Robbins TBMs wrap up Tunneling at Seymour Capilano
Jan 04, 2011
Twin Main Beams Mark Major Milestone in Canada’s Hard Granitic Rock
The twin 7.2 km (4.5 mi) long tunnels, for project owner Metro Vancouver, were driven in challenging granitic metavolcanic rock, with cover of up to 600 m (1,970 ft). The project’s second contractor, the Seymour Capilano Partnership (SCP), a Joint Venture of Frontier-Kemper Constructors ULC, Aecon Constructors and JF Shea Inc., dealt with faulting and shear zones using a successful ground support program. Rock support varies from bare rock in good ground (Class I), to rock bolts, wire mesh, and channel straps, as well as steel sets every 760 mm (30 in) in Class V poor rock.
“We are quite pleased with the breakthrough. The success of this project can be attributed to having an excellent crew of knowledgeable people, good pre-planning of the work and very good TBMs,” said Frontier-Kemper Project Manager, Serge Moalli. Since SCP’s re-start of the two TBMs in July and August 2009, the machines have achieved rates of up to 29 m (95 ft) per day.
The second Robbins TBM holed through at an angle into the other tunnel, where a chamber will now be built to conduct raise drilling of the 270 m (885 ft) deep Capilano shaft. Frontier-Kemper estimates that this work, combined with final shotcrete and steel lining in the tunnels, will take about two years.
The completion of the project will mark one of only several examples of TBM tunneling in British Columbia. “I think we’ve proven here that you can tunnel through the hard granitic rock of British Columbia, even with all its quirks and stress releases. We’ve shown that this is an effective alternative to drill and blast,” said Moalli.
Each of the two finished tunnels will be used to convey either raw or treated water between the Capilano Watershed and a new filtration plant. The Seymour-Capilano Water Filtration Project seeks to improve the quality of drinking water in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The completed filtration system will clean 1.8 billion liters (475.5 million gallons) of water a day and will lower the water turbidity (cloudiness) and micro-organism levels to meet federal standards for drinking water.
The Robbins Company
29100 Hall Street
Solon, OH 44139
USA
marketing@robbinstbm.com
www.robbinstbm.com
More News and Articles
Apr 26, 2024
News
Bothar’s cutting head innovation
The trenchless industry in Australia continues to grow and the need to provide customised solutions becomes vital for a leading subsurface contractor.
Recognising the need for advanced solutions to meet the growing …
Apr 24, 2024
News
Sustainable drainage solutions: German Start-up transforms urban water management.
Germany boasts a well-established infrastructure for managing rainwater and wastewater, yet many developing countries lack such systems. Addressing this gap, …
Apr 22, 2024
News
HDD tooling that gets the job done
Horizontal directional drilling is a dynamic process that constantly changes and adapts to suit a range of applications across utilities and infrastructure. Operators looking to get the most from their equipment …
Apr 19, 2024
News
WATCH: Overnight with SAERTEX-LINER H20 in São Paulo
Available through Pipe Core, high-quality liner SAERTEX-LINER H20 performed under pressure in São Paulo, Brazil.
Maintaining aging potable water pipe infrastructure is a constant challenge …
Apr 17, 2024
News
Immersive media provides wastewater experience in Denmark
An immersive media experience (IMX) may not be what most people want when they think about industrial wastewater, but that is exactly what visitors can expect when they visit a new installation …
Apr 15, 2024
News
Spotlight on gender diversity at Pipe Core
Since founding in 2008, Pipe Core’s team has grown across all areas of the business and is now in a position where there are more females than males across the organisation. Research published in Harvard …
Apr 12, 2024
News
New Wave of Startups Scale Innovation to Solve Global Water Challenges
Innovators from Around the World Join Xylem’s 2024 Accelerator Program to Deploy Breakthrough Innovations for Utilities and Industrial Users of Water
A new group of startups …
Apr 08, 2024
News
Integrated sustainable electricity and clean drinking water systems
Altitude Water and New Use Energy Solutions have partnered to create integrated, mobile solar-plus-water generation systems that produce sustainable electricity and clean drinking …
Apr 05, 2024
News
How to Evaluate Hydraulic Fracture Risk in HDD Design
The design of horizontal directional drill (HDD) installations often requires an evaluation of the potential for hydraulic fracture of the soil layers through which an HDD passes. Evaluating …
Apr 02, 2024
News
Historic Project Linking Rome and Vatican City Uses Advanced Technology and Local Knowledge to Keep Water Flowing
Relocation of Major Sewer Infrastructure Enables Construction of Pedestrian Link for 35 Million Visitors to the 2025 Jubilee
Water …
Mar 27, 2024
News
USU Study Looks at Water Main Break Rates in the U.S. and Canada
Report Highlights Correlation Between Material and Diameter
Utah State University (USU) has published new research on water main breaks in the United States and Canada, examining …
Mar 26, 2024
News
Update BE-21: New Material in Course and Modules on Trenchless Pipe Installation
Online training on the topic of pipeline installation in civil engineering: Trenchless technology for underground drainage construction can be a resource-efficient, …
Contact
The Robbins Company
44139 Solon, OH. USA
Phone:
+1 440 248 3303
Fax:
+1 440 248 1702