Burchill Wind Farm
Ground-truthing 1,658 hectares for a 42 MW wind project
Wright Street Rock Wall Failure
Diagnosing a rock fall onto the Throughway and designing its replacement wall.
A 3D survey of 100 m of rock face traced the collapse to natural weathering along cleavage planes, and a precast Redi-Rock wall now carries the street and its services.
In April 2013 a rock fall occurred on the slope below Wright Street along the Saint John Throughway. Part of a previously built retaining wall and the weathered bedrock beneath it fell and spilled into the westbound lane.
Reading the rock
Our geotechnical investigation determined that the partial collapse happened because portions of the 16 m high supporting rock face had naturally fallen away. A geological assessment that included a three-dimensional survey of a 100 m length of the face showed that several sections had previously broken away along cleavage planes: the result of natural weathering and regular freeze-thaw cycles. We identified areas to scale loose rock and areas where rock anchors should be installed.
The new wall
We designed a precast Redi-Rock retaining wall to support Wright Street and its municipal infrastructure, built through the summer of 2013 to spring 2014.
Related work
More geotechnical projects.
Canaport LNG Multi-Purpose Pier Structural Survey
Managing an above- and below-water survey of a pier built for the world's largest LNG carriers
Digby Harbour Design
A 300 m breakwater redesigned around poor soils
Read more: How to choose an engineering consultant in Atlantic Canada: what to ask, and why multidisciplinary and employee-owned matters · Pre-blast surveys and vibration monitoring: protecting your neighbours, your liability and your schedule · Rock slopes and retaining walls: the warning signs owners and municipalities shouldn't ignore