Blog Layout
CPR Morningside Grade Separation, Toronto
Tarra Engineering & Structural Consultants
A grade separation to create a six lane subway beneath the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) necessitated construction of seven new, deep-founded structures: two abutments, one pier and four retaining walls. These structures are all supported by micropile foundations designed by Tarra Engineering.
The scope of work for this project required the removal of an existing CPR structure, the construction of a new CPR structure utilizing temporary trestles to maintain rail traffic during construction and the installation of the new structure. The sub-structure was constructed beneath the temporary trestles. The superstructure was installed during a period of 12 hours.
Micropiles were proposed post-tender by prime contractor Soncin Construction as an alternative to the specified 324 mm driven tube piles. The site is underlain by a significant aquifer under artesian head.
The proposed and eventually accepted micropile scheme was based on using five micropiles for roughly every three driven piles in order to reduce the unit loading on individual micropiles to acceptably low loads so that no micropile had to be embedded lower than the aquifer.
In order to support the staging necessary to keep both the CPR tracks and Morningside Ave. open throughout construction, an 8 metre track protection shoring supporting parts of track loading were designed by Tarra Engineering.
Services Provided:
- Complete design and construction coordination of temporary shoring and alternative foundation
- Review and provide inspection of construction
- Obtain approvals as required
The massive mixedâuse redevelopment of the Honest Ed’s and Mirvish Village includes six main towers of up to thirty storeys, offering over 800 modern residential and commercial units in Downtown Toronto’s Annex area (Bloor & Bathurst neighbourhood). Tarra Engineering and GFL Environmental were retained to design and to provide excavation shoring services for the project. Excavation shoring was required on two adjacent lots, namely the west property and the massive east property, where most of the future towers are to be constructed. West property consisted of two underground levels while the east property consisted of four underground levels. All work had to be designed and completed in the vicinity of existing retail stores and residential houses, including selected heritage façade and buildings that are to be preserved.
The mixed-use development includes a eight-storey modern concrete structure boutique condominium and commercial building in the west end of Toronto. The architecturally complex building consists of large cantilever floor plates that are supported on deep foundations. The project design and construction was significantly complex due to the large overhang terraces and extremely limited space and poor ground condition. The reinforced concrete structure is comprised of flat slab and shear and load bearing walls that were supported on the second floor transfer floor that is comprised of transfer slab and transfer beams.
A grade separation for Stouffville line at Sheppard Street East was constructed to allow for traffic pass through and underpass. The scope of work for this project included design of temporary track protection structure, earth retention structure and temporary support for utilities and underground structure to allow construction of bridge abutments and separation walls.
As part of the subway expansion, OHL-FCC Limited Partnership was awarded the construction of multiple numbers of stations and auxiliary shafts. Tarra Engineering & Structural Consultants Inc. was awarded the design and production of construction drawings for 407/Jane Street, the extraction shaft known as South WYE and a number of access and air shafts. South WYE is a very large 21m x 60 x 20m deep excavation shoring comprised mainly of interlocking caisson wall with a soft head wall (constructed with fibre reinforced construction) to be cut and cored by a TBM machine.
To improve traffic condition at the area of Metro Convention Centre and Rogers Centre, the Simcoe Street TTR rail and was extended below the railway yard to connect Simcoe Street to lower Simcoe Street. The final underpass will be 246 feet in length and 90 feet wide. The project’s General Contractor Soncin Construction Corporation retained Anchor Shoring & Caissons Ltd and Tarra Engineering was also retained by the contractor to design the shoring structure. Four parallel lines of shoring were required to create two trenches to allow the excavation and construction of the piers and abutments. Temporary trestle bridge supports were required to support 13 train tracks over each of the two trenches.
The mixed-use development includes three levels of underground parking. Shoring was required on all four sides of the new underground structures and consisted of soldier pile and lagging supported by tiebacks.
The mixed-use development includes four levels of underground parking. Shoring was required on all four sides of the new underground structures and consisted of caissons and soldier pile and lagging supported by tiebacks. The new development is within the vicinity of the TTC infrastructure and required coordination and review with TTC.
The mixed-use development includes two full levels and a partial third level of underground parking. Shoring was required on all sides of the new underground structures and consisted of caissons and soldier pile and lagging supported by tiebacks.