- Sandvik Mining and Construction - 07/18/2007

Eagles And Rainstorms And Bears. Oh My!

Beginning in the northern suburbs of Vancouver, BC, the famed Sea-to-Sky Highway winds along Canada’s picturesque West Coast to the Whistler Mountain ski resort. It’s a drive of about 100 km, but takes visitors to a different world. A place far from the sophisticated and diverse city of Vancouver to a towering mountain wilderness with some of the finest skiing in North America.

Nine rugged Sandvik top hammer surface drills are playing their part in a massive improvement project along the highway, preparing it for the flood of visitors who will use it during the 2010 Winter Olympics’ skiing events. But that’s only part of the story: Widening the highway by doubling its current two lanes in most areas will also make it much safer for everyone who uses it.

The highway affords some of the most spectacular scenery on the West Coast. At first, drivers have a view of Lions Bay, an inlet of the Strait of Georgia; then come the snow-capped Coast Mountains as the road continues through Squamish and up to the Whistler/Blackcomb mountain ski resorts, 2,182 meters above sea level.

Unfortunately, a combination of factors have made the highway particularly dangerous in the past, including the high volume of traffic and the narrow, twisting roadbed which often presents drivers with blind turns. The highway averages 300 accidents a year, well above the provincial average. There have reportedly been six fatal accidents in the last 18 months.

Peter Kiewit Sons Co. Named Design-Builder
The Sea-to-Sky Highway project will cost $600 million CAD. It’s a complicated, arduous procedure which involves frequent, highway closures to construct passing lanes and to make other improvements.

The Province of British Columbia, represented by the Ministry of Transportation and BC Transportation Financing Authority, awarded this DBFO (design-build-finance-operate) project to S2S Transportation Group, which includes Peter Kiewit Sons Co. as the design-builder. The project is one of the first public-private partnerships to reach financial closure within the North American transportation market. Kiewit’s design- build team is supported by prime designer Hatch Mott MacDonald and 20 other local sub-design firms.

The project involves upgrades to the 100 km of the Sea-to-Sky Highway (Highway 99) between Vancouver and Whistler. Work includes the construction of 48 bridges/interchanges, 219 MSE (mechanically stabilized embankment) retaining walls, 2.4 million cubic meters of earthwork, and 450,000 tons of asphalt paving. Managed in four distinct segments, the project is largely defined by geography and environmental concerns to enhance efficiency and construction quality, while protecting plants and animals.

The final touches of the Kiewit highway crews include placing concrete barriers between oncoming lanes along lengthy stretches of the highway.

Construction began in August 2005, with the first influx of a Kiewit work force that would grow to 600 men and women. Work is expected to be completed in 2009, in time for Vancouver to host the 2010 Winter Olympics, which will be held February 12-28. The 2010 Paralympics will be held March 12-21 in the same area.

Traffic Stops a Frequent Occurrence
Since all work is performed under existing highway use and traffic conditions, Kiewit employees directing traffic have become a common sight along the highway. Traffic stoppages are limited from two to 10 minutes during the day, and prohibited from Friday afternoons through Sunday evenings, when the highway carries a heavy volume of skiers to and from Vancouver.

Traffic volume during the Olympics will only get heavier. That is why provincial officials decided it was an appropriate time to make improvements to the highway. These improvements will not only accommodate Olympic traffic, but will still be beneficial for regular traffic use for years to come.

Among the most common reasons for stopping traffic is to set off blasts near the highway and to clear away the rock and other debris. There are typically two to three blasts during the day shift, and two at night. Jim McBride, Kiewit’s Drill & Blast Superintendent – Segment 2, said the project calls for relatively small charges of explosives to minimize vibration so close to the busy road.

“Daytime blasts usually move 500 cubic meters of rock because of the vibration limits. At night, we’re doing 1,500 to 2,000 cubic meters,” he said.

Further complicating the drill and blast procedures are railroad tracks that run below and parallel to the highway for part of the project. The railroad carries freight in the winter and tourists in the summer. Kiewit crews are very careful not to let any blasted rock fall from the highway to the tracks below. The average use of explosives along the highway involves .7 meters of rock shot for every meter drilled. A combination of water-resistant ANFO and explosive cartridges is used in the blasting, at a ratio of .6 to .9 kilograms per cubic meter of rock blasted, depending on the rock type and traffic conditions. Most drill holes range from eight to 10 meters deep; while some go down 16 meters. McBride estimated he would use a total of one million kilograms of ANFO on the project.

Shaun Norman, Operations Director for Sandvik dealer Traxxon Rock Drills Ltd., describes the entire project as “complicated,” and that being an understatement.

The project falls within Kiewit’s Western Canada District, but because of its massive scale, it is also pulling in employees from other parts of Canada and the U.S. Three maintenance and parts sites were constructed along the highway to keep equipment moving day and night. Traxxon stocks these sites with Sandvik drilling tools and spare parts, and Kiewit purchases the parts on an as-needed basis.

