi ship channel where an industrial warehouse had been located. The warehouse was built in 1999 and is supported on ACIP piles that are 28 PIC Magazine • December 2018

either 16 inches (400 millimetres) or 18 inches (450 millimetres) in diameter. Each of the ACIP piles are approximately 65 feet (20 metres) long.

Coincidentally, the author was also the regional manager in charge of the ACIP pile installation for the original 1999 project.

The group of 10-foot (three-metre) diameter drilled shafts that support the north tower conflicted with many of the existing 16-inch (40omillimetre) diameter ACIP piles, such that the existing piles would have to be removed prior to the installation of the drilled shafts. The ACIP piles were heavily reinforced with relatively large diameter steel rebar and consisted of a 25foot (7.6-metre) long rebar cage at the top with four No. 9 (29-millimetre diameter) bars along with a full-length No. 9 center bar. The amount of reinforcing steel in the upper portion of the piles required the piles to be removed in one piece rather than trying to drill through them.

Soil Conditions The soil conditions consist of a loose-to-medium dense sand to a depth of about 15 feet (4.5 metres), which is approximately the depth to the groundwater and the water level in the ship channel. Underlying the sand is a very soft clay to a depth of about 50 feet (15 metres) with SPT N-values ranging from 0 to 2 blow/foot (per 0.3 metres). A medium dense-to-dense sand layer with SPT N-values of 15 to 31 blow/foot (per 0.3 metres) of variable thickness ranging from five to 10 feet (1.5 to 3.0 metres) is present below the soft clay stratum. The dense sand is underlain by a stiff-to-very stiff clay down to a depth of about 90 feet (27 metres) with SPT Nvalues ranging from 12 to 18 blow/foot (per 0.3 meters), although the typical SPT N-value was about 12 blow/ft at the pile tip at a depth of 65 feet (20 metres). These layered soil conditions resulted in high grout takes (i.e., pumped volume) and variable diameters for the construct-

ed ACIP piles. There was no way to know what pile diameters would be encountered in the soft soil conditions at this site.

Extracted Piles The shapes of the extracted piles were measured and photographed so the variability could be documented for these soil conditions.

Several aspects or features were noted from the extracted piles. Most of the piles showed a smooth and straight side, and several of the piles also showed a bulge in the pile section that was only on one side. These bulges were unusual in that they were not concentric but typically off to one side of the pile.

On Pile No. 29, the alignment of the pile had a noticeable bend, and exhibited the largest bend of any of the extracted piles. However, most of the piles looked fairly plumb after being extracted.

The bottom section of Pile No. 25 was unusually shaped for being installed in stiff clay. The bottom portion measured about 24 inches (600 millimetres) in diameter, but the length immediately above, presumably in the dense sand, measured only 13 inches (330 millimetres) in diameter. Of all the extracted ACIP piles, Pile No. 25 had the greatest variation in diameter.

The bottom section of the piles was only reinforced with a center bar, so no rebar cage was present at this depth. The typical pile tip was the shape of the auger bit since the piles were tipped in stiff clay. At the tip, the piles were slightly oversized relative to the pile shaft.

Conclusions Existing pile conflicts with the proposed drilled shafts for the new bridge required many of the existing ACIP piles to be extracted prior to drilled shaft installation. Due to the amount of reinforcing steel present in the existing piles, the ACIP piles had to be extracted in one piece rather than attempting to simply drill though or demolish the piles. However, the pile extraction process did allow for an interesting visual inspection of the pile shapes. While most of the extracted piles were relatively straight, many of the ACIP piles exhibited unusual shapes.

The nominal diameter (i.e. auger diameter) of the ACIP piles was 16 inches (400 millimetres) but the measurements of the as-constructed / extracted piles ranged between 13 and 24 inches (33 and 600 millimetres). Typically, where bulges in the pile section were present,

the bulges were not concentric, but tended to be on just one side of the pile.

A few of the extracted piles showed what can only be described as a seemingly continuous bend. Although the very upper section could have been straight and plumb, it seems once these piles started curving, they tended to follow that same curve along their full length. The piles were clearly not “doglegged” where they showed a sharp change of direction at a specific depth.

