Burke Residence

Burke Residence

The site topography presented the challenging task of installing shoring on steep slopes which impeded the accessibility of conventional equipment to the residential lot at the back alley portion of the site. The site was located in the Elboya Park region of SW Calgary. The purpose of the shoring was to protect the adjacent neighbouring property and utilities along the east, west and back sides of the site.

The east and the west sides of the property were shored with a cantilever steel pipe and timber lagging system. The shoring on these sides extended to 11 feet below grade, and approximately 70 feet long for a total area of 1,800 square feet.

The back side of the property presented the greatest challenge as it was along the steepest slope of the site with a designed depth of 15 feet below grade. Due to the site conditions, shotcrete was an ideal shoring solution. The total area of the shotcrete shoring covered 350 square feet.

Due to the residential nature of the site special emphasis was put on the impact of the project to the surrounding area. The disruption to neighbouring properties, along with noise and vibration and existing structures was carefully monitored and managed.

HCM finished the project on schedule completing in two planned stages according to the progress requirements of the general contractor.

Client: Hillson Homes

Location: Calgary, Alberta

BRT Tomken Station

BRT Tomken Station

The Mississauga Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project is a dedicated roadway for bus travel. It stretches 18 km from Winston Churchill Boulevard to Renforth Drive.

HCM’s scope of work for this project included all shoring and caisson work to accomodate the construction of transit stations, bridge underpasses and overpasses, and below grade roadways. HCM’s tender submission used shotcrete for roadway protection systems and two-sided shoring for bridge underpass/overpass construction. This unique design, completed by RWH Engineering Inc. (RWH), an HC Group company, resulted in many cost and schedule savings for the owner.

There were numerous jobsites that HCM coordinated during different stages of the project schedule which made communication between the HCM team, the GC and other sub trades critical. This project exemplifies the ability of HCM to assist owners and GCs in finding beneficial solutions for all parties.

Client: Metrolinx

Location: Mississauga, Ontario

St. Thomas Courthouse

St. Thomas Courthouse

Alternate Methods Stop Running Sands

HCM was retained to design, supply and install a complete shoring system to facilitate construction of the new St. Thomas Court House for EllisDon. Construction of the proposed shoring was initially for soldier piles and lagging with a single level of bracing using tiebacks.

The existing structures were initially designed using conventional underpinning. When excavation reached the underside of the existing structures it had been determined that soils were not what expected in the geotechnical report. The existing soil conditions were flowing wet sands and HCM was asked to provide an alternate method to the conventional underpinning.

HCM implemented a shotcrete underpinning system including positive support of the existing rubble foundation to allow us to support the structure and lateral pressure of the earth while excavation proceeded to base of the new structure.

With the assistance of RWH (an HC Group of companies) our ability to react and provide an alternate design solution allowed HCM to complete successfully the shoring and foundation works within EllisDon’s budget and schedule.

Client: EllisDon Construction
Location: St. Thomas, Ontario

St. Thomas Courthouse - Shotcrete, Soldier Piles & Lagging

Weston Tunnel Grade Separation

Weston Tunnel Grade Separation

Weston Tunnel Grade Separation

HC Matcon achieved a significant milestone on the Weston Tunnel project, allowing for the GC to accelerate the schedule and make up for project delays. HCM mobilized 5 large diameter drill rigs and in seven and a half weeks installed 311 soldier piles (12,000 linear feet) drilled into bedrock up to 60 feet deep and approximately 620 filler piles (7,000 linear feet). The work was completed with an average of 30% downtime as drilling was carried out between two operational train tracks.

Client: KO Constructors
Location: Etobicoke, Ontario

Bluwater Condominiums

Bluwater Condominiums

The Pemberton Group is adding the luxury waterfront Bluwater Condominiums to its portfolio. The 22,000 SF area of shoring area will accommodate the construction of three eight-story buildings on the banks of Lake Ontario.

The job was tendered with numerous systems; soldier pile and lagging, caisson wall and shotcrete shoring. The excavation depth was 7.5m with soils on the site comprised of 3m of overburden underlain by shale bedrock.