New Sandvik Drills Augmented By Local Support
Although Kiewit already owned two Sandvik Tiger-class Sandvik CHA 550s drills, it purchased seven new RP 800s for this project (the drills are already slated for use on three other Kiewit projects, according to McBride). The drills are part of 600 pieces of motorized equipment on the job, most of which were brought in from other Kiewit sites. Since drills are such specialized machines, Kiewit sought the help of Traxxon in deciding which brand to purchase.

In the end, it came down to the service and customer support available from Traxxon’s nearby Burnaby, BC, office.

“Drills are far more complicated than bulldozers and require special care. You have to be ready to get to work on a drill right away. Since Traxxon had so many maintenance and service people available, it made sense to buy the new Sandvik drills from them,” McBride said.

In addition, Traxxon customized the RP 800 drills for the project by adding a 30-degree angle to the mast and installing a metal guard in front of the hoses. These changes allow the Sandvik drills to maneuver closer to rock walls, an essential advantage because of the often tight working quarters.

The RP 800s and CHA 550s are used to drill holes from three to four inches in diameter, depending on the rock conditions and the proximity to the highway. Holes six to seven inches in diameter are used to prepare anchors for concrete highway foundations.

No Blasting Near Eagles’ Nests
The relatively small holes and explosive charges are often used to minimize disruption to nearby traffic. But traffic isn’t the only concern when it comes to blasting, according to McBride. Stringent environmental regulations prohibit blasting within one km of an eagle’s nest with eggs. So far, the Kiewit crews have encountered at least four such nests, which means work had to be limited in those areas until the eagles were safe. Video cameras were used to track progress of the eaglets hatching from the eggs.

The almost constant rain in the Vancouver area is another environmental concern. Kiewit is obligated to stop work entirely on certain sections of the highway when heavy rain falls, lest it carries dust down the mountainside and toward sensitive streams in the affected area.

Let’s not forget western Canada’s ubiquitous black bears, which number between 120,000 and 160,000 in British Columbia and sometimes wander close to the work sites – and residential backyards. Norman recalled seeing a black bear at the side of the highway during one of his morning inspections.

Eagles, rain and bears aside, McBride and his drill operators have nothing but praise for Sandvik’s Rock Pilot system on the RP 800 drills, which automatically adjusts drilling power, according to rock conditions.

“With the Rock Pilot system, we haven’t broken any steel at all. The drillers tell me they are getting good penetration and production rates without tearing up drill steel,” McBride said.

“We call it the ‘Auto Pilot,’ ” Norman added.

Types of rock that have been encountered and conquered with the Rock Pilot system include gneiss, shale and granite.

Traxxon On Hand For Start-ups, Training
Traxxon employees worked with Kiewit’s drillers on the initial drill start- ups, concentrating on operational and maintenance procedures. Traxxon’s Lloyd Jenkinson, the company’s lead maintenance person for the past eight years, was on-site for all the drill start-ups and training – including drill operation and maintenance.

Traxxon Rock Drills Ltd. was formed in 2001, and consists of two former companies, Pacific Percussion Industries (PPI) and Traxxon Equipment.

It was through PPI that Traxxon Rock Drills inherited its position as a distributor of Sandvik drills and tooling in British Columbia. The company has sold most of the 80 Sandvik top hammer drills at work in the province, and also distributes Sandvik rock tools, including drill steel, bits and striker bars. In addition, Traxxon Rock Drills handles custom design work for applications in mining, construction and forestry, among other industries.

Traxxon Equipment Ltd. began as a manufacturer of tracked undercarriages for logging towers in the early 1960s. Traxxon now manufactures the TR-EX 2000 high performance excavator mounted rock drill attachment’s, which utilizes the Sandvik drill heads. Kiewit purchased three of the TR-EX 2000s and they are working alongside the Sandvik drills on the Sea-to-Sky Highway project.

Kiewit Among North America’s Top Contractors
Founded in Omaha, NE, in 1894, Peter Kiewit Sons Co. is consistently ranked among the Top 10 contractors by Engineering News- Record, with 2006 revenues of more than $5 billion USD. In 2007, Kiewit was named by Fortune magazine as the most admired construction company. Kiewit is also one of the largest employee-owned firms in the U.S., with more than 1,700 U.S. and Canadian employee-stockholders. Nearly all of the company’s construction projects are staffed by one or more owners of the company.

Kiewit has 32 districts and associated locations around the U.S. and Canada and works in 10 industrial markets, including building, transportation, oil and gas, mining and underground. Among the company’s many high-profile construction projects was the development of a series of seaway projects for the St. Lawrence Seaway in the 1950s, including the Long Sault Canal and the Iroquis Dam.

The Sea-to-Sky Highway is formally under the supervision of Kiewit’s Western Canada District, with offices in Vancouver.

