Search Results: 'Frontier-Kemper'

Vital tunnels for utilities
22 February, 2023
Utility tunnels are among key underground investments in two major Canadian cities – Toronto and Vancouver

Vital tunnels for utilities
16 February, 2023
Utility tunnels are among key underground investments in two major Canadian cities – Toronto and Vancouver

TAC Awards 2018
20 December, 2018
From rising stars to nationally acclaimed projects, the Tunnelling Association of Canada (TAC) presents its annual awards each fall to recognize the deserving individuals and engineering accomplishments in the Canadian tunnelling sector. The 2018 awards were presented on November 8 in Edmonton.

Under the dam
26 October, 2018
Paola De Pascali spoke with Tony Dell, lead geotechnical engineer at SNC-Lavalin to discuss the excavation of the John Hart powerhouse and tunnels, including an unexpected soft ground surprise

TAC Directors’ Annual Reports
26 October, 2018
Each regional director for the TAC writes a report in October sharing the status of work and forthcoming projects in the five chapters across Canada

Fibreglass Jacking Pipe Upgrades Las Vegas Sewers
18 April, 2017
The Paradise Whitney Interceptor project is a 13-mile (21km) gravity sewer to increase capacity in the Las Vegas area. Built through sticky clay and collapsible soils, crews faced challenging work around existing underground utilities. This article looks at the fibreglass reinforced polymer mortar pipe chosen for the new installation

TAC Awards 2016
10 January, 2017
The Tunnelling Association of Canada (TAC) presents its annual awards each fall to recognise the deserving individuals and projects in the Canadian tunnelling sectors. The 2016 awards were presented on October 17 in OTtawa. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners

Up to speed
03 November, 2016
TAC's regional directors provide their annual reports with project updates and other chapter information.

TAC Review
30 January, 2015
The Tunnelling Association of Canada’s regional directors give their annual reports on the industry.

Hartbeat
18 December, 2014
Updating the John Hart Generating Station requires a new underground powerhouse. Jesse Schneider of Frontier-Kemper Constructors, ULC, and Tony Dell of SNC Lavalin Power, discuss the proposed design and construction approach for the project.

In Review
06 November, 2014
In partnership with the Tunnelling Association of Canada (TAC), every October Tunnels & Tunnelling North America publishes the annual TAC regional director’s report. The four directors take a look at the country’s current marketplace for tunnelling and underground construction, as well as milestones over the past year.

Forming a Solution
27 June, 2014
Ben Roberds and Eric Gemin of Redpath describe the top heading and bench excavation method for the Waneta Expansion Project, and the challenges and benefits of using a self-advancing tunnel form on a 17 per cent slope.

How low can you go?
20 February, 2013
TBMs have successfully passed beneath the Montlake Cut on Seattle’s University Link Project with only 4m of cover. Andrew Mencke and Lynn Salvati of Jacobs Associates, Seattle, Richard McLane of Traylor Brothers, Seattle, and John Sleavin of Sound Transit, Seattle, explain the design and construction process

Seattle Surge
19 February, 2013
The west coast of the US is home to a strong tunnelling market. Tunnels North America looks at Seattle in particular this issue, but let there be no doubt, other cities in the region are just as busy underground, Nicole Robinson reports

Metro Los Angeles
23 May, 2012
Robert Ball, Matthew Crow and Matt Gallagher of Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) and David Young and KT Su of Hatch Mott MacDonald give this paper on expanding transit in Los Angeles with the Crenshaw/LAX Project metro

From sea to shining sea
06 February, 2012
Demand for tunnels in North America is strong to meet public transportation and water conveyance needs. Nicole Robinson highlights projects in the region

The tale of three cities
10 June, 2011
The market for tunnelling in North America is strong but also struggling due to political and financial pressures, and more recently public outcry. Nicole Robinson profiles tunnelling projects in New York, Seattle and Toronto

Coasting along
13 April, 2011
As clients deal with financial constraints, the tunneling industry in the East Coast region may see limited growth over the next few years. But with all of the work in New York, plus clean water regulations elsewhere, the market should hold steady, Nicole Robinson finds

Seymour Capilano’s successful second chance
13 December, 2010
Two Robbins TBMs overcame challenges in Vancouver’s hard granitic rock while constructing twin tunnels for the Seymour Capilano Water Filtration Project, Robbins technical writer Desiree Willis reports