The piles were installed in 1999 before the use of automated monitoring equipment (AME) was prevalent in the industry. The results of these pile extractions in soft and variable soil conditions demonstrate the need for good quality control and quality assurance practices to be used when installing ACIP piles. Furthermore, the use of newer nondestructive integrity testing technology (e.g., Thermal Integrity Profiling) can also be used to determine pile diameter versus depth in the installed piles. This type of testing would provide better information on what the pile shapes are in these soil conditions. l

Fig. 3. Typical smooth and relatively straight shaft.

Fig. 4. Bulge on one side of the pile measuring about 22 in (56 mm) in diameter.

Acknowledgements • Owner: Texas Department of Transportation • Design-Build Team: Flatiron/Dragados, LLC (Joint Venture) • Bridge Designers: FIGG Bridge Engineers • Specialty Contractor: A.H Beck Foundation Company − extracted the ACIP piles; installed drilled shafts for main tower supports

Fig. 5. Significant bend in Pile No. 29 as it is suspended from a crane.

Author Info Tracy Brettmann, P.E., D.GE, is the executive vice president of A.H. Beck Foundation Company in its Houston office. He is a past president of DFI and is currently vice chair of the DFI Educational Trust.

Fig. 6. The difference in pile diameter near the tip for Pile No. 25.

This article was originally published in DFI’s bi-monthly magazine, Deep Foundations, September/October issue. DFI is an international technical association of firms and individuals involved in the deep foundations and related industry. Deep Foundations is a member publication. To join DFI and receive the magazine, go to www.dfi.org for further information.

Fig. 7. Typical geometry at the pile tip.

Piling Industry Canada • December 2018 29

Adriana has a close eye on the full displacement drilling equipment.

Mincivil applies the LRB 355 for installing the bridge piles in Mosquera.

Endurance test in South America: Special machine operator masters the most difficult conditions In order to improve the infrastructure in Colombia, 176 million Euros are being invested in the development of road networks between Mosquera and Balsillas. The contractor, Mincivil S.A., is successfully using Liebherr equipment to carry out the deep foundation work. What makes it so special is the small surprise upon opening the cabin door of the LRB 355.

Visible from afar as it is the largest of its kind: the piling and drilling rig LRB 355. Daniel lets his gaze wander over the job site. He smiles.

“Only Liebherr comes into consideration with such hard soil conditions.”

As part of a construction project, the infrastructure, especially for freight traffic, is being improved between the Departamentos Tolima and Cundinamarca, two political administrative districts in Colombia. The work, being carried out between January 2016 and December 2021, involves developing a road network from Mosquera to Balsillas, which lies 230 kilometres to the southwest. The project also involves the construction of 16 bridges, achieving an improved link between Tolima and Cundinamarca.

Mincivil, together with Topco S.A., is using deep foundation machines from Liebherr to install the piles for the bridges. Piles with di-

30 PIC Magazine • December 2018

ameters of 1,500 millimetres down to depths of 26 metres were made by the drilling rig LB 36 using the Kelly drilling method, and piles with diameters of 600 millimetres and depths of 33 metres were made by the piling and drilling rig LRB 355 using full-displacement drilling equipment. By the end of the work, the Columbian company had drilled a total of 57,000 metres into the deep. While the LB 36 completed its work in December 2017, the LRB 355 will be operating until March 2019.

The deep-foundation specialists from Mincivil are located in Cundinamarca, Antioquia, and Boyacá. Daniel Rodriguez, Foundation Unit Business Manager, is at one construction phase in Mosquera, nearly an hour by car from Bogotá.

“These are difficult conditions, a real challenge for the machine,” he says, noting that the soil is so hard there due to the nearby mountains.

In order to work efficiently under such conditions, the choice of drilling machine plays a decisive role. With a glance at the LRB 355, Daniel indicates which solution he found for this problem.

Unique Throughout the Whole of Colombia On looking closely at the piling and drilling rig, there is a surprise.

A young woman smiles from the operator’s cabin: thirty-two-year-old Adriana Gómez Beltrán has been machine operator on the LRB 355 since January 2018 − the first woman in Colombia to take the controls of a drilling rig, and probably one of only a few in this branch worldwide. Daniel is impressed with her. Adriana masters the difficult conditions well and has passed the endurance test with the LRB 355!

Gravillera Albana S.A., part of the same group as Mincivil and Topco, is supporting a special programme for single mothers (cabeza de familia). In this way, management want to specifically motivate women to show their strengths. And, as can be seen with Adriana, with success! For the last five years, Adriana operated a digger with much commitment and ambition, which is why she’s just the right person to operate the large piling and drilling rig belonging to the LRB series. l