Mount Royal University Conservatory

Mount Royal University Conservatory

Mount Royal University Conservatory

Design considerations for the foundations were similar to previous projects in the area, with installation of approx. 220 cast-in-place belled piles. The project design team for structural & geotechnical engineering consisted of local firms of Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. & Thurber Engineering Ltd. The need for the new addition to a campus was a result of fast growing student population at the Mount Royal University and demands for specialty studies.

The soil conditions at mentioned site consisted predominantly of clay till which is ideal for large capacity belled piles. The shafts for the piles were in the range of:

  • 900mm
  • 1000mm
  • 1200mm
  • 1370mm in diameter.

The bells were sized at:

  • 2000mm
  • 2400mm
  • 2800mm
  • 3400mm
  • 3600mm in diameter

 

Mount Royal University Conservatory - Soldier Piles & Lagging

The average basing depth on this project was approx. 12.0m – 15.0m with an occasional need to protect the upper portion of the pile shafts by using temporary steel caising in order to prevent ingress of water into the pile shafts. The average concrete volumes for single piles were approx. 20 – 24 cu. metres. Among the challenges for HCM was installation of piles in close proximity to concrete and steel underground utilities which were present on site as a result of previously demolished structure. In many cases this required coring and managing voids in the shafts after removal of these obstructions. Also, numerous piles were belled in soils with occurrence of large boulders which required special considerations for handling of equipment, customized tooling requirements and operating skills.

HCM finished foundation piling scope of work ahead of planned schedule.

Client: Cana Management
Location: Calgary, Alberta

Medicine Hat Regional Hospital – New Tower Expansion

Medicine Hat Regional Hospital – New Tower Expansion

Medicine Hat Regional Hospital – New Tower Expansion

The Government of Alberta and Alberta Health Services (AHS) have broken ground on this project, which will renovate and expand the hospital to improve patient services and reduce wait times. When complete, the $200-million redevelopment will expand available ambulatory care space and will allow more space for the emergency department, surgical suite, maternal/child care, and include a rooftop helipad.

HCM Contractors Inc. was successful with its’ proposal that included 100 Belled Caissons at depths up to 100 feet, 7000 ft2 of caisson wall, and the underpinning of 7 major columns to support the additional load imposed by the new structure. The underpinning is particularly challenging because much of the work is to be completed inside of an operational hospital with limited access and noise and vibration concerns. HCM employed a unique method of transferring the load from the column footings to the micro piles that ensured a good bond and efficient design.

This project comes on the heels of the newly constructed MHRH Energy Centre, another successfully completed project by HCM in the fall of 2012.

Client: Stuart Olson Dominion Ltd.
Location: Medicine Hat, Alberta

Centre 10

Centre 10

Centre 10

Two attempts had been made by others to build two high-rise condo towers on the site of the former Gaslight Square retail strip at 10th Ave and 4th Street SW, Calgary, Alberta. Centron, a developer, decided to buy it and changed the concept to a single building, mixed-use office retail development. The site was already excavated and seven levels of underground parking completed so a considerable amount of structural redesign was necessary; which includes the upgrade on the existing foundation system.

Designed by RWH Engineering, 80 micropiles are installed 20 to 30 feet below the existing footing to support the additional load. As the installation was undertaken in a 7th floor underground parkade, HCM had to deal with limited access and low overhead clearance. Man-portable drilling equipment was used to compile with these limitations.

Despite the challenges, the project went well with HCM scope of work being completed on schedule. The pile capacity is confirmed by one verification test and five proof tests.

Client: Centron
Location: Calgary, Alberta

The Fuse at Evolution

The Fuse at Evolution

The Fuse at Evolution

Following years of planning by the City of Calgary, construction on the anticipated East Village Development has started. The proud owners of the first land deal in EV in over a decade have committed to building about 700,000 sq. ft. of mixed-use residential property starting with The Fuse at Evolution.

HCM Contractors Inc. proposed an alternative design-build excavation shoring system that resulted in significant schedule and cost savings. With its’ local geotechnical knowledge and utilizing its two new Bauer BG24 drill rigs and segmental casing system, HCM showcased its ability to design, execute and bring a quality product to its’ client, Embassy Development Ltd.

