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

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

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

St. Joseph’s Healthcare Redevelopment Project

St. Joseph's Healthcare Redevelopment Project

Unique Soil Conditions

The future location for this tower is located immediately adjacent to the emergency wing of the existing St. Joseph’s hospital in Hamilton, Ontario. HCM is a recognized shoring contractor that will take on many challenges relating to foundation design.

On this particular project, HCM took on the tasks of:

  • shotcrete shoring
  • caissons
  • micropiles
  • excavation
  • site services
  • demolition with the constraints of limited access and project complexity.

A portion of the work was to be performed indoors, which required special care towards the patients of the hospital and the HCM workers. The original design for this inside work included conventional pad footings dowelled in to existing caissons five feet below the finished floor. The soil conditions are unique on this project due to the fact that the site is situated at the bottom of the Niagara Escarpment where bedrock is on an incline. This increased the depth required for adequate bearing stratum, requiring the entire area to be excavated and the perimeter shored. To save costs to all parties involved, HCM proposed an alternate to the original design to provide hand-dug caisson caps around the existing caisson and column construction. Caissons were excavated to depths of 18 feet below the finished floor using reinforced compression rings and shotcrete shoring to reach adequate bedrock.

The above innovations were the optimal solution for this portion of work resulting in another successful hospital project by HCM on budget, on time.

Client: PCL
Location: Hamilton, Ontario

TTC Wilson Complex Modification

TTC Wilson Complex Modification

Engineering Solutions

The Toronto Transit Commission will be purchasing all new subway cars in the near future, creating the requirement of larger maintenance carhouses. The original contract drawings employed caisson wall, soldier piles and lagging, and conventional concrete underpinning for the earthwork specifications related to our field of work. HC Matcon proposed an alternative engineered solution that included the use of shotcrete, underpinning, micropiles, soldier piles and shotcrete lagging (SPSL) to achieve the same effect. The acceptance of this proposal allowed for a substantial cost savings to the owner, as well as a shorter construction schedule for the various contractors involved. Mechanical jacking pits were built where shoring is used as a backform for manholes. Shoring for carhouses below- grade will be used as a backform for foundation walls. The substitution of shotcrete underpinning in lieu of caisson walls will allow for easier access to the tunnel portion of the project. This will allow for less demolition of the existing building and less clearance issues.

The above are just a couple examples of the innovations that HCM Contractors Inc. will use to add value to any project.

Client: Aquicon Construction
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Credit Valley Hospital

Credit Valley Hospital

Alternative to Save Time and Money

The Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga, Ontario is undergoing a massive expansion and renovation. HC Matcon was brought in to undertake the shoring, underpinning, and caissons for this construction. The majority of the work included the drilling and installation of 222 concrete caissons, ranging between 24- and 84-inches in diameter. The original design required concrete-encased steel beams and conventional timber-lagged shoring adjacent to the operating hospital for support of the existing building and excavation. HC Matcon proposed an alternate to use vertical micropiles and shotcrete shoring in lieu of the above, which resulted in less disruption to the functioning hospital. The acceptance of this proposal also allowed a savings in cost and schedule time for the general contractor and owner. HC Matcon is able to overcome challenges while working with all parties involved to add value and cost savings to a project.

Client: Bondfield Construction
Location: Mississauga, Ontario

Grand House

Grand House

Difficult But Not Impossible

The Grand House is a student designed and constructed co-operative housing project located in Cambridge, Ontario.  It has won awards and is a landmark building.

  • Due to the topography of the site, limited access, and constructibility concerns, specialized foundation members were required.
  • Conventional footings and caissons were not feasible given the site parameters. HC Matcon Inc. designed a series of micro piles which were installed battered and upon which a structural steel web was installed and used as the base for traditional framing.
  • A total of 30 micro piles were installed at an average depth of 30′” each.

The use of non intrusive construction methods allowed the owner to develop the property and provided considerable cost savings.

Client: Grand House Student Co-op
Location: Cambridge, Ontario

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