Sandvik’s Drills Ideal For Rough Terrain
Sandvik’s RP 800 self-propelled, self-contained hydraulic crawler drill rigs have a revolving superstructure, articulated boom and can handle very rough terrain. With an ergonomic operator’s cab, powerful hydraulic rock drill and mechanized rod changer, they drill quality holes from 51-127 mm in diameter to depths of up to 25m. Rangers have huge coverage area that allows the operator to drill more holes, faster, from a single set-up. Their power, precision and versatility make them an ideal choice for construction, quarrying or surface mining operations.

Sandvik’s Rock Pilot drills series, including the 500, 680, 700, 780 and 800, features high rotation torque HL series hydraulic top hammer rock drills. The rock drill and articulating boom are mounted on a revolving superstructure (120 degree/180 degree optional), offering a large drilling coverage of 189 ft2 (248 ft2 optional). This allows the operator to face the drilling spot at all times. By placing the power pack crosswise at the rear of the superstructure, the rig’s stability is greatly enhanced because the counterweight is on the opposite side of the boom, regardless of drilling direction.

Sandvik’s Rock Pilot drilling control system guarantees smooth drilling, straight holes and excellent performance even in difficult ground conditions. The super-fast control adjusts drilling power automatically, reacting to changing rock formations and sending the optimal amount of power to the rock. Hole quality is increased and steel life is extended, qualities both shown in the Sea-to-Sky Highway project.

In addition, the fuel tank has been increased by 30 percent, allowing the rig to drill for more than 12 hours straight without stopping.

The two smaller Sandvik CHA 550s are part of the Sandvik Tiger-class crawler drill rigs with an extendable boom and designed for use in very rough terrain. Tiger-class rigs are of classic design with mast-mounted drilling controls, maneuverable chassis and fast tramming. All rigs are self-contained and equipped with powerful hydraulic rock drills. The hole diameter range covered by the Tiger series is 51-102 mm.

Sandvik CHA drills are used in civil engineering jobs all over the world because their size and mobility allow operators to get into tight spots on uneven terrain, exactly the situation that often exists along the narrow corridor of the Sea-to-Sky Highway. The drill’s intuitive controls have been enhanced for smoother response to varying rock conditions, making drilling easier and increasing drill tool lifetime.

Kiewit Found Exactly What It Needed
The challenging work conditions and tight deadlines on the Sea-to-Sky Highway project make it essential to work with drills that maximize productivity – and with a dealer that minimizes downtime. The experienced Kiewit construction crew found exactly what it needed in Sandvik drills and Traxxon.

As McBride put it, “We needed good production from our drills and we needed to work with a dealer that was nearby and able to provide good service.”

With hundreds of millions of dollars at stake in this olympian-sized project – not to mention the safety of drivers and the protection of animal life – it makes sense for Kiewit, Sandvik and Traxxon to form their own team and go for the gold.

SIDEBARS

What There Is to See in Whistler
Although some 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics events will be held in other locations in and around Vancouver, the most spectacular skiing, bobsled, luge and skeleton events will take place in the Whistler Resort. Visitors will make the drive from Vancouver along the renovated and improved Sea-to-Sky Highway.

Events scheduled for Whistler:
Alpine skiing, men’s and women’s
Paralympic alpine skiing, men’s and women’s
Biathlon, men’s and women’s
Paralympic biathlon
Cross country skiing, men’s and women’s team
Paralympic cross country skiing

On nearby Blackcomb Mountain:
Bobsled, men’s and women’s
Luge, men’s and women’s
Skeleton, men’s and women’s

Tickets
Vancouver 2010 ticket information – including pricing and methods of purchase – will be available in 2008.

If you’re planning to attend the Olympics, you may subscribe to the vancouver2010.com mailing list to receive updates on ticket information.

Olympic Accommodations
Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC), in association with the regional tourism associations and hotels, is in the early stages of an accommodation plan for spectators traveling to Vancouver and Whistler for the 2010 Winter Games. More information on how and when reservations can be booked will be available in the first half of 2007. Once this process is completed, hotels participating in VANOC’s accommodation program will know exactly how many of their rooms will be available for spectators. Until that time, these hotels are not taking reservations for the games. Accommodation pricing is the responsibility of the individual hotels, but VANOC expects rooms will be available at a variety of price levels.

For more information, visit www.vancouver2010.com.

Sea-to-Sky Improvements At A Glance

• Highway straightening and improved sightlines on key sections of the highway

• A total of 80 km of passing lanes along the 100-km highway between Horseshoe Bay and Whistler

• A total of 36 km of median barrier or raised median along the length of the highway

• Highly reflective pavement markings installed along the length of the highway

• Wider shoulders (1.5 m) for improved safety and to accommodate cyclists

Sandvik Mining and Construction

US Headquarters
345 Patton Drive SW, Atlanta GA 30336
Toll Free + 800.826.7625 - Fax + 404.589.2900
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100 Magill Street, Lively, Ontario P3Y1K7
Main: 705-692-5881- Fax: 1-705-692-5313
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© Sandvik Mining and Construction LLC
Latest update: 07/27/2007 06:18:57 PM
Reprinted with permission.