HCM has also secured contracts on the next two East Village developments that include the long anticipated National Music Centre and First Condominiums. HCM is proud to be a part of this landmark development which is considered to be a turning point in East Village history and a transformative moment for EV.

Client: Embassy Bosa Inc
Location: Calgary, Alberta

Canada Post Micropiles

Canada Post Micropiles

No Emissions, No Problem

The Canada Post McKnight Mail Processing Centre Expansion project involved the installation of micropiles to support a renovation within the facility in northeast Calgary, Alberta. As the project was undertaken in an active mail processing facility, the execution presented a number of challenges. Due to the nature of the building, HCM had to deal with limited access and low overhead clearance.

Notably, there was a requirement that forbade any emissions within the building from operating equipment. This resulted in restrictions on the mobilizing of equipment, where fuel-powered engines could not be used. To solve this problem, the equipment was moved into place using an electric forklift. To satisfy the zero emission policy during work, a ducting system was conceived that vented the exhaust from the operating machines to the outside air via a connection through the roof of the building.

The nature of the facility also meant that work had to be conducted on weekends, when operations at the mail facility are light. HCM’s crew had to abide by security restrictions which limited access to specific parts of the building.

Despite the challenges, the project went well with HCM’s scope of work being completed in two days. To achieve the required capacity of the micropiles, post-grouting was required. Seven days after the installation, the piles were load tested to 150%.

Client: Scott Builders
Location: Calgary, Alberta

Currie Reservoir – Continuous Caisson Wall

Currie Reservoir - Continuous Caisson Wall

Increased Safety: We Used Horizontal H-Piles

This project is a part of a large upgrade to the Currie Reservoir in southwest Calgary, Alberta. The project included the installation of a caisson wall as well as horizontal shoring and underpinning.

  • The purpose of the installation of the caisson wall was to provide support for the existing pump-house structure as the excavation was taking place between the pump-house and underground water tank.
  • The retaining wall was designed by J.R. Spronken & Associates Ltd. as a Cantilever Secant Pile Wall with a maximum excavation depth of 8.0m below grade.
  • The length of the shoring wall is approximately 48 linear meters with total exposed surface area of about 370 square meters.
  • The pile sizes used include 760mm soldier piles and 610mm filler piles. The overall scope of the work consisted of drilling 28 soldier piles and 30 filler piles.

The client also approached HCM with the request to provide horizontal shoring/underpinning at the bottom of the excavation in order to provide a safe working platform for the connection of a 900mm diameter pipe between the pump-house and water tank. HCM completed this task by pushing a series of H-piles horizontally, using a hydraulic jack which was set-up on a specially designed steel frame system attached to the caisson wall.

HCM Contractors completed this project ahead of schedule and to the complete satisfaction of both the client and the engineer.

Client: PCL Construction Management
Location: Calgary, Alberta

Currie Reservoir

Currie Reservoir

Horizontal Underpinning

This project consisted of an interlocking secant pile wall, combined with horizontal underpinning to accommodate a new connection to a pump house at the Currie reservoir in Calgary. The interlocking secant pile wall (caisson wall) allows for an accelerated construction schedule as it eliminates the ground loss that is present with the use of other styles of shoring. Where utilities were present, bracing supports were used to resist the lateral pressures present behind the filler piles.

Unique to this job was the installation of horizontal underpinning. The job required a new connection between the existing reservoir and pump house. To accomplish this task, a tunnel had to be created to accommodate the 900mm connecting water pipe. The underpinning provides support for the tunnel walls. The system worked well; after excavation, the resulting tunnel allowed safe access for the installation of the connection pipe to the pump house.

Because of the job’s proximity to the working water reservoir, special environmental precautions had to be taken in order to avoid contamination. Site-specific procedures were implemented; in instances where lubricating oils had to be used, for example when sliding the horizontal underpinning beams, food grade oils were used over hydrocarbon-based oils. As a result, the integrity of the water supply was maintained throughout the duration of the project.

