International Airport’s baggage handling facility as well as
a host of other structures. It is this considerable experience
that allowed Trisect’s crews to take unique aspects of this
project in stride. Challenges included massive piling, waterfront
trenching, new technology such as rooftop systems that
both heat and cool, and unique fume extractors with horizontal
arms.
Solid footing
The ground level surface was slab on grade. Underneath
the structure, Powell Foundations pulled out all the stops
to create a solid base for the new building. Here, Abhishek
Chatterjee, Powell’s project coordinator, says the piling depth
was substantial given the location of the site.
“When we received the soil report we saw that close to the
shore the bedrock was 27 metres and went out to 49 metres.
We used pipe piles rather than H-piles because these resist
buckling and work well at depth,” he said.
Powell’s crews started work on the foundation Nov. 12,
and finished Nov. 24. “We took one month to prep the site
and then 13 days to complete the actual piling. We were able
to place 2.9 piles per day and these piles were of substantial
length. Crews placed 38 steel piles altogether, reaching from
29 metres to 49 metres,” said Chatterjee, mentioning that
they placed 1,384 metres of pile to complete the job.
“Our main challenge was to anticipate the depth. We had
three soil reports that showed different depths. The report
variation created a question on how much steel to procure.
Fortunately, our team has a lot of experience. We have done
30 jobs in Ontario that were similar, and we were able to
come within five per cent of our needs. Overall we completed
the job on schedule and within budget.”
According to Chatterjee, the materials were very important
given the depth of the job. They turned to Interpipe for
the steel piles and discovered that the company had stock.
The piles had a yield strength of 35 ksi and tensile strength of
60 ksi, and were provided on time, a factor that kept Powell
on target. Other companies that helped keep things running
smoothly were Berminghammer Foundation Equipment
and Selix Equipment. Selix provided a Soilmec SC-90 HD
crawler crane while Berminghammer came forward with
a B32 direct-drive diesel impact hammer to get the piles in
the ground.
“Berminghammer equipment is very efficient. We are
concerned about the environment in everything we do and
so we chose this piece of equipment for this reason as well
as its other capabilities,” said Chatterjee, remarking that the
device features low emissions, environmentally friendly nodrip
operation using biofuels and oils, and comes with energy
monitors and control systems.
“The hammer reduces air pollution and has less idling
time. We spent less money on fuel and, the fact it runs quieter
means less noise disturbance. By undertaking proper
maintenance on the equipment, we also saw a smooth working
performance with no downtime. This aspect was a major
factor in our on-time achievement,” Chatterjee said, adding
that having the right equipment on the site often means a
reduction in construction time. “Less time means less cost
and that makes everyone happy.”
“The office area air is conditioned by a highly efficient
Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system, which uses a
refrigerant-based heat pump, capable of heating or cooling,
as required,” said Davis. He says that VRF is one of
the most energy-efficient, zero-carbon options for HVAC
systems on the market. “Ventilation for the office area is
provided by an energy recovery ventilator, which reduces
energy consumption associated with the incoming
fresh air.”
According to Davis, fresh air is just part of an enhanced
work environment where low-flow plumbing fixtures further
reduce water and energy consumption in the facility. Staff
can also quench their thirst with the filtered, clean water in
the lunchroom or at the hands-free, filtered, bottle filling station
located in the main corridor of the office area.
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
Ribbon cutting at the Works Facility Building
TRISECT CONSTRUCTION LTD.
26 Q4 2020 www.pilingcanada.ca
/www.pilingcanada.ca
