Niagara Biosolids Facility – Inside Pit

Niagara Biosolids Facility - Inside Pit

A Shotcrete Solution to a Difficult Problem

Work to the existing Biosolids Facility required the installation of deep pits and foundations for proposed processing equipment.

  • Due to the tight confines of the site and the proximity of exterior walls, columns and footings, the use of a traditional soldier pile and lagging system was not feasible.
  • Instead, a shotcrete shoring and underpinning solution was developed in conjunction with the Owner and the General Contractor.
  • By working with the forming contractor, a zero clearance solution was used as the backside of the new form work.
  • In addition to vertical cut stability, the shotcrete was also designed to provide underpinning stabilization to the undermined column pad footings and exterior wall footings.
  • By placing strategically located vertical mini piles at and around the pad footings, the additional stabilization was achieved.

The use of the shotcrete solution in this application allowed the General Contractor to minimize disturbance and disruption to the ongoing facility operations.

Client: Stucor Construction Ltd
Location: Niagara Falls, Ontario

Wal-Mart Micropiles

Wal-Mart Micropiles

Overcoming Poorly Engineered Fill

This project solved a very difficult problem for Buttcon and Walmart Canada, with the new footings settling on a poorly done engineered fill.

  • The previous winter had frozen some of the fill, and footing settlements of up to 3 inches were on-going as the steel was erected.
  • HC Matcon mobilized a Design Build solution utilizing 60 Ft. long micro piles, with special connections to the already designed footings and piers. Sacrificial steel design was used to provide low cost micro piles.
  • HC Matcon worked 7 days per week for 3 weeks to install 192 piles.

The Walmart store opened on schedule and was a technical success. HC Matcon is innovative when problems occur, working with owners and General Contractors to find the most economical solution.

Client: Buttcon Ltd
Location: Rexdale, Ontario

Smith Residence

Smith Residence

Toronto’s First Permanent Soil Nail Wall

This project involved a hillside lot and a high end home in Toronto. The installation was the first permanent soil nail wall used in Toronto.

  • Micro piles were used to support a cantilever canopy on one level and HC Matcon completed the full excavation, shoring and footings as a package to the owner.
  • The shoring design called for over sized MAI bars due to low corrosive soil, and a 100 year plus life is expected.
  • The house construction is wood framed which was a lower cost than steel/concrete in that hillside loads over time are taken by the shoring system, which is 150 mm from the house walls.
  • The advantages of shotcrete shoring include smaller equipment to access and do the nails, as typical shoring solution involved large equipment and high costs to build working berms on a hillside lot.

Owners of land that was typically considered unsuitable as building lots can re consider and realize hidden value with permanent soil nail walls constructed by HC Matcon. HCM is a full service Design Build Specialist contractor.

Client: HC Matcon
Location: Toronto, Ontario