Client: PCL
Location: Calgary, Alberta

Graham Residence

Graham Residence

 Residential Shoring: Complex Design Requires Innovation

A retaining wall was required to accommodate the architectural design for a private residence. The site topography presented the General Contractor (Builder) with the challenging task of constructing a retaining wall structure into a steep hill on a residential lot in the Mount Royal area of Calgary, Alberta. To accommodate the residence, extensive shoring was required along the property lines and the back alley of the site.

  • The retaining wall was designed by T.H. O’Rourke Structural Consultants Inc. as a Tied-back Shotcrete Shoring Wall with its excavation depths ranging from between 6.0m to 12.0m below-grade.
  • The length of the shoring wall is approximately 87.0 lin. metres with a total of 382 square metres of exposed surface area. The shoring design also reflects the structural Engineer’s requirement for a permanent retaining wall at the back of the property (deepest excavation).
  • In addition, the client accepted HCM’s proposal to provide monitoring of the permanent wall, which included the supply and installation of inclinometers and their subsequent reading for the duration of one year.
  • HCM completed the soil nailing operations with a TEI drill mounted on an excavator hoe.
  • The project required precision in placing the shotcrete shoring along the contour of the building envelope as a significant amount of the shoring was adjacent to the property’s steep slope.
  • Also, special emphasis was put on the sensitivity of the entire project with respect to neighboring properties, minimizing disruption, noise and vibrations to existing structures.

HCM Contractors finished this project on schedule and to the complete satisfaction of the Builder and Owner.

Client: Wiens and Company
Location: Calgary, Alberta

EEEL University of Calgary

EEEL University of Calgary

Zero Ground Loss

This project followed shortly after finishing the Taylor Family Digital Library project, which was in close proximity to this site on the same campus. Design considerations for the foundations were almost identical to the previous project, with the installation of approximately 175 cast-in-place belled piles. Again, this new building was a result of the fast-growing population at the University of Calgary and the demand for specialty studies with emphasis on future global trends such as clean energy and the environment.

The soil conditions, which are typical and uniform throughout the mentioned site, consisted mainly of silty sand and clay till which is ideal for large capacity belled piles.

  • The shafts for the piles were predominantly 900mm, 1000mm, and 1,200mm in diameter.
  • The bells were sized at: 2000mm, 2400mm, 2800mm, 3400mm and 3600mm in diameter.

The average founding depth on this project was approximately 13.0m – 17.0m with the need to protect the upper portion of the pile shafts by using temporary casing approximately 8.0m long. The concrete volumes for single piles ranged between 23 – 26 cubic meters. Among the challenges for HCM on this project was installation of piles in close proximity to a concrete utility tunnel. EllisDon approached HCM with a request for shoring and underpinning on a portion of the tunnel.

HCM proposed a design/build tied-back continuous caisson wall method where special consideration was given to the stated goal of zero ground loss from underneath of the tunnel.

Client: EllisDon Corporation
Location: Calgary, Alberta

Centron Business Park Retaining Wall

Centron Business Park Retaining Wall

Steep Slope Retaining Wall

The site topography presented the developer with the challenging task of constructing a permanent retaining wall structure into a hill formation near Blackfoot Trail in southeast Calgary, Alberta. The purpose of the permanent wall was to support a portion of 4th Street S.E. which is serving as an access road to a multi-building complex for commercial real estate. The retaining wall was designed by EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd. as a Cantilever Tangent Wall with various excavation depths, c/w embedment of soldier piles between 7.5m and 14.5m below-grade. The length of shoring wall was 142 linear metres with a total of 470 square metres of exposed surface area. The pile sizes included diameters of 810mm and 912mm. The overall scope of work consisted of drilling approximately 70 soldier piles and 140 filler piles. The client also accepted HCM’s proposal to trim the front surface of the 10 MPa concrete wall which then became more suitable for future application of architectural cladding or finished shotcrete. HCM completed this task with an excavator-mounted Antraquip wall trimmer.

The design also required precision in the placing of the piles along the contour of a curvilinear access road which, in most cases, took place on the edge of a steep slope.

HCM Contractors successfully completed this project to the engineer’s satisfaction, and on schedule.

Client: Centron Group of Companies
Location: Calgary, Alberta