Sey Cap saga gains impetus
23 September, 2008
In Canada, the saga continues over the fate of the twin water tunnels underneath Grouse Mountain as part of Metro Vancouver’s Seymour-Capilano scheme (T&TNA May p5). The client recently issued a request for qualification to contractors to finish work on the tunnels following the termination of its contract with the Bilfinger Berger /Fru-Con JV. Meanwhile, the contractors have issued a lawsuit and lien against the client, its engineers Hatch Mott MacDonald (HMM) and local municipality landowner, the Corporation of the District of North Vancouver,.T&TNA contacted Metro Vancouver to discuss some of the statements made in the contractors’ claim and plans for moving the tunnel project forwards. A spokesman would not comment on legal matters - but was more forthcoming on plans to re-let the balance of the contract, saying that a request for qualification had been issued to 15 possible replacement contractors, with a response expected as T&TNA went to press. Following this, a request for proposal will be issued to qualified bidders, and it is hoped works could resume as early as mid-November. Although Metro Vancouver refused to be drawn on budget, it did release a list of companies in receipt of plans relating to the prequalification (including subcontractors): Frontier-Kemper Constructors; Flatiron Construction; McNally International; SELI; Kiewit & Sons; Dragados; Strabag; Obayashi; Kenny Construction; JF Shea; Balfour Beatty; Traylor Bros; Collings Johnston; SAK; Procon Mining & Tunnelling; Tyam Construction; Sandwell Engineering; Karyo Edelman; Vancouver Reg Construction; Pennecon Heavy Civil; Jewel Holdings; C&M Mcnally Engineering; NAC Constructors; and Roktek Services.When asked about the termination of Bilfinger Berger’s contract and the contractors’ claims of hazardous conditions, T&TNA was told that Metro Vancouver: “disputes so-called “hazardous” conditions exist and has a plan that includes rock bolt and mesh, shotcrete, and, where appropriate, steel sets to manage ground conditions.” When pressed as to whether these recommendations constituted a revised design, and how they differ from the prevailing ground support recommendations - together with a request to clarify its position of refusing to recognise the conditions, but then seemingly acknowledge them with a plan - the Metro Vancouver spokesman stated: “As this is likely to be the subject of court deliberations, I decline to comment.”T&TNA also contacted Bilfinger Berger for comment and received clarification from Contracts Manager, John Penner, who said Bilfinger Berger claim: “Significant damages against Metro Vancouver, the engineer HMM and the landowner The District of North Vancouver”. These claims cover losses, costs and expenses suffered by Bilfinger Berger from the time of the tender, in 2004, to present. Claims for specific unpaid labour and materials that have been physically incorporated into the lands to date, amounting to Can$22,549,579, have been secured by Claims of the Builders Lien and placed against title to the lands.T&TNA asked Bilfinger Berger why its original bid was so much lower than the other two bids at the time and was told: “In 2004, Metro Vancouver and its engineers estimated the cost of the Twin Tunnels project at roughly Can$100 million. Bilfinger Berger submitted its tender for the project in August 2004 at Can$100 million, based on the tender documents, which state that all risks unknown, and more adverse than those contained in the geotechnical report forwarded to bidders, are accepted by Metro Vancouver.”There have been rumours that Bilfinger Berger used the unsafe ground and refusal to change working practices, as proposed by the client, as a means to get out of an unprofitable contract. When T&TNA put this to Penner, he responded: “The decision to stop work was a safety issue. Bilfinger Berger was at all times ready, willing and able to continue the work, but only once a safe and viable design was provided by Metro Vancouver.” Penner says that since work stopped in January, Bilfinger Berger has repeatedly advised Metro Vancouver that any design must take into account the risk of rockfalls, running ground, rock bursts and other manifestations of unexpected overstress rock failures. The client however, has refused to acknowledge the occurrence of rock bursts and has not provided a design solution to meet the safety needs of the workers, which Bilfinger Berger maintains is a contractual requirement. Instead, Penner said the client had provided a “range of recommendations, not a design to complete the tunnel”.Bilfinger Berger has garnered support from unions representing workers at the jobsite. Business managers of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 115, Construction & Specialised Workers’ Union Local 1611 and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 213 wrote a joint letter to the Greater Vancouver Water District on May 30. T&TNA obtained a copy of the letter, which says: “It is ludicrous to suggest that [Bilfinger Berger], with its expertise in engineering and its safe completion of many similar projects, is unable to adequately evaluate and manage the safety of the Twin Tunnels project.” The letter went on to say that after workers were injured and exposed to unsafe conditions, the contractor made, “the correct decision to temporarily suspend the work pending a review and analysis of the rock behaviour”. The letter continues: “Inexplicably, instead of commending Bilfinger Berger for their commitment to safety, the GVRD [Greater Vancouver Regional District] has cancelled the entire contract.” In closing, the letter asks GVRD to review its decision to terminate the Bilfinger Berger contract.