Unpaved Heavy Haul Road Rehabilitated with Tough Cell® Geocells
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For decades, the MD of Greenview faced ongoing challenges maintaining one of its major haul roads. Due to poor soil compaction, traditional road construction struggled to withstand the demands of heavy use over time. This project showcases the exceptional strength and resilience of Tough Cell® for remediating this crucial access road, providing a long-lasting solution to a long-standing problem.
CORE CONCERNS:
Reliability, Costly Maintenance, Downtime
APPLICATION:
Access Road
CONDITIONS:
Ruts, Rough Riding Course
LOCATION:
2016
PROJECT OVERVIEW
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The MD of Greenview hired Paradox to rehabilitate an actively used Forestry Trunk Road that supported daily heavy-haul traffic. The road was being excessively loaded by logging and oilfield service trucks. With over 25 years of heavy usage, the MD frequently made repairs and needed an alternative option to reduce future maintenance costs and road downtime.
Paradox and their engineering partner Stratum Logics designed, implemented and remediated the road with Tough Cell® —NPA geocells. This soil stabilization technology solved their long-standing maintenance issues and restored the road’s riding course, making it suitable for long-term heavy use.
THE MISSION
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To repair and remediate the access road to support heavy traffic without rutting/degradation and to minimize future maintenance.
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
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The road, including a 100m steep incline (Simonette Hill), was remediated with minimal disruption. Construction was scheduled in phases to keep the road operational while simultaneously repairing the damaged stretches. This alleviated traffic disruptions and ensured continuous access for local residents and businesses.
THE PROBLEM
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For over two decades, Simonette Hill road came under increasingly heavy use, experiencing 20-30 passes per hour daily. The clay substrate under the road displayed poor compaction and the large volumes of heavy haul trucks created deep ruts. This significantly compromised its riding course and as forestry activity continued to grow, the road experienced excessive loading far beyond its intended capacity. As a result, the MD spent hundreds of thousands of dollars annually on repairs and the community faced road closures and delays in traffic during construction.
Frustration with hefty maintenance costs and extended periods of downtime was growing. The municipality reached out to Paradox for a permanent solution that would
support the activity in the area and reduce future maintenance needs and costs.
Paradox in tandem with their engineering partner Stratum Logics, designed and implemented a solution with Tough Cell® – NPA geocells. This confinement technology withstands the rigors of daily heavy vehicular traffic with minimal creep, to prevent potholes and other subsurface failures from developing.
PROJECT AT A GLANCE
Laying of geotextile.
Stretching and laying of Tough Cell® geocells.
Tough Cell® layer ready to be filled.
Filling of the Tough Cell® layer.
Compacted and finished haul road.
PROJECT SPECS
TOTAL AREA
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1.2km x 9m
length x width
Access Road
PRODUCT
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330-150-D
Tough Cell®
NPA Geocell | Geotextile
INFILL
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300mm AT
Class 40
Gravel
THE SOLUTION
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Paradox reconstructed and installed the road within a short time frame using Tough Cell® NPA geocells.
The road was rebuilt in isolated sections to keep it open during construction. These bypass routes ensured that there were no road closures during the project.
THE BENEFITS
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COST EFFICIENCES:
The client realized significant savings, both in upfront capital expenditure for remediation and in ongoing long-term maintenance costs.
PROJECT TIMELINESS:
By utilizing Tough Cell® technology, the client benefitted from an expedited project timeline, avoiding disruptions and eliminating the need for road closures.
REDUCED MAINTENANCE:
The Tough Cell® road solution has reduced the amount and frequency of maintenance required.