INNOVATION July-August 2016

New Life for TransLink’s Oldest Station

Main Street Science World is the oldest and one of the busiest stations in TransLink’s rapid transit system. Built in 1982 as a demonstration station for Expo ’86, the station has been upgraded to increase accessibility, improve transfer experience for passengers arriving by bus, and increase capacity. An expanded east stationhouse with a new entrance, a west station entrance, escalators, stairs and elevator increase capacity and improve accessibility, and a new, open design improves lighting and security. Applied Engineering Solutions Ltd. (AES) designed the station’s electrical systems, ranging from power distribution and lighting to emergency systems. The scope also included design interface and coordination for the fire alarm and various system-wide train operating systems. The station remained fully operational and passenger flow was maintained throughout demolition and construction. APEGBC member, AES (consultant, electrical): Ahmet Ulker; P.Eng., Narvir Patrola, P.Eng.

P hoto : E d W hite

RioAbajo Footbridge Restores Vital CommunityAccess inNicaragua The Rio Abajo Footbridge over the Pueblo Nuevo River in Nicaragua was destroyed by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Since then, the community has been impaired by the lack of a proper river crossing and has had limited access to markets, secondary schools, and health care services. When Bridges to Prosperity, a non-profit organisation dedicated to reducing rural isolation by building footbridges over otherwise impassable rivers, learned of the challenges the residents experienced daily, they partnered with COWI North America (formerly Buckland & Taylor) and Kiewit Bridge & Marine District to construct a new footbridge. COWI North America’s engineering team travelled to Nicaragua as part of the build team that completed the pedestrian suspension bridge superstructure in just eight construction days. APEGBC members, COWI North America: Don Bergman, P.Eng.; Terrence Davies, P.Eng.

A Challenging Excavation and Shoring Project GeoPacific Consultants Ltd. completed excavation and shoring design for Aquilini Development’s south tower project at Rogers Arena, in Vancouver. Design began in 2013, and shoring construction by Matcon Canada Inc. began in early 2014. The presence of structures such as the Georgia Street Viaduct and the Rogers Arena building adjacent to the 15-metre-deep vertical cuts created unique challenges. The support system for lateral earth pressure combined jet-grouted, anchored soldier piles for the poor upper-ground conditions and conventional anchored shotcrete wall within the competent glacial-till zone. Three viaduct piers, supported on concrete piles, existed next to the vertical cuts, but the contemplated excavation depth was below the pile tips. GeoPacific designed a micro-pile underpinning system to support the pier pile caps. A three-dimensional monitoring system combining highly sensitive tilt-meters and laser displacement meters was installed on each pier to monitor movement during shoring. Below-grade construction works were completed in August 2015.

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