Piling Industry Canada Issue 1, 2014

www.pilingindustrycanada.com

Issue 1 | 2014

PIC Piling Industry Canada

New Frontiers – Muskrat Falls project to break new ground

Finding a Better Way –

magazine

www.pilingindustrycanada.com

An engineered solution for repair of piles

A Champion of Steel –

Publications mail agreement #40934510

JMC Steel Group celebrates 130 successful years of service

Cover photo courtesy of

Canadian Pile Driving Equipment

Our support systems extend far below the surface The only company that offers you all four types of support systems:

> Concrete Pile

> Steel Pipe

> H Pile

> Sheet Pile

We carry ASTM A252, A139, A53 B AWWA C200, API & CSA Specifications

Supporting the construction industry since 1953 Calgary

Delta

Edmonton

USA

9100 Venture Avenue S.E.

#6-8500 River Road

6515 - 34th Street

3888 - Sound Way

Calgary, AB T3S 0A2

Delta, BC V4G 1B5

Edmonton, AB T2B 2V8

Bellingham, WA 98227-9754

Phone: 403.236.1788

Phone: 604.946.2655

Phone: 780.465.0671

Phone: 866.400.7473

Fax: 403.236.2478

Fax: 604.946.2630

Fax: 780.465.2367

Fax: 866.419.4005

1.866.441.PIPE

1.866.400.PIPE

Can You Find The Four Differences Between These Two Pipe Piling Products?

Answers: On-Time Rolling Schedule, Inventory, Quality, Customer Secure Portal.

Since 1972, when Independence Tube first opened its doors, its reputation for being customer focused has never wavered. While our entry into the Pipe Piling Market may be relatively new, Independence Tube has fast become a dedicated supplier and partner. Here are just a few of the reasons why Independence Tube’s pipe piling is no ordinary product.

C H ICAGO, I L

On-Time Rolling Schedule. With an on-time rolling schedule second to none in the industry, customers can manage inventory more closely, knowing that material will be ready when promised. Our on-time delivery record has been maintained for over forty years.

Inventory. Independence Tube stocks A252 Pipe Piling from 6.625"OD through 16"OD in 30', 40', 50' and 60' lengths for immediate delivery. In addition to our 4 week rolling cycles, Independence Tube either has the stock to get your project started or a rolling is just weeks away.

MARSEILLES, IL

D ECAT UR , AL

Quality. Customer feedback has led to a Dynamic Quality System that exceeds industry standards.

Our Inspection, measurement and testing procedures not only complement our manufacturing systems and processes, but they virtually ensure consistency, shorter delivery lead times and containment of costs.

Customer Secure Portal. This allows customers 24/7 secure, real-time access to all their account information including: browse and search stock inventory, order from floor stock or rolling, submit and view inquires, release shipments, view price sheets, view open orders and Bills of lading, print test reports and invoices, search order history, and view rolling schedules.

All pipe piling may look alike, but there’s a world of difference when you choose Independence Tube

1-800-376-6000 • www.independencetube.com Celebrating Forty Years of Quality Tube Products

QUALITY PRODUCT, READILY AVAILABLE

Every order, every time.

Atlas Tube was founded in Harrow, Ontario, in 1984 with a focus on high-quality service and manufacturing excellence. Today, we’ve grown to become Canada’s largest manufacturer of straight-seam ERW pipe piling, but our dedication to meeting your needs remains the same. Our small-mill approach to service is backed by big-mill resources. And because Atlas Tube pipe piles are produced to meet or exceed ASTM A500, A252 and CSA G40.21 specifications, and are available in sizes up to 20" OD and lengths to 125', it’s easy to fulfill your exact project specifications — even on short notice.

When you have a tight deadline, Atlas Tube can deliver.

Call 800.265.6912 or visit atlastube.com/stronger

YOU CAN

BUILD ON US!

The choice is yours.

Northstar provides piling services including design, supply, and fabricating across Western Canada with track and truck mounted piling units for both driven and helical piles. Northstar also offers pile installation with it’s unique patented EXCA-Driver (Excavator Mounted Pile Driver). With these units Northstar is capable of driving piles up to 18m in length, switching attachments to install helical piles, or operating as an excavator all in under 30 minutes! This can de done all while navigating the most difficult of terrain.

SERVING WESTERN CANADA FROM FORT ST. JOHN • GRANDE PRAIRIE • CALGARY • REGINA

PIC

Table of Contents Published by

Piling Industry News............................................................................................................ 8

DEL DEL

Communications Inc.

Communications Inc.

A Champion of Steel –

JMC Steel Group celebrates 130 successful years of service................................

16

Get SMART – California’s new SMART rail system takes commuting to the next level...........................................................................

New Frontiers –

Muskrat Falls project to break new ground..........................................................

Digging Deeper –

Keller Canada finds a fast solution..........................................................................

Construction in Copenhagen –

The advantage of monitoring with the drilling mate system..........................

The Foundation of Excellence –

A history of innovation at Yonge and Bloor..........................................................

Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3L 0G5 President & CEO: David Langstaff

18 22

Publisher: Jason Stefanik Managing Editor: Carly Peters carlypeters@mts.net Sales Manager: Dayna Oulion dayna@delcommunications.com

26

Advertising Account Executives: Jennifer Hebert Michelle Raike

32

Production services provided by: S.G. Bennett Marketing Services www.sgbennett.com

36

Art Director: Kathy Cable Layout & Design: Joel Gunter

Bridging the Gap –

Structural collapse calls for emergency measures...........................................

42

Are You Up For It? – Keeyask Camp Project in Northern Manitoba challenges even the most Seasoned Deep Foundations Experts........................

Super Sonic –

Quiet, quick, and maneuverable, sonic drill rigs make piling easy..................

Blowin’ in the Wind –

Offshore wind farms capitalize on latest technology......................................

Close Quarters –

Liebherr piling rig has to cope with restricted work space in Quebec...........

46 48 50 52

Finding a Better Way –

54 Index to Advertisers............................................................................................................ 58 An engineered solution for repair of columns and piles....................................

Advertising Art: Dana Jensen Joel Gunter © Copyright 2014, 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.

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 05/2014

out with the old

and in with the new!

Another satisfied customer making money with the completely redesigned Junttan PMx22. The 97% efficient hydraulic hammer is configurable on site as a 4, 5, or 6 ton ram weight delivering a max energy of 88 kNm. Quickly and efficiently, this machine can drive 30” x 20m piles all day. Battered piles up to 1:3 when configured properly. Transportation weights as low as 44600 kg gets this unit into any site across Canada with ease.

3801-53 Avenue Lacombe, AB T4L 2L6 bruce@canadianpile.com www.canadianpile.com Let our experienced service department stand behind your company’s success.

InnovatIon. ExpErIEncE. productIvIty. SuccESS. ExpErIEncE Junttan

6 PIC Magazine • June 2014

Serious work no matter the temperature outside, Junttan hydraulic piling rigs are good to work from +40 to -30 degrees Celsius. Outwork the competition and be green all while you make serious green for your company.

Leave the clouds of black smoke on site for the old steam engines of days gone by. Get introduced to the new money maker, the completely redesigned PMx22 from Junttan.

Call Canadian Pile Driving Equipment to enquire about the complete range of Junttan products and get them working for you. Canadian Pile Driving Equipment has the largest stock of Junttan parts worldwide.

Welland Canal, ON

Providing the most comprehensive product offering from a single company in the geotechnical industry

Eastern Alberta Transmission Line (EATL), AB

Saskatoon, SK

Your True Project Partner Skyline Steel is a premier steel foundation supplier with an extensive network of manufacturing and stocking locations. Our wide range of products include H-piles, Pipe Piles, Steel Sheet Piles, Threaded Bar, Micropiles, Piling Accessories, and Structural Sections.

See how Skyline Steel can help with your next project. Visit skylinesteel.com or call. In Western Canada (BC, AB, SK, MB, YT, NT, and NU), call 1-866-461-6367; In Eastern Canada (ON, NB, NS, QC, PE, and NL.), call 1-866-461-6366.

Š 2014 Skyline Steel, LLC. Skyline Steel is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nucor Corporation, the largest producer of steel in the United States.

Piling Canada Industry News A new APE – American Piledriving Equipment (APE) Branch Opens In Edmonton, Alberta, the new APE Canada branch will be led by APE 20-year veteran Larry Mulanax, previously APE’s equipment manager in their Kent headquarters, and 26year mining industry veteran Colin Grindle.

The branch will be on the north side of Edmonton at 9004 Yellowhead Trail, Edmonton, Alberta. Service, sales, and rental of APE equipment for Western Canada will be served from the Edmonton location, as well as operation for the APE drilling program.

The APE Canada Branch comprise offices and reception, service shop, test stand, and yard. The full service shop is staffed with journeymen and apprentice mechanics, equipped with overhead cranes, welding, and fabrication shop. The Edmonton branch has long range service capacity via a fully equipped service truck.

Prior to appointment Larry Mulanax was APE’s equipment manager in their Kent, WA headquarters. Prior to coming on with APE, Colin Grindle was owner of mining industry consulting company Amrak Innovations for 20+ years following both front line and managerial roles in the mining sector. Grindle grew up in Northern Manitoba.

The APE Branch Crew was welcomed to Canada last winter by a Northern Manitoba wind chill factor of -50⁰c on a project of 2,300 high-strength APE HD Piles™ for a Manitoba Hydro dam support facility installation.

For more information contact Larry Mulanax at larrym@apevibro.com or Colin Grindle at ColinG@apevibro.com.

That is double the maximum weight of the APPLE IV, previously the largest of GRL’s drop hammers. With this addition, the APPLE devices now cover a large range of test loads, up to 8,000 tonnes under ideal conditions.

Dynamic load tests are an economical alternative to static load tests, and may also meet the requirements of the Rapid Load Test standard ASTM D7383, particularly with the availability of the heavier APPLES. Prior to the test GRL performs an analysis and recommends an adequate APPLE for each situation, from micropiles to large, high capacity drilled shafts.

After the test, it furnishes a detailed test report that includes a simulated static load test in the form of a calculated load-set curve.

GRL, with eight offices throughout the United States, specializes in providing testing, analysis, and consulting services for the deep foundation industry. The founders and senior engineers of GRL pioneered the field of dynamic foundation testing. For more information visit www.GRLengineers.com

APPLE VIII Set to Impact Deep Foundation Industry

BHOIR Group’s Liebherr LR 1300 delivers with a phenomenal boom configuration

Over the course of the past several years GRL Engineers, Inc. (GRL) has introduced a series of six “APPLE” drop hammers. The devices are used in dynamic load testing of any type of deep foundation (ASTM D4945 Standard Test Method for High-Strain Dynamic Testing of Piles), in cases when a pile driving hammer or another suitable drop weight is not readily available at a job site. GRL has now added two more APPLES to the lineup.

The APPLE VII is designed specifically to test helical piles. The APPLE VIII is a modular system with a maximum ram weight of 80 tonnes.

The Bhoir Group’s Liebherr LR 1300, the 300 tonne crawler crane manufactured by Liebherr-Werk Nenzing GmbH, Austria, created a breakthrough by lifting 8.3 tonnes with 86 metre main boom and 89 metre luffing jib and derrick with 50 tonnes of suspended counterweight. This splendid lift was carried out at a radius of 53 metres and the load was placed at a height of 118 metres.

The crane is working in a cement plant in Chattisgarh, India. The magnificent boom combination and excellent load capacity of the machine made the lift extremely easy with ut-

8 PIC Magazine • June 2014

most safety. This remarkable feature of the LR 1300 has put the Bhoir Group miles ahead.

The LR 1300 is powered with a fuel efficient 450 kW diesel engine along with state-of-theart Liebherr Litronic® control system (developed and manufactured in-house) based on Canbus technology which provides efficient and precise control of all functions including online load chart calculation.

The fabulous blend of main boom and luffing jib combinations makes the crane one of its kind to work across power plants, steel

Taking the

LEAD in over 40 countries around the world

Deep Foundation Contracting Services Leader Systems Impact Hammers Statnamic Load Testing Technology Reverse Circulation Drills Custom Foundation Equipment Site Support Project Planning Canada's oldest and most innovative deep foundation contractor - Since 1897

Wellington Street Marine Terminal, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8L 4Z9 Tel: 1.905.528.7924 Fax:1.905.528.6187 | Toll Free: 1.800.668.9432 (in Canada and USA)

www.berminghammer.com | www.berminghamfoundationsolutions.com

Piling Canada Industry News plants, cement plants, petrochemical plants, and all other types of erection works. The crane can be fitted with a maximum of 98 metres of main boom, a maximum of 113 metres of luffing jib and various fixed jibs including windmill fixed jibs of seven and eight metres.

Without the LR 1300 a bigger crane would have been needed to execute the lift, thus requiring more space and causing higher costs. Hence, the Liebherr LR 1300 proves to be a perfect crane for delivering success at great heights.

The Bhoir Group has four units of LR 1300 crawler cranes and has been successfully deploying them for several high rise and heavy lift erections across various segments of the industry.

