Year
2015
Client
Ford, Peace River
Canada
Overview
A new Ford dealership in Peace River, Alberta required a grade-supported slab in the base of their building to support a heavy vehicular load. With the building frame already constructed, work was to begin on the interior foundation. The high-water table in the area presented a poor and water-logged subgrade that would not adequately support a concrete slab. The client approached Paradox Access Solutions after seeing the results of a previously known Paradox project involving a parking lot built over a similarly soft and saturated subgrade. As these same conditions were evident inside the Ford building, Paradox was engaged to provide a solution. Paradox proposed a Tough Cell® reinforcement design, which would provide the needed stability and strength to support the concrete foundation.
Year
2015
Client
Ford, Peace River
Canada
Overview
A new Ford dealership in Peace River, Alberta required a grade-supported slab in the base of their building to support a heavy vehicular load. With the building frame already constructed, work was to begin on the interior foundation. The high-water table in the area presented a poor and water-logged subgrade that would not adequately support a concrete slab. The client approached Paradox Access Solutions after seeing the results of a previously known Paradox project involving a parking lot built over a similarly soft and saturated subgrade. As these same conditions were evident inside the Ford building, Paradox was engaged to provide a solution. Paradox proposed a Tough Cell® reinforcement design, which would provide the needed stability and strength to support the concrete foundation.
Challenges
Paradox’s patented Tough Cell solution was the most suitable technology for reinforcing the ground on this site.
Soft Ground Conditions
A commercial building was being erected over a saturated clay subgrade which proved unsuitable for supporting a solid foundation.
Cold Temperatures
The conventional proposal would have seen a 4m depth of existing soil removed and replaced with engineered fill. As the project faced the oncoming winter season, this option was not only costly but unfeasible.
Results
Utilizing Paradox Access Solutions’ Tough Cell® design, the construction of the Peace River Ford dealership building proceeded without delay through the winter months. This innovative construction method realized a 30% cost savings for the client and sufficiently stabilized the existing soil to support the planned concrete foundation. To date, Peace River Ford has experienced none of the issues previously expected from regional ground conditions.
Approach
Paradox Access Solutions proposed to install Tough Cell® geocells indoors at the Peace River Ford dealership during construction. Project scope began with site grading and subgrade preparation which included compaction of the exiting subgrade soil to minimize differential heaving. With the prepared subgrade, the geocell layer was installed overtop a separation layer of woven geotextile to minimize ongoing water infiltration. The cells were then filled with 200mm of 40mm engineered aggregate fill.
Total area: 2000m2
Product(s): 330-150 Type D Tough Cell® Geocell; woven geotextiles
Infill: 200mm of 40mm gravel fill
Completion: Capped with concrete slab-on-grade
Benefits
The Tough Cell® Geocell solution will evenly distribute the expected vehicular loading and control differential settlement of the subbase. This, in turn, will minimize future potential cracking of the concrete slab. The project owners benefited from a 30% cost savings over the conventional construction alternative. In addition, the Tough Cell® solution allowed the project to proceed through the winter months whereas conventional methods would have significantly delayed construction.