Bowness Park is a century-old island recreation area located on the Bow River in Calgary’s west side. As part of the City’s $10.5 million redevelopment project to preserve the Park’s historical significance and update its amenities, AIL was contracted to design and supply the abutments and wingwalls for an access bridge replacement.
The bridge is located over a lagoon and temporary traffic and water diversions were required at the start of construction. Due to the poor foundation soils, each abutment included several steel pilings — a perfect situation for the new, time-saving Grid-Strip System to make its Western Canadian debut.
Contractor very positive on Grid-Strip System
The contractor commented on the ease of the install, specifically: the connection, the ability to skew around piles and the drastic reduction in reinforcement types compared to other systems.
Lagoon site brought special challenges
To protect the submerged wall portions from ice loading, the concrete panels were engineered to be 200 mm thick, instead of our usual 152 mm. The site also challenged the contractor to maintain a schedule because of water diversion, significant pumping and a tight construction area. Constant communication ensured we kept pace and always had our material ready.
Grid-Strip System saves time and money
AIL’s Grid-Strip Soil Reinforcement System represents the most significant improvement to the design and construction efficiency of MSE Walls in decades. With its standardized width and wire size (W11 9.5 mm / .375″), the Grid-Strip System makes all types of MSE Retaining Wall Systems easier to design, inventory and construct — saving valuable time and money on projects.