Junttan Oy Rolls Out Three High-End Additions to its X-Series Pile Driving Rig Family Junttan Oy is launching three big brothers in its modern XSeries pile driving rig family in addition to the smaller range PMx20, PMx22, PMx24 and PMx25 rigs launched a few years ago. The new models, carrying the nickname J-reX, are the PMx26, PMx27, and PMx28, have maximum leader capacities of 20, 23, and 25 metric tonnes and maximum pile lengths of 24, 25, and 28 metres respectively. This makes the PMx28 the biggest and strongest complete, purpose-built pile driving machine ever built, with a full-scaled

10 PIC Magazine • June 2014

telescopic leader and other well-known Junttan features.

The whole basic structure and component layout of the PMx26-28 series has been redeveloped according to Junttan’s 35 years of experience in the field, which means effortless operation and maintenance, and uncompromising safety, stability, transportability and structural strength. The hydraulic system has also been completely overhauled and Junttan’s innovative X-control system for the PMx26-28 series has been further developed for the most convenient and productive operation and low fuel consumption. The PMx26-28 series utilizes the latest engine technology to conform to the toughest international emission legislation.

It’s green Improving operator efficiency and safety, as well as minimizing energy losses within the system have been the key design goals for the PMx26-28 series. Deep system integration results in reduced emissions, improved performance and improved fuel economy without compromising machine performance, allowing for seamless operation. There are several developments that dramatically minimize fuel consumption and the operator’s role in it. A thermostatically-controlled engine and hydraulic oil coolers with an optimized air circulation system, together with a streamlined main hydraulic oil circuit with extended hose diameters, decrease fuel consumption by up to two liters per hour compared to previous models. The new post-compensated and load sensing hydraulic system saves another liter per hour compared to traditional hydraulic systems, and the unique PileCruise feature eliminates human factors from the total system efficiency, decreasing the power consumption of the hammer by up to 20 per cent, depending on the operator. Tier 4 certified Cummins engines are also available to further decrease emissions.

Added value for equipment ownership Junttan recognizes that a successful pile driving process results in various economic and ecological benefits over other piling methods, each of which can only be accomplished by paying close attention to every step of the process. Close co-operation with professionals in the global pile driving industry enables Junttan to provide the most profitable solutions to

make the ownership of a Junttan rig a success.

Thanks to the new technologies utilized, the PMx26-28 series further strengthens Junttan’s position as the provider of the best performing equipment: comprehensive online services for managing all pile driving and equipment related data, various new innovations for easy maintenance, together with the well-known high resale value of Junttan equipment, makes the ownership of the new PMx26-28 series risk-free and convenient.

CIS GROUP AWARDED CONTRACT

BY TECHNIP IN NORWAY – First Contract for New Subsea Piling Services Conductor Installation Services Ltd (CIS), an Acteon company that provides hammer services to install conductors and drive piles, has been awarded a contract to drive piles to permanently stabilize two subsea structures and to initiate three rigid pipelines being installed by Technip in Norway. The contract is a breakthrough for CIS, as it is the first to utilise the new CIS Subsea Piling System, and the first ever operation for CIS in Norway.

Unveiled in November 2013, the remotelyoperated Subsea Piling System allows CIS to drive piles as large as 36 inches in diameter, in water depths to 300 metres.

E 150

One of the major problems that comes with high profile drill rigs is transport. Multiple trucks and trailers. Cranes. Expensive permits. No wonder it’s tough to make a profit. The E150 from Bay Shore Systems solves this problem. Now you can choose a high profile rig that, without disassembly, can fit on one trailer and still meet standard transport height, width and weight limits. Plus, you’ll have a rig that delivers 150,000 ft-lbs. (200 kN-m) of torque and a max hole depth of 150 ft. (45 m). Not only will you get the job done, but you’ll have a rig that saves you time and money before it even gets to the jobsite.

Call Bay Shore Systems and add a new E150 to your drilling fleet.

Visit: www.bayshoresystems.com Call: 888.569.3745

Piling Canada Industry News The contract requires CIS to drive three 30-inch Initiation anchor piles, four 30-inch manifold anchor piles and four 24-inch pipe line end manifold (PLEM) anchor piles on the Bøyla Development project in Norwegian waters. The job is scheduled to take place in mid-2014.

The CIS package combines cutting edge technology with highly trained engineers able to make the most of the technology. The two are inseparable, as the customer understands.

“The combination of new techniques and expert specialists convinced us,” says Chloe Chirat, project purchaser for Technip Norge.

High Tech Piling Means Greater Accuracy and Improved Efficiency The new Subsea Piling System is unique in that it features self-tensioning hydraulic winches that lower and raise the hydraulic hoses and electrical cables connected to the hammer. While conventional systems rely upon technicians to carry out this critical action by manually operating the winches, the constant-tensioning capability of this new system means that winches automatically heave

and lower according to sea conditions. This contributes to making the process even more efficient, reliable, and safer.

The entire piling process for Technip in Norway will be carried out by an experienced engineer from a control unit and monitoring system located onboard a vessel. A hydraulic hammer, connected via an electronic umbilical cable to the control system, will be lowered into the water and placed directly over the subsea pile. Once it is accurately positioned, the pile will be driven into the seabed by the hammer until it reaches its target depth.

New Technology Combines with Expert Skill Set “We’re very proud of this technology, so it is great that we are in the position of operating it for the first time for Technip in Norway in a new geographic region,” says Penman.

The project offers CIS the opportunity to showcase its piling capabilities in an important European context and, in the process, further enhance the company’s global reputation for both subsea piling and conductor installation services.

Thermal Integrity Profiler The Heat Is On. Shape, quality, cage alignment and concrete cover of bored piles.

Also tests jet grouting columns.

Winner of the 2013 CIF/CURT NOVA Award for Innovation

Winner of the DFI 2013 C. William Bermingham Award for Innovation

Drilling & Piles Ltd. Fort Macleod, Alberta

Data acquisition by Probes or Thermal Wire® cables.

Tests fast and soon after casting - lets construction move on!

Ph: (403) 553-4084 | Fax: (403) 553-2834 info@westcodrilling.ca www.foundations.cc engineering@foundations.cc

12 PIC Magazine • June 2014

www.pile.com/tip sales@pile.com

www.westcodrilling.ca

Follow Our Lead To A Solid Foundation BAUER-Pileco is a leading global provider of foundation equipment and service to the construction industry. Recognized for its technological advances and innovation, BAUER-Pileco and its network of dealers represent the BAUER Group across North and Central America.

BAUER RTG FAMBO BETEK www.bauerpileco.com info@bauerpileco.com

www.facebook.com/bauerpileco

PILECO KLEMM MAT PRAKLA

Scan this QR Code to your smart phone and contact us directly.

BAUER-Pileco Inc., 111 Berry Road, Houston, TX 77022 (713) 691-3000 / (800) 474-5326 www.youtube.com/PilecoTX

Piling Canada Industry News CIS, a member of Acteon’s Conductors, Ris-

England in 2005, CIS has built an impressive

ers and Flowlines group, provides conductor

track record of successful operations carried

and pile installation services associated with

out in every major oil and gas producing re-

construction projects carried out in the global

gion. In recognition of the fact that it had not

oil and gas industry. These services are carried

incurred a single loss time incident (LTI) for

out both onshore and offshore to, for example,

eight consecutive years, CIS recently received

create foundations for new wells, platforms,

the prestigious Gold Award for Occupational

bridges and jetties.

Health and Safety 2013 for the fourth year in

The range of services provided by CIS sup-

succession from the Royal Society for the Pre-

ports the Acteon Group’s commitment to de-

vention of Accidents (RoSPA) in the United

fining subsea services across a range of inter-

Kingdom. Learn more at www.c-i-services.com.

connected disciplines.

About Conductor Installation Services Ltd

Independence Tube Corporation Achieves ISO 9001:2008

Conductor Installation Services Ltd (CIS),

Independence Tube Corporation is proud to

an Acteon company, is the only company that

announce it has achieved ISO 9001:2008 cer-

is solely dedicated to the process of installing

tification at their manufacturing divisions in

conductors and piles. CIS takes responsibility

Chicago and Marseilles, Illinois and Decatur,

for full project management for installing con-

Alabama through registrar SAI Global.

ductors anywhere in the world. The company’s

The road to ISO 9001:2008 certification for

primary objective is to employ hammer servic-

Independence Tube included Divisional initial

es to install conductors and drive piles with the

assessments and gap analyses, Quality Man-

highest standard of structural integrity, reliably

agement Systems, Document Management

and safely. CIS also strives to reduce the cost of

Systems, and Corrective and Preventative Ac-

conductor and pile installation by developing

tion Systems development, internal audits,

more efficient work processes and using the

management system reviews, and closure of

latest state-of-the-art technology, including its

all Divisional quality system corrective actions,

remotely-operated Subsea Piling System that

prior to registration audits at each Division

the company developed to drive piles as large

with SAI Global.

as 36-inches in diameter in water depths up to

The ISO 9001:2008 certification recognizes the policies, practices, and procedures of

300 metres.

Since it was founded in Great Yarmouth,

the company ensure consistent quality in the

product and services they provide. Clients can be confident Independence Tube is dedicated to maintaining the highest efficiency and responsiveness in achieving their ultimate goal – guaranteed client satisfaction.

A copy of the ISO Certificate can be found at: http://www.independencetube.com/quality n

Pile Drivers, Divers, Bridge, Dock and Wharf Builders Local Union 2404 • Trade Certified Pile Drivers / Bridgeworkers • Red Seal Carpenters • CWB Certified Welders • CSA Z275.4 Competent Surface Supplied Divers • ITA Designated Trades Training Provider • CWB Certified Welder Testing Facility

#101 - 580 Ebury Place Delta, BC V3M 6M8 www.Piledrivers2404.ca 14 PIC Magazine • June 2014

604-526-2404 Fax: 604-526-2446 Cell: 604-788-2902 1-800-LOC 2404

Please Recycle.

Providing Piling Product Solutions to the Heavy Construction Industry for over 25 years Offering a full range of piling products including sheet pile, H-pile, and pipe for sale or for rent anywhere across North America from eight stocking locations.

Sheet piling - Hot Rolled, Cold Formed A572 Grade 50 Standard. A690, A588, and other grades readily available - all in your “as required� length.

Call us for support and service on your next project.

www.rollformgroup.com Roll Form Group Suite 100 - 6701 Financial Drive, Mississauga, ON L5N 7J7 950 Industrial Road, Cambridge, ON N3H 4W1 26 Country Road 351, Iuka, MS, 38852 Piling Products 945 Center Street, Green Cove Springs, FL, 32043

Tel: (905) 270-5300 Tel: (519) 650-2222 Tel: (662) 424-1460

Fax: (905) 593-3489 Fax: (519) 650-2223 Fax: (662) 424-0314

Tel: (904) 287-8000

Fax: (904) 529-7757

PIC A Champion of Steel

canada | U.s. | international

JMC Steel Group celebrates 130 successful years of service

From the piling to the penthouse, JMC-man-

tering to structural steel, electrical conduit,

ufactured steel products are in high-demand.

galvanized fence posts, sprinkler pipe for fire

"Our products really are all around you

suppression, tubing, casing, and line pipe for

every day," says Chris Ragan, product man-

the oil and gas industry, piling, and hydraulic

ager of Pipe and Piling Products at Atlas Tube.

cylinder tubing for the fluid power industry, as

"Pretty much everything that goes into the ground to finishing off the top of a building can be a JMC-manufactured product. We’re really a one-stop shop.”

The John Maneely Company was first formed more than 130 years ago in 1877, as a distributor of pipe, valves, and fittings in Philadelphia, and quickly grew to become one of the leading players in the steel and pipe distribution market. Today the company is the largest independent manufacturer of tubular products in North America, producing more than 2.5 million tonnes of tubular products a year through their 15 manufacturing facilities.

"Our 2,500 employees work hard every day to give our customers both quality products, as well as exemplary service," says Ragan, of the company that encompasses the former Wheatland Tube Group and Atlas Tube. "The ability to deliver very quickly has become increasingly important in today’s marketplace, and we work hard every day to make sure that we not only meet but exceed our customers’ expectations in terms of delivery speed."

JMC Steel offers an array of products ca16 PIC Magazine • June 2014

well as elbows, couplings, and nipples for electrical conduit. Company top-sellers include straight-seam, ERW (electric resistance welds) pipe piles. Unique to the product is that it does not use a filler metal nor statically melts the edges of the material being welded together, as do more conventional welding processes such as shielded metal arc (stick) or metal inert gas (MIG) welding.

Operations have been expanded due to the acquisition of organic and greenfield sites (such as Lakeside Steel, which was acquired in 2012 and merged with JMC's existing oil country capabilities to create Energex Tube, a division that produces line pipe and casing for the OCTG market.) Recently, the company underwent a major branding change for their DOM division, rebranding it from a part of the Wheatland Tube division to its former, standalone brand name – Sharon Tube.

