GREAT CANADIAN PROJECTS
is an extremely hard layer of boulders.” He notes that both
the model MG-60, mounted on a CAT 330C, and the MG-90,
on a John Deere 380, offered 360-degree rotation for extreme
maneuverability and precise handling when compared to
conventional crane and vibro hammer setups, and their
SafeGRIP system ensured that the jaws would remain tightly
closed in case of a broken line.
ETPO Géodex, which already owned one Grizzly vibro,
had used and appreciated its speed and versatility on several
other jobs, says Serge Riel, ETPO Géodex’s general
superintendent.
“Usually we’d do sheet piling with a crane and a suspended
vibro, but with that method, first you have to lift the
sheet, slip one into the other like tongue in groove, and then
you can vibrate it,” he said. “With the Grizzly Multigrip, we
can perform both operations in one step,” enabling quick
handling of such a large number of sheet piles while reducing
ground vibration and minimizing inconvenience to
nearby residents.
“Because of the narrow streets where we could not go with
big trucks, and the streets where you cannot back up, we also
had to find a way to bring the materials to our equipment
and our teams,” Riel said. Phases 1 and 2 required extensive
planning and preparation, adding that on the site itself, organization
of both materials and crews was key.
“You never know what’s under
your feet 30-feet deep, and we
were doing things on the run
— that’s the art.”
– Serge Riel, ETPO Géodex Construction
“If you’re loading and unloading fast, everything goes
better after,” he said.
The sheet piles were hauled to the site by trailer, unloaded
and then positioned to be driven.
“We had a groundman in front of every machine, an
operator, also a lot of workers in Skytracks,” and the welders
who welded the sheets together once they were in place to
waterproof the wall. Altogether a crew of about 15 workers
completed the job.
Although the ground had been surveyed prior to construction,
“You never know what’s under your feet 30-feet deep,”
Riel said. “Frozen soil can also slow the process down a little
bit, and we were doing things on the run – that’s the art. On
good days,” depending on the compaction of the soil and the
weather, “we could drive up to over 20 pairs of sheet piles a
day, and on bad days we’d go down to about a dozen pairs of
sheet piles.”
Equipment offered better maneuverability and
quicker handling
Some of the owners of waterfront houses were unhappy that
dozens of trees lining the waterfront were removed for the
new dike and that the new, higher structure blocks their
water access and view of Lac des Deux-Montagnes. Other
residents of the community – many of those whose homes
had sustained extensive damage or had to be completely
demolished – wanted the dike repaired as soon as possible
and are eager for the bigger dike to be complete before the
2020 spring melt. Riel is philosophical about the controversy.
“Any project you do, there’s always 50 per cent that are
happy and 50 per cent that are not happy,” whether because
of noise or other factors, he said. Even with those problems
to solve, he says Phase 1 was a great success and because it
went so well, Excavation Loiselle Inc. awarded ETPO Géodex
the contract for Phase 2: the installation of an additional 1.8
kilometres of sheets piles. Phase 2 began early in January 2020,
and had to be completed by the end of February. The surface of
the ridge will be coated and the residential side covered with
turf once the most urgent floodproofing work is complete.
“I’ve been in the piling business for 30 years, but having
to install that quantity of sheet piles in a short time frame,
I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before here,” said Riel. “It’s
been a huge project involving lots of different players and
resources, and the greatest challenge has been to keep the
steady pace and respect of the deadlines. I’m very satisfied
with how it’s going.”
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GILBERT
34 Q1 2020 www.pilingcanada.ca
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