Selected Technique:
Vibro Stone Coloumns & Dynamic Compaction
Treatment Area & Maximum Depth (Vibro Stone Coloumns):
4,100 m² & 20m
Treatment Area & Maximum Depth (Dynamic Compaction):
2,900 m² & 18m
The Oceanfront Park development was planned to be constructed at the end of Galbraith Road near Newport Beach in Squamish, British Columbia, adjacent to the waters of Howe Sound. The development was proposed to infill the sub and intertidal areas south of the existing beach to create spaces for public use. The total site area was approximately 13.5 acres and was to include a public beach, wind sports, beach, recreation areas, public events, and public walkways.
Ground Conditions
The project site overall consisted of dredged sand used as fill underlain by low plastic silt over fine to medium-grained compact sand to silty sand. The groundwater level was identified at elevations ranging from 0.0 to 0.5 m geodetic due to the proximity to the ocean. The proposed park area, when finished, would create new slopes around the entire park, with some locations showing the risk of flow failure as a result of liquefaction from any potential earthquakes.
Menard Canada Solution
The Geotechnical Engineer recommended ground improvement to treat the project site near the existing foreshore to mitigate liquefaction effects such as flow slides, which would cause lateral and vertical movement along the shoreline. Menard Canada carried out the ground improvement solution of installing Vibro Stone Columns to approximately 20 m depth to meet the project performance specification. The treatment extent also contained zones with partially contaminated soil and construction waste. Menard Canada successfully conducted ground improvement using an alternative method of Dynamic Compaction to treat the top 18 m of the soil. The impressive effectiveness of the ground improvement techniques was assessed by a series of Cone Penetration Tests (CPT), Standard Penetration Tests (SPT), and Dynamic Cone Penetration Tests (DCPTs).