Continual efforts are made by the company to stay abreast of market changes, particularly through the anticipation of customer needs and through marketplace education. As a result, several initiatives have been created to promote the benefits and advantages of steel products with the goal of reaching ample audiences – and as Ragan confirms, technology plays a key role in this promotion.

"We feel very strongly about not only educating the marketplace in general, but reaching students and letting them know the importance of steel at a young age," Ragan says.

"In this day and age, a business can’t afford not to have an online presence. Whether you’re an e-commerce company or focus more on lead generation, a website is the chief piece of owned media that businesses cannot do without. All of our websites fall under the lat-

canada | U.s. | international

ter – they exist to educate consumers, with the ultimate goal of leading generation conversions."

Atlas Connection is the company's one-of-a-kind online community forum that focuses solely on structural steel. On the forum, members are able to submit project-related questions to the panel of industry experts and can discuss complementary steel and engineering-specific topics. A series of educational videos on structural steel (entitled the “Designing with HSS” series) is also readily available online. These videos feature an in-house structural engineer and address various topics dealing with structural steel, such as connections, specs, and availability. Additionally, iPad apps have been developed for select product lines, whereby customers can access company brochures, spec sheets, and manufacturing videos.

"We are proud of how far we’ve come," he says. "However, we continually strive to make [the websites] better – with SEO, mobile-friendly sites, and the addition of new and relevant content, the ultimate goal for our websites is to provide the best experience possible for our visitors."

Equally important is the company's promotion of high-quality domestically-produced product. As such, JMC continually researches means to upgrade current machinery to ensure that all of their mills boast the best-in-class manufacturing equipment. On the minds of JMC reps is the onslaught of imports from other countries, specifically in the OCTG market.

"As a company, we are adamant believers in the importance of domestic manufacturing – the jobs that it gives Americans, as well as the quality of the product itself are two key advantages that domestic manufacturing produces," he says. "Ending unfair dumping processes can only benefit our country, and we are fighting hard to make sure that that happens."

As JMC looks to the horizon, there is a movement to grow and expand and enter new markets, while additional M&As may be in the company's future as well. For now, the company is well-placed to address one of the biggest market trends towards the construction of safer buildings.

"The construction of buildings is moving more towards tubing than other products because tubing is a stronger, more capable solution to meet those demands," Ragan concludes. "We have seen more buildings moving towards steel for that very reason, and we work hard to educate the market about the benefits and advantages that tubing has for both the safety and aesthetic features of building construction." n

PIC

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Model 4900 Vibrating Wire Load Cell

Model 3000 Electricial Resistance Load Cell

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GKM Consultants

1 • 450 • 441 • 5444 info@gkmconsultants.com www.gkmconsultants.com 1 • 603 • 448 •1562 info@geokon.com www.geokon.com

1430 Hocquart Street Suite 100 St. Bruno, QC J3V 6E1 Canada 48 Spencer St Lebanon, NH 03766 USA

Piling Industry Canada • June 2014 17

PIC Get SMART

canada | U.s. | international

California’s new SMART rail system takes commuting to the next level replace the 60-to-100 year-old tracks between Cloverdale and Larkspur Landing, beginning with the Santa Rosa-San Rafael segment. Approximately 17 per cent of this new single-set track will include complementary passing sidings, allowing for travel of both northbound and southbound trains on one track.

Several handicap-accessible bike and walking paths will also be constructed throughout the various phases of this project, which was initiated by the Sonoma-Marin joint venture.

A new bridge over the Petaluma River rounds out the project.

Joint venture C.C. Myers and Ghilotti Brothers have been awarded the Petaluma River Bridge replacement contract. Spanning 907 feet, the new bridge marks the third longest precast, pre-stressed concrete girder bridge Any mention of the daily work commute gen-

passenger-train project scheduled for comple-

erally conjures up images of dark under-eye

tion in 2016 – a smooth, modern (and stress-

circles, no-amount-of-coffee-can-cure head-

free) ride boasting food and beverage kiosks,

aches, and of course, bumper-to-bumper traf-

WiFi, bicycle storage, and a number of conve-

fic queues – which is precisely the image the

nient north-south stops parallel Highway 101

Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART)

(one of which is the Larkspur Ferry Terminal

wants to change.

with access to San Francisco).

in the United States at an estimated cost of $67 million. Projected for completion in late 2015, the new bridge will be constructed in three stages and require erection of 99 girders approximately 130 feet in length at 60 tonnes each. It will also feature arched girders, wave patterns on the deck and pier caps and fractured fin texture on the columns.

North Bay commuters are poised to travel

Integral to the project is track reconstruc-

Over 325 tonnes of steel sheet piling was

in style aboard the Sonoma-Marin counties’

tion, an estimated 70 miles of new rail track to

provided by Hammer & Steel Inc. for the

18 PIC Magazine • June 2014

PIC

Piling Industry Canada

construction of two temporary cofferdams (a square or rectangular box, “dewatered” for bridge construction purposes) last year. The cofferdams situated on the river’s south bank, which will remain in place for one and two years respectively, combine PZC 18, PZC 26, PZ 35, and various connectors to finish the job.

“325 tonnes is nothing to sneeze at,” says Armand Caballin, territory manager, Hammer & Steel Inc., one of North America’s largest suppliers of steel sheet piling and pile driving equipment. “We are a reputable, reliable supplier of steel sheet piling and because of our inventory and location, we have the capabilities to supply a project of this size.”

Currently, the majority of the first cofferdam has been removed; a portion of the second will be left in place permanently, though quantities have yet to be determined. Currently onsite, the ground is being prepped for the bridge piers that will support the SMART train’s crossing above the river, adds Caballin.

Overall, the new SMART line hopes to include ten stations between Santa Rosa and San Rafael. Seven two-car trains (developed in Japan and assembled in Illinois) will run the line, powered by an environmentally-friendly Tier 4 diesel engine. Each train will have the capacity for up to 158 seated passengers, 160 standing passengers 20 PIC Magazine • June 2014

and 23 bicycles. The top speed of these trains will be 79 mph, with an average speed, including stops, of 40 mph between San Rafael and Santa Rosa.

The voter-approved passenger rail project and accompanying bicyclepedestrian pathway is in line with California’s penchant for exceptional public transportation systems, says Caballin. “[Highway 101] is a twolane highway each way. It has an HOV (high-occupancy vehicle) lane, but even still there’s a lot of bottlenecking,” he adds. “This is one of the reasons they want to put the train in there.”

Moving people quickly and safely is an admitted focus of the SMART project. Though speculators have suggested that the trains may cause “major traffic delays” downtown, both Marin and Sonoma counties have denied the claim, stating SMART trains will cross the streets in 35-40 seconds – shorter than the duration of a red traffic light.

All told, according to the project’s Environmental Impact Report, the SMART project will result in the removal of an estimated 5,300 car trips on North Bay roads, which equates to an annual greenhouse gas reduction of 30 million pounds.

As Caballin cites, the SMART project is “one to watch” and holds incredible potential for the region. “There are always exciting developments as construction progresses,” he says. “Stay tuned.” n

TORONTO: (519) 623-6454 CALGARY: (403) 248-4884 OTTAWA: (613) 241-5551 www.hcmc.ca “Innovations in Foundations”

PIC New Frontiers

Piling Industry Canada

Muskrat Falls project to break new ground

By Melanie Franner

When the 824-megawatt hydroelectric generating facility at Muskrat Falls becomes operational, it will not only position Newfoundland and Labrador as a leader in clean energy, it will rely upon more than 1,500 kilometres of transmission lines and associated infrastructure to deliver power to homes and businesses in that province. It will also bring to the forefront a new type of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) activity, a technology long used in the utility industry but in this case, adapted from the oil and gas industry.

“From a hydroelectric generation perspective, this is the largest project that has been undertaken in Atlantic Canada in recent years,” states Greg Fleming, Marine Crossings project manager, Nalcor Energy – Lower Churchill Project. “The development of the Muskrat Falls and the overall Lower Churchill Project represents one of the most significant hydroelectric projects in Newfoundland and Labrador’s history.”

A Perilous Crossing For decades, governments have been studying development options for the lower Churchill River, one of the best undeveloped 22 PIC Magazine • June 2014

sources of hydroelectricity in North America.

But construction of the Muskrat Falls project didn’t officially begin until early 2013.

The project – which is expected to involve 560,000 m3 of concrete, 4,500 towers, 460,000 insulators, and 6,000,000 metres of conductor – involves the installation of three separate cables across the Strait of Belle Isle, stretching from Forteau Point, Labrador, to Shoal Cove,

Newfoundland. The first two cables will be used to transmit the electricity, while the third will act as a spare.

In order to transmit this much-needed electricity to homes and businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador (the province is projected to need 80 per cent of the electricity generated at Muskrat Falls by 2036 or earlier), this 35 kilometre cable crossing needs to stretch underwater across the Strait of Belle Isle.

“The HDD technology will be used to bore holes in the sea floor to accommodate the cables,” explains Fleming. “Each of the cables requires a bore hole on both the Labrador and Newfoundland side, so there will be a total of six bore holes.”

Unlike most hydroelectric generation applications in other jurisdictions where the transmission cables typically run between two companies with separate power grids, the Muskrat Falls project calls for cables to run between the source of electricity and the end customers.

“The bore holes required for the cables need to be as smooth as possible and of excellent quality because we need a very high level of reliability in this application,” states Fleming. “For this reason, the HDD technology is

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critical. Utility applications like this one typically require low-tech HDD technology. But because of the critical nature of the work, we adopted the use of specialized HDD technology from the oil and gas industry.”

Also unusual in this application are the bore holes themselves.

“Each of the bore holes on the Newfoundland side will be about 2.2 kilometres from shore and each on the Labrador side will be between 1,200 and 1,500 metres,” says Fleming. “In total, we will require about 10 to 11 kilometres of drilling.”

According to Fleming, the bore holes for landfall applications like this one typically measure between 800 and 1,000 metres.

“We have two holes that are more than two kilometres out,” he states. “This will double the existing global record.”

For these very reasons, the Muskrat Falls project required a very special type of company. That candidate not only needed years of proven expertise but needed to be flexible when it came to using specialized oil and gas HDD technology in this one-of-a-kind application.

A Company up to the Task “We did some investigative work before we asked companies to bid on the project, which was an open and public bid process,” explains Fleming. “We made our decision based on a 24 PIC Magazine • June 2014

Piling Industry Canada number of factors, including risks, technical ability, quality, cost and safety. Essentially, we were looking for the best value without compromising the quality of the project.”

Eventually, the contract was awarded to Edmonton-based Direct Horizontal Drilling, a long-established drilling contractor with an extensive fleet of drilling rigs that operate across the company and that specialize in river crossings.

“We are drilling down and punching out the seabed far enough from shore to avoid the icebergs,” states Lon Briscoe, president, Direct Horizontal Drilling. “Nothing like this has ever been done before – through solid granite and with these kind of distances.”

The drilling began in December 2013.

According to Briscoe, some 35 truckloads of equipment were trucked and barged from Edmonton to Shoal Cove. The drilling rig was manufactured specifically for this application

by American Augers, with the drilling support equipment custom designed and built by Direct Horizontal Drilling.

“The HDD rig can pull 1.1 million pounds, with 110,000-foot per pound rotary torque,” he says, adding that the two 1,000 horsepower pumps are capable of pumping 4.5 m3/minute of drill fluid. “The project requires 60 m3 drilling fluid systems, including three linear-motion shakers and two high-speed oil centrifuges. The HDD rig and support equipment can be operated at temperatures of -50 Celsius.”

The bore holes themselves measure 14 ¾ inches in size. Each will be outfitted with a 10 ¾-inch casing.

“We’re drilling in very hard, geotechnical conditions,” states Fleming, who adds that the first two holes have recently been completed.

“We’re operating the rig 24/7.”

The two 12-hour shifts are being overseen by supervisors from Direct Horizontal Drilling. Other team members are from the province.

“This has been a good news story for local employment,” notes Fleming. “Direct Horizontal Drilling came down beforehand and held two employment sessions. The idea was to staff the team locally. Aside from the two supervisors, we’ve managed to employ approximately 20 people from Newfoundland and Labrador.”

On average, the entire Muskrat Falls project will require 1,500 jobs in more than 70 trades

each year throughout construction, with a peak workforce of 3,300 in 2015.

Onwards and Upwards To date, two of the six bore holes are complete, for a total of 4.2 kilometres of drilling activity.

“We have had some extreme weather conditions in the form of cold, snow and ice but we have basically had 100 per cent uptime,” notes Fleming. “We anticipate that the drilling will be finished in the late summer of 2014. At that point, the holes will be outfitted with casings and then the cables will be pulled through.”

Until then, Fleming and his team can continue to rely upon the hard work and proven success demonstrated by the project team to date.

“This project has been all about the collaborative process,” he states. “We work collaboratively as a team on all levels. Our people get into a room and kick things around so that we always come out with the best possible solution for everybody. We even employ that same mentality on the rig. Everyone has built the execution plan as a team.”