HC Matcon (HCM) in conjunction with Isherwood Associates completed the shoring using shotcrete shoring. Shotcrete shoring system allowed for significant cost savings and quicker installation over a conventional shoring system.

Client: Saddlebrook Management Consultants Inc.
Location: Oakville, Ontario

 

Bluwater Condominiums

McMaster Nuclear Building

McMaster Nuclear Building

The nuclear research building was an upgrade to the existing structure to allow for world class nuclear research for leading nuclear scientists.  This project was funded by the provincial and federal governments as part of a stimulus package for Hamilton, Ontario.  This project required a deep foundation solution to support the proposed structure next to the existing nuclear building.

Helicals were designed and installed with 4.5” diameter helical pipe to allow for desired corrosion protection.  Load testing confirmed the ULS loading and the design was based on a SLS of 400KN.  RWH, an HC Group company, worked very closely with the structural engineer, Atkinson, to ensure SLS settlements and differentials were less than the specified 1/2” maximum.  The helicals were founded 30ft deep in a layer that provided sufficient resistance but required very accurate placement due to wet, poor soils located just above and below the layer.  An important challenge to note was that construction and excavation was performed beside the nuclear testing building and vibrations had to be kept to a minimum due to sensitive equipment located inside.

HC Matcon’s operators and site supervisors performed their work with a very high degree of skill allowing successful installation of the helicals while proceeding on schedule with the contract timeline.  HC Matcon also provided zero clearance shotcrete complete with excavation in a second stage contract, working with a new owner, to attain budgeted costs allowing that contract to proceed with government grants.  This is also an excellent example of the HCM/RWH service in design build of helical piers.

Client: IRA MCdonald Construction Limited

Location: Hamilton, Ontario

TTC Steels Launch Shaft

TTC Steels Launch Shaft

The TTC tendered the Steeles Launch Shaft project as part of the much needed Shepherd subway extension into Vaughan. HCM undertook this project as a general contractor: self-performing the shoring, excavation, dewatering, and precision monitoring of the shoring system.

The shaft was 20 meters in depth and required removal of 20,000 cubic meters of material. RWH Engineering Inc. (RWH), an HC Group company, working together with T.H. O’Rourke Engineering, designed a three level strutted system of 460mm – 610mm diameter pre-loaded struts to brace the shoring walls. This design made the shoring system more durable as necessitated by the project due to the extended exposure to heat, cold and frost penetration as the excavated area was to remain open for a minimum of two years. The shoring was initially designed as piles and lagging with a portion of caisson wall, but was redesigned by RWH to a complete caisson wall as a result of these factors. RWH completed all monitoring which involved inclinometers, strain gauges, total stations, and piezometers. Final movement of the shaft showed less than 0.5% of the height. This project shows how HCM and RWH can perform a combination of construction activities, and provide the additional benefit of engineering and precision monitoring services, saving owners money while providing a safe shoring solution.

Client: Toronto Transit Commission

Location: North York, Ontario

Highland Creek WWTP

Highland Creek WWTP

Due to increased population and the requirement for treating excess amounts of waste water, Highland Creek WWTP underwent a significant upgrade to provide clean water for the residents of Scarborough.  HC Matcon was procured to install several excavation support walls within the treatment plant.

HC Matcon installed seventy-four soldier piles along with multiple tiebacks and shotcrete.  Due to the proximity of the proposed addition, the underground utilities posed a challenging concern.  To avoid disruption and contact with the existing utilities, HC Matcon implemented a perched pile system.  HC Matcon also designed a shoring system around the underground utilities and allowed work to proceed.

HC Matcon completed all work as per industry details combined with innovative connection designs which were incorporated to save schedule time.

Client: Alberici Constructors Inc.

Location: Scarborough, Ontario

Parkside Dr. Slope Stabilization

Parkside Dr. Slope Stabilization

The City of Toronto tendered a slope stabilization project that required the installation of helical piles in the embankment of a failed slope on Parkside Drive in Toronto, Ontario.

