One Richmond Row, a 32-storey apartment tower rising
in London, Ont., will soon be the tallest building
on helical piles in North America. The project
site at 517 Richmond St. is in the middle of a city
block in a desirable area of downtown London. That was
one of the developer’s main selling points to potential renters
of its one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites, who will
be “immersed in the culture and excitement of a thriving
city centre.”
COVER FEATURE
The site presented the project’s structural engineers with
particular challenges, including its high water table and
deep deposits of sand material as well as close proximity
to surrounding buildings and its restricted street access.
Although the initial geotechnical report recommended
driven piles or caissons to support the proposed 32-storey
tower, driven piles were considered unfeasible because of
the potential damage to nearby structures due to vibration
and the disruption installation would cause in the city’s
PILING CANADA 7