At the same time, Fleming is quick to give credit to Briscoe and his team.

“Direct Horizontal Drilling has been excellent to work with,” he concludes. “From the tender stage through to mobilization, they have been a world-class company that keeps the bar very high on quality and safety.”

Although still in the early stages of a fiveyear construction plan that will eventually see the development of a power-producing asset slated to last more than 100 years, the Muskrat Falls Project has already proven itself to be a formidable example of achievement and ingenuity. The adaption of HDD technology and its use in boring holes of record-breaking distances will undoubtedly make the project memorable for its technical advancements and achievements.

“This will be the first time in history that the island of Newfoundland will have an electricity system that is connected to the North American grid,” concludes Fleming. “This interconnection will enhance the reliability and efficiency of our electricity system, stabilize regional electricity rates and lead to the integration of additional renewable sources of energy, resulting in a reliable, modern and efficient energy system for consumers.” n

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PIC Digging Deeper

Piling Industry Canada

Keller Canada finds a fast solution search throughout North America for the right equipment for the space constraints and sudden elevation changes surrounding the tank – a plan that proved to be challenging.

Sourcing The Solution

The Bayshore LoDrill DH30 reached locations that conventional track-mount drill rigs could not.

When a thickener tank at the Mosaic potash mine (located 75 kilometres south east of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) had its roof unexpectedly collapse, it required immediate repair to ensure the impact on mine productivity and cost was minimized. Since the tank was integral for processing potash, the client needed a piling contractor to move quickly to begin work on its new foundation. Mosaic’s proposed deadline was to have the new foundation and subsequent work, including walls and roof, completed before the freezing temperatures hit five months later – a time frame that demanded immediate action.

When Keller Canada was awarded the piling and shoring work for the tanks new foundation, they faced a number of challenges in order to begin the repair under a tight timeline. Through this, they learned that combining hands-on experience and procuring unique equipment was essential to finding the right solution.

and required careful attention to ensure it remained structurally sound. Jordan Moi, project manager for the Northern Saskatchewan region, describes the tank’s conditions: “The tank was very old and was believed to present risk of further structural failures when the perimeter berm was to be removed. Since the removal of the berm was required to install the piles and complete the forming of the new wall, a solution was required to hold back the compromised tank holding fluid. We had to put sheet piles around the perimeter to provide support for when the berm was removed. The fact that the tank’s structure was already compromised made the job of drilling new piles around it even more complicated and added scope to an already critical deadline.”

Due to the sudden roof collapse and the urgency of its repair, Keller Canada had one week and limited information to plan a strategy and begin work. Despite roadblocks, Keller Canada was confident enough to execute a

Improvised Planning

plan that involved renting equipment their

Once Keller Canada arrived on site, the main challenge was that the tank was older

operators were not familiar with in order to

26 PIC Magazine • June 2014

Once they planned their work and identified the equipment required to complete the foundation repair, Keller Canada reached out to their network of vendors, colleagues, and friends to source the right equipment. They were sure their staff could meet the deadline, as long as they had equipment to work with.

Moi explains their approach: “The job had a tight timeline and was a high risk to our client if the work was not completed safely and efficiently. Although Keller Canada didn’t own the right equipment for the job, we still offered our services and managed to source the equipment on a temporary basis from the United States.”

The equipment required was not readily available in Canada. However, a Bay Shore LoDril DH30 from Idaho and a vibro hammer

complete the work. Part of this strategy was to

Keller Canada utilizing equipment to its fullest potential.

Down to the finest detail.

Find out more about how we dig deeper. Visit KellerCanada.com – formerly North American Caisson Ltd.

PIC

Piling Industry Canada “When you’re drilling deep into the ground, you can never be 100% certain what the requirements will be. Because of this, we anticipate challenges on every job. When things don’t go according to plan, you find solutions to fix it – securing rare or unknown equipment, accelerating schedules, re-designing, and retaining the top talent are all part of the solutions that make working in the piling industry so interesting.”

About Keller Canada Backed by the largest independent ground engineering company in the world, Keller Canada prides itself in being able to provide full-service solutions for any job, no matter what challenges get in the way. Formerly North American Caisson Ltd., a division of North American Construction, Keller Canada was acquired by Installing sheet piles to maintain the tank’s structure.

U.K.-based company Keller Group Plc. in 2013, though their management and operations re-

mounted on an excavator from Indiana were found and immediately sent to the jobsite. It was an added challenge to bring in equipment Keller Canada had never before operated.

An Ultimate Success After working day and night in areas of limited access, Keller Canada completed the project in about six weeks – a job that would usually take twice as long to complete. Though a number of factors worked together in Keller Canada’s favour, Moi cites the experience and knowledge of their team as being integral to their success: “I’m most proud of our crews that completed the work safely and efficiently – they made it happen. Our superintendent had 30 years of experience, and is a good example of Keller Canada’s most important asset: we have the right people, who can complete critical work no matter the circumstances, equipment, or timelines. We also sourced our most talented operators across Canada to ensure our success. Over half of the workforce on the project was supplemented by laborers and equipment operators from our Regina and Toronto locations. The ability to draw the best resources across the country allows Keller Canada to tackle the most complex problems with confidence.”

As an added demonstration of their project’s success, Moi states proudly that piling equipment supplier Bay Shore Systems fea28 PIC Magazine • June 2014

tured a photo of Keller Canada’s work using the LoDril in their yearly calendar. In only a few short weeks, Keller Canada wasn’t just operating the drill rig, they were utilizing it to its fullest potential, and using it in scenarios that were unique enough to be featured in their yearly calendar. According to him, their experience at the Colonsay potash mine will help Keller Canada be even better prepared for similar challenges in the future:

main the same. With 30 years experience piling Canadian soil, Keller Canada operates in seven regions across the country, and continues to use their on-site experience combined with their global knowledge of the latest technology in piling to deliver the best results for their clients.

Visit Keller Canada’s website at www.KellerCanada.com to explore services, meet the team, and get in touch. n

Utilizing Keller Canada’s conventional track-mount equipment in areas that presented less space restriction.

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PIC Construction in Copenhagen

Piling Industry Canada

The advantAge of monitoring with the drilling mate system

By Paolo Cavalcoli and Vincent Jue

DMS service manager Saverio Santucci at the Soilmec Control Center in Cesena, Italy.

Expert 24/7 live assistance is also available at two Soilmec Control Centers in North America.

As the cultural, economic, and governmental center of Denmark, Copenhagen is experiencing a tremendous population growth due to a rise in birth rates and a surge of young people moving to the city. In order to meet the increase in transportation needs, Copenhagen is constructing a new underground metro line called “Cityringen.” Cityringen will consist of a twin-tunneled 15.5 kilometre (9.6 mile) metro line circling the centre of Copenhagen with 17 stations that will connect to the existing underground transit network. The new metro construction sites are wedged in between existing residences, narrow streets, and historic buildings throughout the heart of the city.

As the primary subcontractor responsible for construction of the permanent supporting walls for all the metro stations and service shafts, Trevi S.p.A. is coping with difficult subsurface conditions, strict environmental regulations, and challenging jobsite restrictions in 32 PIC Magazine • June 2014

Copenhagen. Trevi has maintained its production schedule with a perfect safety record with the help of a large fleet of Soilmec rigs equipped with Soilmec’s Drilling Mate System (DMS).

The DMS is a high-tech, fully integrated, interactive tool whose interface is located in the cabin of the drill rig, allowing rig operators and jobsite personnel to monitor and control the machine in real time. The performance of both the drilling/excavation production and the diesel engine are monitored using data from an array of sensors and safety devices, which are located throughout the rig, transmitted to the cab, and displayed on a DMS touchscreen interface. Operators can use the DMS to monitor the overall operation of the machine, record alarms, perform troubleshooting, and plan maintenance.

The DMS is available on all new Soilmec machines, and older Soilmec equipment can

Data flow of Soilmec’s Drilling Mate System.

DMS allows rig operators, project managers, and Soilmec service managers to monitor machines in real time and analyze data offline.

be retrofitted to accommodate the DMS. Standard DMS monitors and records various machine production parameters and drilling data, including depth, inclination, rotary speeds, and crowd pressure, to assist in drilling a quality pile. Soilmec has also developed specialized DMS software packages to optimize the performance of a wide range of technologies: large diameter piles, micropiles, continuous flight auger piles, cased secant piles, diaphragm walls, hydromill excavation, jet grouting/tieback anchors, and soil mixing.

I BUILD

with

DAN BERG President, Pacer Foundations Corporation Builds strong partnerships to get the job done

learn more

visit www.SoilmecNA.com/webuild

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Piling Industry Canada sistently meets the demanding Copenhagen project specifications.

Maintenance Alerts Reduce Downtime

A Trevi worker uses Soilmec’s Drilling Mate System to monitor the hydromill diaphragm wall construction in Copenhagen.

Operators Can “See Underground”

The DMS data can also be transmitted via radio, GSM/GPRS, WiFi, or satellite to a re-

One of the challenges inherent with deep

mote Control Center where DMS experts

foundation systems is the inability to see

help troubleshoot in real-time. These Soilmec

what’s being built at depth. The construction

service managers have a direct connection to

is hidden below ground, in soil or rock condi-

the machine via the web, to see live what the

tions that are only partially known. The DMS

operator sees on the DMS onboard display.

enables the operator to “see underground”

The service managers can respond remotely

as it monitors in real-time the operation and

to help fix most problems, rather than having

performance of the machine, providing the rig

to hop on a plane to visit the jobsite, which

operator with active and precise instrument

saves both time and money. All machines on

control.

the Cityringen project are monitored from the

Construction in Copenhagen’s dense, historic downtown is being performed in very close proximity to existing buildings and structures. For example, the walls for the Mar-

Soilmec headquarters in Cesena, Italy. This rapid troubleshooting assistance has helped to ensure that the construction quality con-

Minimizing equipment downtime is fundamental to maintaining productivity. Alarm signals triggered by the DMS alert operators when maintenance is needed. For cased secant pile construction, DMS displays alarms for coolant levels, low foot pressure, rotary gearbox lubrication, rotary head filter clog, mast inclinometer x-axis or y-axis failure, hydraulic oil filter clog, diesel engine parametres, and fuel level.

The DMS alerts and displays to the operator which component triggered the alarm, and it identifies the severity of the alarm. By pushing a button, the DMS also displays the history of the alarm so the operator can see if that component has been failing frequently.

In addition, the remote DMS Control Center is alerted when a maintenance alarm is triggered, so Soilmec service managers can quickly call jobsites to help prevent larger problems from developing. This rapid troubleshooting assistance reduces maintenance times and helps create safer work conditions by ensuring that equipment works properly.

Monitoring maintenance issues using the DMS has been essential in Copenhagen, where the layers of hard boulders and flint rock have caused daily breakage of the cased secant piling tooling. The DMS has allowed Trevi main-

morkirken (Marble Church) metro station are only 100 millimetres (four inches) away from the foundations of the 260-year old Marble Church, the largest domed church in Scandinavia. So it is vital for Trevi to set and monitor accurate drilling parameters during the foundation work to ensure that the neighbouring buildings are left undisturbed. Thanks to the DMS, Trevi has achieved high precision in reaching the target depths while maintaining the tight target verticality.

In addition, DMS provides real-time monitoring of the engine and its components, showing hydraulic oil pressure, fuel consumption, and power. This has allowed Trevi to perform its state-of-the-art foundation work in Copenhagen with low fuel consumption and minimal completion time, helping to save money and maintain the production schedule.

34 PIC Magazine • June 2014

Trevi workers construct cased auger piles near the Marmorkirken (Marble Church).

Monitoring with Soilmec’s Drilling Mate System helped ensure that this historic church was left undisturbed.

PIC

Piling Industry Canada tenance managers to quickly identify and repair these equipment problems. Analysis of this data has also helped Trevi minimize downtime by improving their equipment and drilling techniques. For instance, intensive pre-drilling with a Wassara high-pressure water hammer has been used to break through the deep, hard layers of limestone rock and flint, which has doubled the production speed.

Soilmec has also modified the cased secant piling tooling used in Copenhagen to reduce tool breakage – a more aggressive auger was developed using thicker, higher quality steel and an adjustable tool position. The DMS data collected from the Cityringen project has been crucial to the development of new technology and the reduction of job delays.

Proper maintenance has also improved the performance and longevity of the equipment used in Copenhagen. Trevi personnel plan routine maintenance using the DMS touchscreen, which records the machines’ scheduled maintenance operations. In addition, the Spare Parts Online Center facilitates faster ordering of replacement parts.

critical parameters – pile profile, concrete pressure, and concrete flow – as a function of depth so they can analyze their construction quality. These graphs can identify potential construction problems like voids in the concrete, as well as provide an assessment of construction quality.