HC Matcon was procured to install 39 helical piles using ECP square shaft helicals with a 8-10-12 inch helix configuration in lieu of the equivalent 1.5” square bar (SS150).  Upon HC Matcon’s arrival on site, current ground conditions had changed as the existing slope was unstable and eroded creating a challenging work site.  The slope was found to be 5 degrees steeper than expected and posed a problem to the stability of the excavators and to the installation of the helicals.  HC Matcon stabilized the excavator on the slope to allow for a flexible control for the hydraulic motor to allow the required vertical helical        installation angle under the roadway.  The final problem encountered was the alignment of the helical pile with the hydraulic motor which was resolved with minor adjustments to the equipment.  HC Matcon installed all 39 helicals at their 30 degree inclination to depths ranging between 36 and 45 feet and preloaded all helicals to 90 KN on oversized steel bearing pads.

This project reveals that HC Matcon is able to adapt to develop systems that allow for proper mobility and stability of the installation equipment.  While HC Matcon did start later than scheduled, all problems were overcome and the schedule was still completed on time.  Today, the slope is covered with natural vegetation and is performing as intended.

Client: NEI Construction Corp.

Location: 421 Parkside Dr., Toronto, Ontario

Dufferin Jog Elimination

Dufferin Jog Elimination

This project involved the extension of Duffering Street under an existing CN rail line and through the abutment wall of a century old CN bridge at Queen Street in Toronto. HCM performed a design-build tied back caisson wall solution for the main staging effort.

The geology of the soils was a combination of fills and wak silts over rock. The old bridge was jacked onto tower frames supported by cased micropiles. Low headroom caissons were installed by churn drilling with permanent liners. Further innovation included a tieback connection through abutments which avoided damage to the future surface of the structure.

HCM met scheduling requirements while performing several services throughout multiple phases, facilitating overall project success.

Client: Dufferin Construction

Location: Toronto, Ontario

Lakeview Water Treatment Plant

Lakeview Water Treatment Plant

This project was part of the second phase of an expansion program to the region of Peel’s Lakeview Water Treatment Plant. Given the information provided at the time of tender, HCM proposed the use of shotcrete shoring for the site’s earth retention system. Later, due to an unforeseen influx of water into the excavation from a problematic sand lense and the resulting saturated soil conditions, shotcrete was found to no longer be a suitable solution for the site’s shoring. To address the issue, HCM devised a perched caisson wall system to cut off the flow of groundwater.

As fieldwork progressed, other fill soil conditions were encountered that were different from the geotechnical report issued at the time of tender. A change of the soil conditions, as encountered at Lakeview, would typically impact the project’s schedule because of the need for a redesign of the shoring system. HCM was able to respond with practical solutions to keep the project moving while updating the drawings to represent the design changes.

HCM can overcome most problems or restrictions to produce a final product that is desirable to all parties.

Client: North America Constructors Ltd.

Location: Mississauga, Ontario

8 Ida Street

8 Ida Street

HC Matcon was retained to install panel underpinning for a custom home built by Laureden Inc. in 2007 in one of Markham’s prestigious neighbourhoods.  Due to lack of real-estate and property, the home owners decided to build an in ground pool inside of their newly completed residence.  The residence consisted of an existing crawl space in which the pool was requested.  It should be noted that the interior finishes consisted of sensitive glass and marble which were sensitive to movement below.

The project involved deepening the crawl space for the swimming pool addition.  Innovation was required due to a unique underpinning design which included two layers of continuous rebar within the panel in order for it to be used as a permanent foundation wall.  This created constructability issues due to the required three panel sequences of installation.  To allow for unobstructed panel excavation, HC Matcon and RWH, an HC Group company, special bulkhead steel embedments were fabricated from mesh and anchor couplers (provided by Williams Form Engineering) in the HC Matcon shop. These were used in place of rebar to allow for all threading of the bars satisfying the engineer.

The work was successfully completed on time and on budget.  Underpinning systems are a specialty of HC Matcon.

Client: Laureden Inc.

Location: Toronto, Ontario