INDUSTRY SECTOR

CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE

Large civil infrastructure projects often require a significant amount of experience, advance planning and carefully monitored execution. Torrent excels as a strategic partner in all phases of civil infrastructure projects. Our highly qualified people are sought out to provide expertise and insight on the most challenging applications.

Mt Pleasant Station - Eglington Subway Line

This subterranean project in Toronto, Ontario involved a variety of challenging concrete applications.  Working underground meant site access, working space and storage space were very limited. The application efficiencies of shotcrete were perfectly suited to meet these challenges. Standards for consolidation and quality were elevated as well and Torrent had to pass intensive pre-construction mock-ups prior to work beginning. Torrent rose to the challenge and our quality and application efficiency have more than met the project's stringent requirements!

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  • Complex Envelope Set-Up

    The mock-up featured a cutting edge envelope set-up with a sophisticated waterproofing system, behind-substrate post injection ports (used to inject latex material after shoot to ensure no gaps are present between the shored wall and the applied waterproofing system), PVC water stops and keyway joints.

  • Dense Rebar

    To ensure optimal structural strength and integrity, dense rebar set-ups would be the norm throughout much of the shooting environment. Proper consolidation around this type of rebar application was imperative and a major reason why the mock-up was required.

  • Shooting the Mock-Up

    Preparation prior to shooting is the key to civil application success. A skilled nozzleman is important, but it was Torrent's superior pre-shoot preparation and set up in combination with the nozzleman's skill that yielded our superior, beyond-expectation results. 

  • Superior Consolidation!

    The mock-up results clearly showed that Torrent's carefully planned and executed shooting protocol had produced excellent consolidation even in potential trouble spots such as internal corners. Throughout the cored samples examined, consolidation was dense and even with no gaps.

  • Tall Walls? No Problem!

    Many of the walls on this shoot were over 14 feet high. Height isn't an issue for shotcrete. No forms means none of the vibrating and bottom-of-wall consolidation issues encountered with form and pour.

  • Scaffolding Set Up

    Torrent scaffolding is light and moveable and packs up into small bundles for moving and storage. This allows for faster production times and keeps the site clear for other requirements. 

  • Shooting Around the Tubes

    Tunnel-boring machines created the tunnel "tubes" at the station bottom. Walls were up to 7 ft. thick in corners with the densest rebar on the entire site. Formwork took the dead load of the concrete above the tunnels, the only part requiring formwork. The rest was shot without conventional formwork.

  • Shoot and Finish Together

    On of the great advantages of shotcrete is that wall finishing happens in conjunction with shooting. It's literally "finish as you go". No forms to remove and no finishing after the fact. Time savings, labour savings, space savings - it all adds up to a much more efficient process with no sacrifices.

  • More Wall. Every Day.

    The advantages of shotcrete shone through on this project. Our tag line, "More Wall. Every Day" is applicable to any construction environment, but in the confined spaces of this subway station, it was even more apparent. Superior quality with accelerated schedules are invaluable!

Evergreen Rapid Transit Line

This rapid transit line project in Vancouver required crash walls to be installed underneath an overpass to ensure proper support and safety for the overpass traffic. It's location under the overpass made it a very difficult to use a form-and-pour application. Torrent and shotcrete to the rescue. Our ability to shoot in tight spaces with superior consolidation and quality provided the perfect answer to client's challenge .

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  • Dense Rebar for Strength

    These wall needed to be exceptionally strong to be able to support the overhead weight. The rebar installation was dense and would require superior consolidation. Torrent's experience in meeting these types of application challenges with made us the right choice. 

  • Set-Up Advantages

    A simple, one level scaffolding set up was all that was needed to shoot these walls. Forms would not have worked in this environment and that's the where shotcrete provided the answer. The absence of formwork in a shotcrete application means far greater flexibility. Tight environments are no problem.

  • Thick, Strong Walls!

    Beautifully finished, thick, strong walls in challenging application environments are the order of the day with shotcrete. The speed in which these walls were finished, while still adhering to all structural engineering specifications meant our client could stay on time and on budget.

Nicomekl River Pump Station Rebuilds

Replacing two separate pump stations on the Nicomekl River in Delta, British Columbia called for structures that would have a long lifespan and be impervious to the harsh surroundings. Because the structures would be exposed to water, they required a combination of high density and low porosity in the concrete build - tailor-made for shotcrete application. Torrent was able to meet these project criteria while working in tight quarters within existing infrastructure to create stations that would withstand the test of time and the challenges of natural elements.

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  • Sensitive Environmental Conditions

    The sensitivity of the surrounding environment along the Fraser River was a concern. The job needed to be completed as quickly as possible to lessen the stress on the adjacent landscape. 

  • Working with Exisiting Infrastructure

    Infrastructure work was completed just before shooting began. Working in close quarters was the order of the day.

  • Dense Rebar in Tight Spaces

    Interior walls were high-density with concentrated rebar for superior structural integrity.

  • Thick Walls

    The job called for very thick walls. Thimbles were inserted along with rebar and shot against to create the wall openings. The final wall thickness was over 4 feet.

  • Above Ground Structure

    The job was shot against Torrent-built one-sided forms and fully completed in two shoots. Forms were hand-erected without the need for any crane work.

  • Craneless Construction

    In very short order, the entire structure was completed without the need of a crane. No crane also meant a lighter environmental impact and a faster completion time. This was only possible using shotcrete.

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