The ability to analyze the DMS data is crucial for complex jobs like the Cityringen project, where Trevi personnel are managing 21 jobsites with challenging subsurface conditions, environmental regulations, and jobsite restrictions. Offline analysis of the data re-

corded by DMS has allowed Trevi to construct high quality permanent supporting walls for the Cityringen metro system while saving time and money.

AUTHORS BIO: Paolo Cavalcoli is a Trevi geotechnical engineer and manager of the Cityringen project. Vincent Jue is a vice president with Soilmec North America. Soilmec manufactures drilling and ground engineering construction equipment. Reach Vincent at vjue@champion-equipment.com. n

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Jobsite Managers Understand Operations Better All of this important data on machine operations, alarms, materials consumption, and maintenance can be streamed via cellular networks to a computer, so jobsite managers located in a field trailer or at a remote office can monitor and process the information. Even in the absence of GSM/GPRS or WiFi, the DMS retains all the data on a memory card or USB flash drive. The DMS software allows managers to create customizable jobsite, operational, and accounting reports – or the data can simply be exported as tables.

The DMS data can be analyzed offline and plotted graphically for easy interpretation.

Managers can show bored piles or panels in order of completion status to check work progress. Data can be graphed as a function of either time or depth. For instance, hydromill production parameters – depth course, drilling speed, left motor pressure, right motor pressure, mud pressure, digging load, x-deviation and y-deviation – can be automatically plotted as a function of depth or time and can be displayed by clicking on the “depth” or “time” report tab using the DMS software.

Jobsite managers can also process and plot

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Piling Industry Canada • June 2014 35

PIC The Foundation of Excellence

Piling Industry Canada

Anchor shoring & caissons ltd., A history of innovation at Yonge and Bloor

By Dawn Demetrick – Tattle, P. Eng., President, Partner Anchor Shoring & Caissons Ltd.

Anchor projects completed near Yonge and Bloor

Anchor Shoring drilling rock socket caissons at One Bloor with a BG40 drill rig. A 110 Ton Linkbelt crawler crane at street level lowers material to the work area below. A second 110 Ton crane services the drilling operation from within the excavation. Previous Anchor projects 2 Bloor West and 2 Bloor East buildings are visible to the north.

36 PIC Magazine • June 2014

The site of One Bloor is located at the core of Toronto, on the South-East corner of Yonge Street and Bloor Street. This dramatic site finds itself at the junction of two subway lines, surrounded by high-fashion boutiques and designer shops. Such is the backdrop for the spectacular 75-storey Great Gulf flagship condominium, hotel and retail centre building complex under construction at One Bloor St East. This pinnacle project, one of the many projects that Anchor Shoring & Caissons Ltd. has completed in this area, required shoring for an excavation up to 22.5 metres in depth and structural caisson foundations socketted in rock at a depth of more than 43 metres below grade. With the presence of wet sand layers under pressure, this drilling is very difficult. The Yonge Bloor area presents many daunting subsurface challenges to overcome due to the close proximity of subway lines and adjacent structures and countless below grade utilities. Breaking ground in these conditions becomes no small feat.

Anchor Shoring has taken a vital role for more than four decades in the reshaping of the Yonge and Bloor skyline. Harnessing the cumulative experience gained from prior work, they collaborate with owners, consultants and contractors to develop innovative solutions

Piling Industry Canada

Lagged shoring for 2 Bloor East (year 1972).

for the progressively bolder and more challenging projects being constructed in this area. Anchor’s first involvement in the transformation of the area began with shoring for the 2 Bloor St East and 2 Bloor St West office towers in the early 1970s. The local knowledge gained from these projects provided Anchor with an intimate view of the complex subsurface of the area. This assisted Anchor in their preparation of an alternative design to complete the shoring and caisson work for the office tower constructed at 33 Bloor St East in 1989.

33 BLOOR ST. EAST The developer’s original design at 33 Bloor called for caissons to be drilled through wet sand layers and socketted in the shale bedrock at about 41 metres below grade and required the base of all caissons to be handcleaned by a worker lowered to the base of each hole. The requirement to handclean the caisson bases under these site conditions presented a safety concern. In addition with the limitations to drilling technology that existed at that time the cost to install the caissons in this manner would have been prohibitive. From previous experience in the area and available soil bore hole data, Anchor Shoring was aware of the presence of a very dense till layer located roughly 15 metres below grade. Based on this knowledge Anchor prepared and priced an alternative design terminating all caissons on this till layer, which increased the safety of the work, reduced drilling lengths by two thirds and completely avoided the necessity of drilling through the wet, caving sand layers to bedrock.

Anchor retained RWB Engineering to complete the shoring and caisson designs. By working together with the general contractor PCL Constructors at the initial stages of the project and consulting with the developers, the structural and the geotechnical consultants, it was possible to seamlessly incorporate the proposed changes to the caissons and any resulting impacts on the structure into the issued for construction drawings. This allowed the developer to capture the maximum savings in cost and time from the alternative caisson design.

However, even with this caisson installation challenge solved there remained a further, serious complication. The existing Bloor Subway cut a wide swath through the centre of the 33 Bloor site and the roof of the subway structure was not capable of supporting the equipment and material loads. This severely restricted site access for all aspects of the work as well as leaving only two narrow strips on either side of the subway structure to locate the caissons. Anchor addressed this limitation together with PCL Constructors in developing and constructing an innovative system of prefabricated interlocking steel/wood mats that would span the width of subway roof and safety support equipment up to 92,000 kg in weight. This decking system was used for all aspects of the

PIC

33 Bloor Project-shored excavation with caisson wall to support existing building and lagging to support Bloor Street. Top of existing subway visible on right. Caisson top being exposed for cap construction.

subsurface construction work, not just the shoring and caissons.

These innovative alternatives, and the proactive, cooperative approach offered by all members of the 33 Bloor construction and consulting team resulted in the developer realizing cost savings in the order of a million dollars, a reduction in the required duration of the shoring and caisson work by more than half and safe execution of the work.

CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT AT YONGE BLOOR Over the years the Yonge and Bloor area has continued to develop and Anchor completed a growing number of projects in the immediate vicinity of the iconic intersection: the shoring and caissons for Signatures on Bloor located at 55 Bloor East (immediately east of 33 Bloor), the Charles/Hayden Parking Garage, TTC station improvements (across

Piling Industry Canada • June 2014 37

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Piling Industry Canada

Hayden Street immediately to the south),The Bloor Street Neighbourhood, Casa ll and The Chaz. Developing and maintaining long term client relationships has been a core value at Anchor since its inception in 1968. Therefore, it is not surprising that each of these projects was completed for a client Anchor had worked with previously.

ONE BLOOR ST. EAST In 2011, Anchor once again found itself on that familiar Yonge Bloor street corner, this time at the site of One Bloor. Like its neighbouring projects, this site presented the daunting challenges of difficult ground conditions, proximity to two intersecting subway lines and existing foundation elements at adjacent buildings. Unlike its neighbours though, One Bloor presented new challenges for Anchor to contend with: interferences of the below grade structure at 33 Bloor St. East, drill depths that terminated well into the saturated sand layers and accommodating larger equipment to the base of an exceptionally deep excavation. The Construction Manager on the project, Tucker HiRise Construction Inc., whom Anchor had worked with previously, awarded the caisson wall and rock socketted structural caisson work at One Bloor to Anchor Shoring.

Drilling caisson wall with BG40 against existing 33 Bloor St. East.

Caisson Wall Soil Retention A caisson wall is a soil retention system composed of a series of interlocking drilled holes which in this case were backfilled with 4 MPa strength concrete. Steel soldier piles were placed at specified intervals in the wall to provide lateral and vertical support. The caisson walls at this site were designed by Isherwood Geostructural Engineers. Due to the large footprint of the site, drilling of 400 holes 1000 milimetres in diameter and up to 27.5 metres in depth were required to form the continuous caisson wall around the perimeter of the excavation. The cumulative length of all the vertical holes totalled more than 9 linear kilometres of drilling.

The presence of 33 Bloor immediately east of the site was the source of many complications to the construction. This building is supported by large diameter caissons founded in the till layer. At One Bloor, the excavation depth along the east caisson wall was roughly 7 meters under the founding elevation of the existing 33 Bloor St. caissons. Adding to the complexity were the saturated sand layers under hydrostatic pressure, located within the 7 meters below the till. This made it particularly important to ensure that loss of soil during drilling of piles and fillers did not occur as it could potentially undermine the existing caissons leading to settlement of the existing building.

To address these safety concerns Anchor used 2-BG40 Bauer drill rigs at the One Bloor site. This drilling technology is a monumental advancement from the conventional equipment which was available in 1989 when the 33 Bloor East project was constructed. The Bauer rigs are able

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to install casings in sections without the need to use a vibratory hammer, a crucial feature at sites where it is necessary to drill next to existing structures in areas of loose soil.

Pedestrian access to 33 Bloor had to be maintained during construction; this divided the site in two for the majority of the vertical drilling, severely restricting site access and complicating the safe movement of building materials. This pedestrian walkway in the middle of the site could only be relocated once the vertical drilling next to 33 Bloor was completed, allowing a walkway to be constructed on top of the caisson wall. Coordination of the different phases of work and trades was particularly important at this site. Tucker HiRise prepared comprehensive schedules to ensure that all parties knew their obligations regarding timing and that all trades could complete their work in a safe and efficient manner.

Regroutable Tiebacks The 22.5 metre exposed height of caisson wall required up to 4 rows of regroutable tiebacks. The tiebacks were constructed by drilling small diameter holes at a downward angle, through the caisson wall and into the soil behind. Steel strands and grout were placed in the holes. The strands were stressed at the face of the shoring wall to introduce a preload into the system once the grout reached its required strength. Anchor used a custom-built tieback drill rig for the 6,100 metres of tieback drilling that was required at the site. This drill rig automates installation of continuous casing which protects the safety of the workers and also ensures no loss of ground occurred during drilling.

Threading tiebacks between the existing 33 Bloor caissons and through the previous shoring system was extremely intricate work. Many of the east wall tiebacks were skewed in attempts to avoid colliding with the caissons that support the 33 Bloor St. East building. Anchor worked together with Isherwood and Tucker to identify these interferences as early as possible and make every effort to resolve these conflicts as economically for the owner as possible. At some locations despite this proactive approach there was simply no clear space to fit a tieback. In those locations, heavy steel beams were installed as walers to span that length of caisson wall to ensure it was braced and able to support the adjacent 33 Bloor structure.

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Caisson wall shoring for One Bloor excavation. Over 9 kilometres of vertical drilling and 6.1 kilometres of tieback drilling was completed by Anchor Shoring for this site.

Anchor Shoring installing caisson wall on One Bloor site next to 33 Bloor.

Structural Caisson Foundations The base of the building was designed with a reinforced concrete raft foundation supported by rock socketted caissons. The 1300 milimetre diameter caissons were designed to carry building loads of up to 30,300 kN each.

To support these extremely high loads, each caisson was reinforced with a heavy full length reinforcing rebar cage and 55 MPa concrete was placed in the drilled shaft. Anticipating the complicated nature of the caisson drilling conditions and the safety concerns relating to the lifting and handling of the long, flexible and heavy rebar cages, Anchor Shoring began working together with the structural consultants Jablonsky, Ast and Partners, and the geotechnical consultants McClymont & Rak very early in the project to develop fabrication details and site procedures to address all hazards and ensure safe execution of the work.

Installation of the structural caissons was especially difficult. To keep the drill lengths within the depth limits of the Bauer BG40 drill rig they could only be drilled from the base of the excavation. Even from this lower work platform the drilled lengths still ranged from 30 metres to 34 metres with rock sockets of up to 6.5 metres. The tight limits of the site could only accommodate a steep construction ramp; certainly too steep for an assembled BG40 drill rig. This condition created an access challenge to the base of the excavation for equipment and materials. Initially the idea of installing shoring to reduce the footprint of the ramp 40 PIC Magazine • June 2014

was explored together with Tucker and Isherwood. This shoring would have increased the cost by more than a million dollars, so together the team explored other options. As an alternative to ramp shoring, Anchor provided an LS 218 Link-belt 110 ton crawler crane at street level to lower material and equipment delivered to the site into the excavation. The base body of the BG40 was unloaded at street level and walked down the ramp. The mast and other equipment parts were lowered into the excavation by the crane. A second LS218 crane was kept at the lower level excavation to handle caisson rebar cages, casings and assist in assembly of the drilling. This method was used successfully and resulted in a large overall savings to the project in cost and time from the ramp shoring option.

CONCLUSIONS The difficult wet, sandy soil conditions that exist at depth in the Yonge Bloor area present significant hazards and challenges to shoring and caisson work. Above and beyond the soil conditions, each project brought forth a unique set of challenges that were methodically and cooperatively overcome to bring each project to safe, successful completion. Working together in a spirit of innovation is a core value at Anchor. By initiating early collaboration with the members of the project team, optimal solutions benefitting each project as a whole were achieved. This cross-discipline collaboration that spearheaded every one of the Bloor Yonge projects resulted in their safe completion and quantified time, cost and resource savings for the clients. Safety, schedule, quality of work, experience and the ability to develop innovative solutions are always key ingredients to the success of any project, and it is certain they become even more critical in

the challenging conditions encountered in this area.

There appears to be a bright future for the continued development in the Bloor Yonge area. Anchor looks forward to applying their extensive experience and developing innovative solutions to fulfill the unique needs these future sites are certain to present!

About the Author: Prior to joining Anchor Shoring & Caissons Ltd. as a partner in 1986 Dawn DemetrickTattle was a project engineer for a structural engineering consultant. This experience in overall building structure design provides Dawn with the insight necessary to provide creative solutions to soil retention and foundation problems.

In 1997 she assumed her role as President of Anchor Shoring & Caissons Ltd. Anchor was founded in 1968 and is a highly respected contracting firm specializing in innovative soil retention and engineered foundation solutions.

Dawn focuses on safety, quality control, innovation in designs, and superior client service.

She makes professional development in a priority for herself and the other members of the Anchor team.

Dawn served as a member of the Vulnerable Worker Task Group with the Ministry of Labour (MOL) and was recently appointed by the Minister of Labour to serve as an employer member on the Prevention Council for Ontario.

Dawn received an award in the Trailblazers and Trendsetters Category of the Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 awards in November 2008 and again in the Professionals Category in 2010. Dawn also received the University of Toronto 2T5 award in 2010. She is on the board of directors for the Toronto Construction Association and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, n

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PIC Bridging the Gap

canada | U.s. | international

Structural collapse calls for emergency measures

By Melanie Franner

When the Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit

the problem in the quickest and most efficient

River collapsed on May 23, 2013, it started a

way possible.

chain reaction that would see three separate

Initial work focused on putting in place a

contractors working with the Washington

temporary bridge. Efforts to replace the dam-

State Department of Transportation to rectify

aged span on the existing bridge were soon underway and once the bridge was brought

Geotechnical experts

pile testinG experts

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back to its former glory, crews began retrofitting the structure to reduce the risk of a similar

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incident from occurring in the future. All in all, the hectic construction activity spanned a period of less than six months. Not bad for a process that would traditionally take more than double that time.

“This was one of the first design/build contracts for an emergency repair of this nature,”

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ton in Washington State. It is located about 60 miles north of Seattle and is part of the primary road transportation route between the metropolitan areas of Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia.

“The bridge carries about 75,000 cars a day,” explains Phelps. “It is one of the state’s major north-south corridors. When the bridge collapsed, it disrupted a lot of tourism and freight traffic. The bridge collapse had a huge impact on our economy – both locally and nationally.”

The Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River was built in 1955 and prior to the collapse, had been evaluated as being in safe and good condition. The four-lane bridge incorporates four consecutive, 160-foot spans over the river. The spans are built from triangulated steel girders, using a through-truss design where the roadway passes in an open tunnel between the left and right trusses and between the lower and upper truss work. The roadway had relatively 44 PIC Magazine • June 2014

Piling Industry Canada

limited vertical clearance for tall vehicles due to the upper truss members.

The actual bridge collapse was caused by a semi-trailer truck hauling an oversize load and travelling in the outer lane, which was only 14 feet and seven inches high, as opposed to the inner lane, which measured 17 feet. The truck caused the first bridge span to collapse and also damaged a sway strut of the second span.

The bridge was immediately closed down.

Working Together The bridge was closed from May 23rd, on the day of the incident, through until June 19th, when the temporary bridge became operational. A separate contract was issued to cover this specific portion of the project.

“We started looking for emergency contacts right after the bridge collapse,” says Phelps.

“We chose to go with Atkinson Construction and had them replace the bridge with a pair of two-lane ACROW bridges rolled onto the existing piers.”

The bulk of the bridge repair work, in the form of a $6.87 million contract, was awarded to Max J. Kuney Construction of Spokane.

“Max Kuney Construction is a fourth-generation contractor,” explains Phelps. “The State has had multiple contracts with them over the years.”

Max. J. Kuney Construction is a public works construction company with a long history in building roads and structures, and with a recent focus on delivering vital bridge, dam, and heavy highway projects.

“We turned in our proposal on June 17th

and were awarded the project on June 19th,” explains Max Kuney, president. “It was a crazy fast project. Everything was incredibly compressed. The only way it ended up working was because of the amazing co-operation we got from everyone.”

Kuney cites an example of this co-operation in the fact that the project was initially approved for only 60 piles but that number became 68 after the design was finalized by team member Parsons Brinkerhoff.

“We ended up getting the new permit within 24 hours,” he states. “Things don’t usually happen that fast on a project of this size.”

Max J. Kuney Construction mobilized on the site almost immediately after being awarded the contract, drove the pilings and built the replacement span. The skidding system was installed by specialty contractor Omega Morgan, which then moved the new span into place.

Max. J. Kuney Construction constructed the permanent replacement span alongside the temporary bridge so as to not interrupt traffic. This involved driving the pilings, primarily from barges located on the river, to a depth of 60 to 70 feet. The 80-foot, pipe-style pilings were 24 inches in diameter.

Once the replacement span was constructed, Max J. Kuney still had the issue of removing the temporary bridge and sliding the new one in place. The job was initially estimated to take 12 hours but ended up taking 19 hours due to the need to cut four 1 ¾-inch thick, steel plates that were not part of the original time estimate. This portion of the work took place during an overnight closure on September 1415, 2013.

“There are always lessons learned when you are going that fast,” states Kuney. “I think the big take-away from this experience was

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Piling Industry Canada

that you need to appreciate the amount of resources it would take to get something like this done. We had to pull a lot of key people from other projects in order to make the deadlines on this one. Frankly, it’s all about communication. A project of this speed needs great communication. The better that communication is, the better the project proceeds.”

Work on retrofitting the three existing bridge spans got underway soon after Max J. Kuney completed its work. PCL Constructors was the third and final contractor awarded work on the project.

“PCL retrofitted the overhead support structure of the bridge so that it measured 18 feet across all lanes,” explains Phelps. “Prior to the incident, it used to slope in the shoulder lanes.”

The retrofit work was completed on November 11, 2013.

“We had three contracts run almost simul-

a temporary bridge. It generated some added

taneously,” concludes Phelps. “The one con-

complications, but everyone overcame the ob-

tract finished within days of the other and, at

stacles and made it happen.”

times, even overlapped. Luckily we had the full support of everyone involved. From the contractors to the affected cities, everyone was on board to make this happen as efficiently and as quickly as possible. In the end, it all turned

Today, the Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River remains an important part of the State’s primary road transportation system – acting as a vital link between Mount Vernon and Bur-

out well. We were able to lessen the burden on

lington and, more important, between Seattle

Mount Vernon and Burlington by installing

and Vancouver. n

Hands-on Learning The collapse of the Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River proved to be an interesting experience for all parties involved. It generated some high-level activity that may very well change how such incidents are handled in the future.

“We’re definitely looking at design/build as one of the tools in our toolbox for future use,” states Phelps. “Using the design/build construction method on this project showed us that it could be an effective way to deal with an incident that potentially can have a significant impact on the economy. In this case, it proved to be the fastest option with the most value.”

One of the challenges inherent in a project like this one is the co-ordination required to carry it off.

+1(281) 205-7261 | info@escsteelinc.com www.escsteelinc.com Piling Industry Canada • June 2014 45

PIC Are You Up For It?

Piling Industry Canada

Keeyask Camp Project in Northern Manitoba challenges even the most seasoned deep foundations experts

Keeyask Camp, a planned three thousand person community to support construction of the impending Keeyask Dam Project for Manitoba Hydro, is planned to be a fully enclosed community. The community is to host a hospital, stores, pool, gymnasium with indoor running track, movie theatre, food and lodging facilities, and other various services. Future project personnel will have services and amenities at their disposal. For now, just heaters and trailers, and lots of layers for the early project personnel.

Hard work. It’s a phrase that those who spend any time in the deep foundations industry know well. Those that don’t know it, tend not to spend too much time in the deep foundations industry. For those involved in the Keeyask Camp Project in Northern Manitoba, mostly seasoned industry veterans and a smattering of greenhorns, “hard work” took on a whole new meaning.

Ten feet of seasonal frost, nine foot boulders, cobbles, and shield rock made for soil 46 PIC Magazine • June 2014

conditions that was tougher than nails. Days that were -30 c were warm, days that were -45 c were not uncommon. Winds were recorded at 60-80 KPH. The closest town, Thompson, Manitoba, hosts a small airport, 200 kilometres away from the job site.

“We were in the middle of nowhere, with over 5,000 piles to get down,” recounts APE Canada Manager Larry Mulanax. “This was a perfect job for the APE HD Drivers and our high‐strength steel HD Piles™. If we were looking for a challenge on how the equipment and material would perform under extreme conditions, we found it.”

Geotechnical engineer on the project Kent Bannister of Trek Geotechnical: “Geological conditions at the site consisted primarily of

Remote No “overnighting” any replacement parts to this site. There wasn’t room for failure because the next option was complete shutdown – everybody goes home. Daily onsite operational costs were US $70,000. There had to be backup in everything – the materials, the equipment, parts, the support supplies, etc...

The project design called for 5,300 piles to be installed via three excavator mounted HD

very dense sand tills overlying relatively shal-

Drivers from American Piledriving Equip-

low bedrock. The geological setting and the

ment, Inc. (APE) for the support of the facility

relatively remote site conditions created con-

structures. The foundations contractor, Ruskin

cerns about using more conventional piling

Foundations out of Prince George, B.C. initi-

alternatives such as driven or bored piles.”

ated work in October 2013.

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Piling Industry Canada

“This was our first time out with this set-up” says Ruskin Superintendent Roy Mace. “We banged a lot of piles up on that hard pack permafrost in the beginning. We had 3‐4 men on each excavator‐mounted driver in the beginning. It was tough going. The APE down‐hole hammer attachment on the HD70 saved us. We initially were not permitted to pre-drill so the capability of the equipment to go from installer to a down-hole hammer tool on the fly was crucial.”

Ruskin encountered 8‐12 feet of frozen earth below surface and everything else above was of course frozen as well. The matter of keeping materials and equipment moving was a constant challenge for the crews.

“We had heaters for the heaters,” exclaims Mace “We needed to build warming huts closer to the work and rotate guys in and out.

We employed a military surplus parachute and heating shacks to house critical materials from hydraulic oil to hoses. Everything was wrapped in tarps and heated. There’s no time to wait for oil when it’s flowing like molasses.”

The HD Piles were 7”, 9” and 11” diameter 80,000 ksi tubing with 100,000 ksi flights. Piles of seven-inch diameter had 16-inch flight, nine-inch diameter piles had 18-inch flight, and 11-inch diameter piles had 20-inch flight.

per machine was the norm, with two to three man crews, including the operator. Ruskin never lost a production day in five months due to the climate. The tough-as-nails crews had equipment running every day installing piles from the project start to finish.

“APE’s equipment, their willingness to adapt as needed, and their Once pre-drilling was approved, 2,300 loca-

commitment to pile load testing

tions were predrilled in order to adjust for the

on the site to verify the performance of their

frozen ground and nine foot diameter boul-

piles was critical to the success of the project,”

ders and cobbles on the eastern side of the site,

adds engineer Bannister.

flights were cut to 15 ¼ inches, and following down the hole hammer hole-drilling, screwed into rock. Piles were all driven to a predetermined depth of 20-26 feet.

Three excavators operated the three APE HD200 and two operated the HD70 Drivers.

The HD200 delivers 200,000 ft. lbs. direct drive tooling. With no gearbox, all radial pistons and direct drive motors delivering 20RPM at full torque, there are no metal on metal parts. “I don’t know how any other equipment would get this job done. No metal on metal was a big

The logistical challenges of getting equipment and constant flow of materials across state, provincial, and national borders delivered to the “middle of nowhere” required the same dedication back in warmer offices in Prince George, British Columbia and Kent, Washington. Good logistics and communications greased the skids for the actual construction. On the ground, with state of the art equipment that only APE could provide, the workers and Mother Nature herself

deal in these conditions.” Says superintendent

challenged the strengths and tested the weak-

Mace. “The cold was the hardest challenge.”

nesses of the machinery and their own physi-

Twenty piles in a day was good production when it all got started. By March, 50 to 60 piles

cal tolerance for the elements, and installed over 5,000 piles. n

Piling Industry Canada • June 2014 47

PIC Super Sonic

Piling Industry Canada

Quiet, quick, and maneuverable, sonic drill rigs make piling easy

By Nancy Argyle

Any condo complex under construction can certainly test the patience of those who live and work nearby, but nothing is more taxing than the repetitive pounding of a pile driver.

One of the easiest ways to overcome this annoying impact is to use sonic drilling technology which is quieter and quicker. Pile or anchor holes can be drilled using high-frequency, low-amplitude vibrations and high-pressure water to clear away the cuttings. Since sonic vibrations are much higher than the natural frequency of the surrounding soil, they’re not transmitted beyond the immediacy of the hole – unlike a pile driver hammer which can cause severe vibrations to be transmitted a considerable distance. It’s a thoughtful urban drilling option that many have come to appreciate.

Although pile installations have never been the number one application for sonic drilling technology, ironically, it was an early focus back in the 1960s when a sonic pile driving rig generated a whopping 1,000 hp from two former army tank engines. Despite much effort and a fair bit of money, by the 1980s, sonic pile driving research had fizzled out with only a small measure of limited success but not enough to pave the way towards full commercialization.

But, fast forward to today and you’ll discover an award-winning technology that is far superior in almost all drilling applications and is now in use around the world on six continents.

With three awards and numerous patents, Ray Roussy, the developer of modern day son48 PIC Magazine • June 2014

ic drilling technology, is a Canadian engineer who has spent the past 30 years refining his revolutionary drill head.

As president of the Sonic Drill Corporation, Roussy manufactures patented sonic drill heads which are matched with track or truckmounted rigs, depending on the buyer’s preferences. He also owns a fleet of sonic rigs that are used for contracting purposes through Sonic Drilling Ltd. in Surrey, B.C. which typically supplies the technology for projects involving geothermal installations, environmental investigations and mineral explorations.

While ideal for pilings, sonic drilling technology is less known in that application. However, on the Dominion, a new condo complex in New Westminster, B.C., Sonic Drilling Ltd. was called in to drill the pile holes for the building which was constructed on a slope in the Lower Mainland area – a known high risk earthquake zone.

Located on the north bank of the Fraser River, the city of New Westminster was once the original capital of British Columbia (the capital is now Victoria). Named by Queen Victoria herself, New Westminster was often referred to as the “Royal City.” Fittingly, the new Dominion condos, by developer Ledingham McAllister, sit regally on Royal Avenue.

“Because of the slope of the site, this condo project required a number of holes at different depths,” says Bill Fitzgerald, operations manager for Sonic Drilling Ltd. “At the top of the hill, we used a truck-mounted sonic rig and at

the bottom we used a track-mounted sonic rig to come up the sides of the slope.”

As the track-mounted SDC-450 sonic rig climbed up the hill, excavators created a flat platform for the rig to move to at every stage.

While the weather and terrain wasn’t a challenge, the desire to keep all of the trees on the property forced the crews to work around them. “A few had to be dug up but they were replanted,” notes Fitzgerald.

Over a period of 10 days, a total of 2,400 feet was drilled by two sonic rigs, each with a crew of three. Hired by Power Civil Contractors Ltd., a contracting and shoring company with extensive expertise on projects throughout the Lower Mainland, the sonic drills bored 80 six-inch holes which were used to then install 4.5-inch steel pipe. Grouting was completed by Power Civil Contractors.

Fitzgerald says that one of the biggest reasons to use a sonic rig for piling is its “speed advantage.” Drilling 3-5x faster through mixed soils, using no drilling mud (less mess to clean up) and operating more quietly, sonic drilling technology is a great option for project managers who want a solution that keeps the neighbours happy and makes good business sense.

Nancy Argyle is one of Canada’s most experienced disaster communicators. Based in Calgary, she is a university lecturer, former print reporter and strategic communications consultant who writes on a variety of topics. She also holds a commercial pilot’s license. n

PIC Blowin’ in the Wind

Piling Industry Canada

Offshore wind farms capitalize on latest technology

By Melanie Franner

Dutch giant Ballast Nedam is using some of the largest monopiles – the largest weighing up to 930 tonnes – for two separate offshore wind-farm contracts in the Baltic Sea and the German Bight respectively. But the application technology being used in these projects stems from the company’s construction of Canada’s very own Confederation Bridge, the 12,900-metre bridge erected from 1993 to 1997 in order to link Prince Edward Island and mainland New Brunswick.

“Ballast Nedam has built a large number of bridges during the years,” states Edwin van de Brug, commercial manager, Ballast Nedam Offshore. “The most striking of these are the ones built offshore, for example the Confederation Bridge in Canada. For these bridges, we developed a work method based on the production of large, prefabricated elements onshore and placing them offshore with heavylift vessels. At present, we construct offshore wind farms based on the same design, fabrication and installation policy.”

It is this same policy that is at the heart of the company’s growth in international markets.

50 PIC Magazine • June 2014

“By optimizing logistics and installation solutions, Ballast Nedam is supporting the general development of offshore wind in Europe,” notes van de Brug.

Growing up Strong The Ballast Nedam company itself extends back to 1877. It is the combination of two separate firms: one that started as a sand supplier and evolved into a construction firm with a focus on civil engineering and the other that started as a contractor for the construction of villas and country houses – and eventually the construction of the Peace Palace in the Hague in 1913. The two companies came together in 1969.

Today, Ballast Nedam engages in integrated projects in The Netherlands in four areas of work: housing, mobility, energy, and nature.

The company focuses on niche markets within: industrial construction, offshore wind turbines, secondary raw materials, and alternative fuels.

“In a number of areas of expertise, we also operate internationally,” says van de Brug, who adds that the company employs some 3,000

people across its headquarters in Nieuwegein and its several regional offices. “Our approach is based on life-cycle thinking and acting. We develop, construct, manage and recycle. We are involved in long-term management, maintenance and operations of projects and organize financial feasibility.”

Better in the Baltic Ballast Nedam has a long history in working with offshore wind farms, where monopiles and jackets are the two typical types of foundations used due to the deeper waters usually found there. The company has the expertise and equipment to install both of these types of foundations.

The first monopiles to be introduced by Ballast Nedam were at a Dutch wind farm in 1994.

They weighed 71 tonnes. In 2006, the company was using monopiles that weighed 230 tonnes.

Today, they reach weights of 930 tonnes.

“Within the present range of offshore wind farms, monopiles are considered to be more cost efficient than other solutions, especially because monopiles of larger dimensions can now be designed to handle the combination of

PIC

Piling Industry Canada

harsh conditions, larger turbines and deeper water depths,” explains van de Brug.

The Baltic 2 offshore wind farm consists of 39 monopiles and 41 jacket foundations for 80 Siemens 3.6 MW wind turbines, for a total capacity of 288 MW. Work on the project began in October 2013 and was finished in December of that same year.

The project was undertaken on behalf of ARGE BALTIC 2 Foundations, a joint venture between HOCHTIEFF Solutions AG, GeoSea N.V. and HOCHTIEF Offshore Crewing GmbH. “This project, in particular, showed the capabilities of our company in handling large, monopile foundations,” states van de Brug. “In fact, they were the largest monopiles used so far, with weights of up to 930 tonnes. Our capabilities applied to both the installation of the monopiles and the logistics approach we used of floating the monopiles towards the HLV Svanen.”

The Heavy Lift Vessel (HLV) Svanen is one of the vessels designed by Ballast Nedam to drive the foundations to the desired depth. It was originally developed for the construction of the Storebaelt Bridge in Denmark and further enlarged for the construction of the Confederation Bridge.

The Svanen measures approximately 100 by 70 metres, with a lifting capacity of 8,700 tonnes. To date, the Svanen has been used to install almost 400 foundations for offshore wind farms located in the United Kingdom, Belgium, The Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany.

One of the challenges inherent in the Baltic 2 offshore wind farm was the giant monopile that was used as part of the foundation. It measures 73.50 metres long, with a bottom diametre of 6.5 metres and a weight of 930 tonnes.

“Ballast Nedam transported the monopile using its ‘feeder’ principle: floating over a distance of 62 nautical miles to a fabrication yard in Rostock to the Baltic 2 offshore site,” explains van de Brug. “Upon arrival, the monopile was successfully upended and driven to the desired depth by our HLV Svanen.”

The water depths ranged from 23 to 35 metres.

In order to capitalize on the “feeder” principle, Ballast Nedam ensures that the piles are equipped with plugs on both sides of the monopile while at the onshore site. This enables the monopile to float. The monopile is then launched by an onshore crane into the water at the quay. A tugboat then attaches a towing beam and transports the pile to the offshore site.

Budding Butendiek Ballast Nedam is also involved in another significantly sized offshore wind farm in the form of an 80-turbine project in the German Bight, 32 kilometres west of the German island

Sylt. This project, undertaken on behalf of the wpd Group, will have a total capacity of 288 MW. “Design was completed last year,” explains van de Brug. “Fabrication started last year and is ongoing. The offshore installation works started in March 2014 and the installation of the scour protection and foundations started in April 2014. We expect to complete the project early in the fourth quarter of 2014.”

Water depth at the offshore site ranges between 17 and 22 metres. The foundations will comprise a monopile and a transition piece, the latter of which connects the monopile with the wind turbine’s tower. The monopiles will measure between 53 to 68 metres high and will weigh between 535 and 840 tonnes. The HLV Svanen will also be used during the installation of these foundations.

Ballast Nedam’s portion of the project, which includes the design, fabrication, transport, and installation of the foundations, has a budget of $250 million Euros.

World-renown Expertise For a company that owes its origins to humble activities like ferrying dune sand and engaging in dredging operations, Ballast Nedam has evolved into an international leader in the offshore wind-farm arena. Its innovative approach, its proven expertise, and its glowing reputation have resulted in a long list of accomplishments that extends beyond highprofile projects to include technology and processes that continually raise the industry bar.

The Baltic 2 and the Butendiek offshore wind-farm projects are but two examples of how the company continues to evolve and push the limits. Canada’s very own Confederation Bridge is but another shining example of a company committed to its work and to its vision of “working together for a better living environment – today and tomorrow”. n Piling Industry Canada • June 2014 51

PIC Close Quarters

Piling Industry Canada

Liebherr piling rig has to cope with restricted work space in Quebec

In recent years Liebherr’s deep foundation equipment has become increasingly popular in North America, especially in Canada. In the past months a Liebherr piling rig, type LRH 100, laid the foundation for a new bridge in Quebec.

The piling rig of the Canadian company Centurion Fondation was equipped with the large hydraulic hammer H 85/6. Its task was to install about 120 piles with a diameter of approximately 450 milimetres and total lengths between 30 metres and 36 metres.

Restricted Space on the Jobsite A major criterion of this jobsite was the narrow work space offering little leeway for the piling rig to move in any direction. Here, the innovative leader kinematics of the LRH 100 was of great advantage, allowing radii of up to 8.75 metres and inclinations of maximum 18 degrees in all directions. Thanks to this feature the operator was able to change the position of the leader in all directions without moving the undercarriage.

A heavily frequented highway through the 52 PIC Magazine • June 2014

middle of the jobsite was a further complicating factor for the operator of the piling rig.

When lifting the piles into the helmet of the hammer the operator had to ensure that the traffic flow was not disturbed or halted.

High Flexibility of the LRH 100 As the maximum pile length that can be lifted by the LRH 100 is 19 metres, it was necessary to extend the piles until the required length was achieved. This was done by using the rig to place the extensions on the already hammered pile and to subsequently weld the parts together. During the welding process the piling rig installed the next pile so ensuring maximum efficiency. Then, the LRH 100 returned to the welded pile and hammered it down to the final depth.

The installation of the last piles proved to be the most challenging part. Since there was no more space available on site, the piling rig was placed on a self-constructed platform. Thanks to this approach the LRH 100 was able to reach even the last piles without damaging the already existing ones. In total, the rig installed approximately 10 piles per day.

The LRH 100 – a Powerful Machine The LRH 100 is based on the proven LB 20 carrier machine of the Liebherr LB series of rotary drilling rigs. It is equipped with a powerful and emission-optimized 270 kW / 362 hp Liebherr diesel engine and can be transported in one piece with the hammer mounted. The compact design of the carrier machine with three metre transport width allows for quick and cost-effective transportation. The LRH 100 from Liebherr also offers a wide range of powerful equipment. This assures that the excellent performance of the basic machine is ideally converted into high productivity.

The LRH 100 is the smallest model of the Liebherr series of pure piling rigs, offering three larger models. Following the policy of “everything from a single source” Liebherr also offers various other machines for special deep foundation tasks, including the LRB series of combined piling and drilling rigs, the LB series of pure rotary drilling rigs with maximum torques up to 510 kNm, as well as the HS series of duty cycle crawler cranes. n

PIC Finding a Better Way

Piling Industry Canada

An engineered solution for repair of columns and piles

By Mo Ehsani, PhD, PE, SE – Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering, The University of Arizona and President, PileMedic, LLC, Tucson, AZ A large number of waterfront structures are supported on piles. The piles may be constructed of timber, concrete, or steel sections.

The adverse environment introduced by seawater, high humidity, high temperature, and dry-wet cycles cause rapid deterioration of these structures. The most severe conditions are found in the splash zone are, which encompasses the portion of the pile between the low- and high-tide water levels.

This article describes the traditional repair systems and introduces a newly invented product that offers significant advantages over these products. Applications to repair concrete, steel and timber piles are also presented.

ure 2 shows the tensile strength of six of the

Conventional Pile Jackets

are weak, but they cannot fully develop their

The pile repair jackets used to date are made of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) or Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) materials.

capacity either, since the jacket will fail prema-

most popular jackets. To protect manufacturers’ anonymity these have been designated as Jacket Type A through F. The tensile strength values are based on the data provided by the manufacturers and range from only 10,000 to 24,000 psi.

When a concrete pile loaded in the axial direction approaches its failure, as the concrete crushes, it will dilate and will have a tendency to expand laterally due to Poisson’s effect. If the jacket is strong enough to resist this lateral expansion, the strength of the pile is increased tremendously. One of the problems with conventional jackets is that not only the materials

turely at the bolted or glued tongue and groove seam. That is, these jackets will provide little

Fig. 1. Conventional HDPE and Fiberglass jackets.

Figure 1 shows a number of such products that are currently marketed in North America.

These jackets are usually supplied as two halfshells that are attached together in the field by straps, bolts, or an epoxy adhesive to create a formwork around the pile; some versions are supplied with a single tongue and groove connection that are glued together in the field.

The jackets are primarily a stay-in-place form and provide little structural benefit to the pile.

There are several shortcomings with these jackets as discussed below.

The conventional jackets are made from materials that are very weak in tension. Fig54 PIC Magazine • June 2014

if any confining pressure for the concrete pile.

It is well recognized that oxygen is the fuel to the corrosion process. Studies at University of Florida, for example, have demonstrated that when a concrete pile is encased in a jacket that prevents ingress of moisture or oxygen, the corrosion rate is significantly reduced.

Conventional jackets, having a seam along the side, will allow moisture, and oxygen to penetrate and reach the concrete pile to fuel the corrosion of reinforcing steel.

From a constructability point of view, these jackets have to be ordered to size in advance,

adding to the wait time before the project can begin. Any variation in size results in further delays in the project. Moreover, the large bulky jackets add to shipping charges and require large staging areas on the job site.

FRP SuperLaminate™ Following 25 years of research and development, the author has invented a new process where layers of carbon or glass fabric are saturated with resin and pressed together to create very thin sheets. The thickness of these sheets varies between only 0.01 to 0.025 inches; this has been a challenging feature of this invention to create such a thin and strong product. The sheets are supplied in rolls that are typically four feet wide by 200 feet long. This reduces shipping costs and planning time, since a sheet can be wrapped around a pile of virtually any size or shape. As shown in Figure 2, the tensile strength of SuperLaminate™ is significantly higher than conventional jackets and ranges from 62,000 to 156,000 psi. The values in the figure are for a biaxial glass (BG), biaxial carbon (BC), and unidirectional carbon (UC).

A comparison of the SuperLaminate™ with conventional jackets is provided in Table 1.

These unique benefits are the reason why major organizations such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) have singled out SuperLaminate™ as the only approved product for repair of columns and piles. In the following examples for repair of concrete, timber, and steel piles the unique features of this system will be described in more detail.

Concrete Piles The high concentration of chlorides in seawater allows it to penetrate and reach the reinforcing steel, even in high-quality concrete.

As a result, the passive layer that normally protects steel is destroyed, making the corrosion of reinforcing or prestressing steel inevi-

PIC

Piling Industry Canada Conventional Jackets

Drawbacks

Custom Made

• Additional costs for labor, materials, storage and transportation • Requires longer time to order and install

Vertical Seam

Grout Cannot be pressurized

•P rovides no confinement pressure •M oisture and oxygen can penetrate through the seam •M etallic hardware will corrode

• Voids and cracks in the pile remain unfilled • Deterioration continues

SuperLaminate™

Advantages

One Size Fits All

• No delays waiting for customized jackets to be manufactured • Fastest repair & strengthening system available • 360° of uniform confining pressure • Seamless jacket will keep moisture and oxygen out to halt corrosion process • No metallic hardware to corrode • 3-15 times stronger than conventional

No Vertical Seam

Resin Can be Pressurized

• All cracks and voids are filled • Achieve active confinement for pile

Table 1. Comparison of SuperLaminate™ with Conventional Jackets table. Because corroded steel occupies a larger volume, it causes lateral pressure on the surrounding concrete that far exceeds the cracking strength of concrete. This results in cracking and spalling of the concrete cover, which in turn, accelerates the corrosion process.

The deterioration of concrete and the loss of cross sectional area of steel results in a reduction in the capacity of the pile. Consequently, a structural repair should not only address the reconstruction of the deteriorated and corroded materials, but more importantly it should restore the original strength of the pile. In some projects, for example in expansion of a port, it may even be necessary to strengthen the old piles to a higher capacity than the original pile.

The repair of a deteriorated concrete pile can be achieved as shown in Figure 3. For example, for this 12-inch square pile, an approximately 18-inch diameter circle with a circumference of 56 inches easily fits around the pile.

A 120-inch length of SuperLaminate™ that is slightly more than twice the circumference of the shell is cut. An epoxy paste that cures in water is provided and applied to one half of the SuperLaminate™ sheet.

Since the water is shallow, the workers carry the laminate into water and wrap it around the pile, such that the second half which is coated with epoxy is bonded to the first half; the size of the jacket can be easily adjusted and temporarily fixed using shrink wrap or ratchet straps.

Fig. 2. Comparison of tensile strength of conventional HDPE and Fiberglass jackets with SuperLaminate™.

Fig. 3. Repair of deteriorated concrete piles in shallow waters in Miami, FL; (a) deteriorated pile, (b) applying epoxy to SuperLaminate™, (c) wrapping and (d) securing laminate around the pile, (e) pumping tremie grout, (f) completed project.

Piling Industry Canada • June 2014 55

PIC

Piling Industry Canada

Fig. 4. One of the four bridges in St. Louis, MO where corroded steel pilings were repaired with SuperLaminate™: bridge, close up of damage and stages of repair.

Because the laminate is not bonded to the pile, it is free to slide up or down along the height of the pile. If the repair length is more than four feet, an additional shell can be similarly created, overlapping and epoxied to the first shell

by a few inches. Once the jacket is in its final position, the bottom of the annular space can be sealed and the annular space is filled with concrete or epoxy grout.

The jacket thus created in the field has no

seam along its height. Therefore there is no chance for oxygen or moisture to penetrate through the jacket and reach the concrete.

Furthermore, the combination of the high tensile strength of the laminate and the lack of any seam that allows full utilization of this high tensile strength, provides significant confinement and additional strength to the pile as detailed in the example below.

The use of SuperLaminate™ results in significant gain in strength for the pile too. Ignoring the contribution of any longitudinal reinforcing steel, and assuming a compressive strength of 4,000 psi for the concrete, the pile has an axial load capacity of 490 kips. For brevity details of these calculations are not presented here. If the pile is encased in a conventional 18-inch diameter jacket and filled with a 4,000-psi grout, the pile will have a capacity of 865 kips. This increase in capacity is solely due to the larger cross section, i.e. an 18-inch circle compared to a 12-inch square. In contrast, if a carbon SuperLaminate™ jacket is utilized, the jacket creates a confining pressure that will increase the compressive strength of bot the old concrete and the new grout from 4,000 psi to more than 7,500 psi. This results in a load capacity of 1,629 kips for the pile, which is 88 per cent higher than when a conventional jacket of the same size is used.

A recently completed study funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and California Department of Transportation demonstrates how these laminates can quickly restore the strength of a bridge pile that may be damaged in an earthquake. A short

Fig. 5. Two four-foot tall segments of SuperLaminate™ are wrapped around the timber pile above water; the jacket is lowered into water and filled with grout.

56 PIC Magazine • June 2014

PIC

Piling Industry Canada

a pile may easily be destroyed without any evidence of injury being apparent on the pile’s surface. Only by cutting into the piling can its condition be ascertained. The greatest damage in a piling usually occurs just above the mud line, although entrance holes may be found throughout the submerged area. Entrance holes about 1/16 inch in diameter are bored into the surface of the wood by the larvae.

In the repair shown in Figure 5, two fourfoot tall SuperLaminate™ sheets were wrapped around the pile to create an eight-foot tall jacket. The shell can now be lowered into water and the process can be continued to create a very long shell with virtually no need for divers. Next, the annular space is filled with grout or resin.

Fig. 6. The preferred method to repair a timber pile is to wrap it with SuperLaminate™ and inject resin in the annular space, (b) cut slices of the pile, and (c) & (d) close up views showing all cracks and voids are filled with resin.

Although some pile owners may prefer the lower cost cementitious grout, this is not a durable long-term solution. Moisture and oxygen will penetrate through the grout and allow the borers and shipworms to survive inside the

video about this study is available online at:

the University of Houston and the findings

http://goo.gl/HRHzjr

should become available by the end of 2014.

timber pile; this is particularly true for conven-

Steel Piles and Columns

Timber Piles

side and allow easy passage of moisture and

Submerged steel piles often corrode severely

Marine borers and shipworms are among

over the splash zone. In addition, when deic-

the major sources of damage to timber piles.

ing chemicals are used to clean the roads, these

The control of any marine borer depends on

chemicals cause corrosion of steel columns at

proper species identification. Wood can be

and above the street level. Industrial plants,

maintained free of decay by submerging the

refineries, and mines also suffer from similar

wood in water and thus depleting the oxygen

premature deterioration of steel columns. Us-

requirement for many wood-decaying organ-

ing SuperLaminate™, once the corroded steel is

isms. This method prevents most insect injury

cleaned, a shell can be created around the pile

but promotes injury by marine wood borers,

and filled with grout. If required, additional

that may survive on the limited oxygen supply

longitudinal steel bars can be provided to fur-

present in water.

ther increase the strength of the column.

Wood placed in a marine environment,

Figure 4 shows the repair of bridge pilings

such as boat docks, must be treated with a ma-

in St. Louis, MO with this technique. A section

rine preservative. Creosote is sometimes insuf-

of the concrete slab around the piles was cut

ficient against some types of marine wood bor-

and removed to expose the deteriorated pile.

ers. In these cases, the wood must be protected

The piles were sandblasted to remove all rust

with creosote and an inorganic arsenical in a

and a layer of corrosion-inhibiting coating was

process known as dual treatment. This is abso-

applied to the damaged portion of the piles.

lutely critical for the long-term integrity of the

Each pile was repaired with a two-foot tall Su-

structure in these hazardous conditions.

tional pile jackets that have a seam along the oxygen into the concrete grout and pile.

As shown in Figure 6, the preferred method of repair is to inject a low viscosity resin into the annular space. Such resins in conjunction with the SuperLaminate™ shell will create an impervious layer around the pile. Additionally, the low viscosity resin will fill all voids, cracks and the nests of these bugs, putting an end to the decay of the pile. If necessary, the resin can be applied under pressure. This is a repair system that is not possible with conventional jackets since the resin will leak out of the seams of those jackets.

Utility companies can also benefit from these repairs. We are currently testing this system with Tucson Electric Power; they are interested in increasing the strength of a decayed old timber pole to a new steel pole. These repairs can be performed while the pole remains fully in service, saving the utility significant

perLaminate™ shell. These repairs required no

Shipworms will attack any untreated wood

major equipment that made them ideal for the

submerged in salt water. The greatest injury is

limited access area on this site. A brief video of

done to pilings and wooden boats. Untreated

this project is available at http://goo.gl/npwxjt.

pilings may last less than a month in the Loui-

In 2012, Texas Department of Transporta-

siana Gulf parishes. The replacement cost of

The design concepts, materials, and construc-

tion funded a major study to investigate the

pilings destroyed annually by shipworms is

tion techniques presented in this paper are sub-

effectiveness of PileMedic® laminates on repair

tremendous. These animals prefer warm salt

ject to several U.S. and international patent ap-

of steel H piles. Those tests are in progress at

waters. More than one-half of the volume of

plications by the author. n

time and money. A video of these tests is available online at http://goo.gl/vxf1Mx. Acknowledgements

Piling Industry Canada • June 2014 57

PIC

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

American Piledriving Equipment c/o Construct Marketing LLC 25 Arntzen Corporation 38 Atlas Tube Jmc Steel Group 4 Bauer-Pileco Inc. 13 Bay Shore Systems, Inc. 11 Bermingham Foundation Solutions 9 Canadian Piledriving Equipment Inc. OFC, 6 Dominion Pipe & Piling IFC Eastrock Inc. 35 Eca Canada 30, 31 Esc Steel Inc. 45 Fraser River Pile & Dredge (GP) Inc. 53 Geokon, Incorporated 17 Hammer & Steel, Inc. OBC Hcm Contractors, Inc. 21 Hercules Machinery Corporation 39, 41, 43

Independence Tube Corporation 3 Instantel 20 Keller Canada 27 Liebherr Werk Nenzing GMBH 49 Loadtest 23 Mse Group 29 Northstar Inc. 5 Pile Dynamics Inc. 12 Piledrivers Local Union 2404 14 Platinum Grover International Inc. 19 Roll Form Group 15 Rst Instruments Ltd. 37 Selix Equipment Inc. IBC Skyline Steel 7 Soilmec North America 33 Verbeek Management Services 42 Westco Drilling & Piles Ltd. 12

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