Year
2017
Client
Hudson Bay Rail Line / Churchill
Canada
Overview
Churchill, a town located in Northern Manitoba with a population of approximately 1,000 is a popular destination for tourists with its polar bears and beluga whales. The region is also one of the world’s best locations for viewing the aurora borealis. Being extremely remote, Churchill was only accessible by air for nearly 18 months after a flood washed out 30 sections of the railway (that in total spanned two kilometers) in early 2017.
Year
2017
Client
Hudson Bay Rail Line / Churchill
Canada
Overview
Churchill, a town located in Northern Manitoba with a population of approximately 1,000 is a popular destination for tourists with its polar bears and beluga whales. The region is also one of the world’s best locations for viewing the aurora borealis. Being extremely remote, Churchill was only accessible by air for nearly 18 months after a flood washed out 30 sections of the railway (that in total spanned two kilometers) in early 2017.
Challenges
The repair needed to be done in a way to avoid future extensive maintenance and ensure completion within an efficient time frame while respecting and preserving the surrounding land and its unique ecosystem. A challenging feat, Paradox Access Solutions and it’s an engineering partner Stratum Logics rose to the occasion and worked together on a solution for Cando Rail and the railway’s owners, Arctic Gateway Group.
Logistics
Due to the remote location, transporting necessary materials and Paradox workers was an obstacle. A fifty-mile trip with a heavy load, the train could only travel seven miles per hour. The rail line speed was fifteen kilometers per hour and twenty kilometers per hour with passengers, making the journey slow. In turn, this required the Paradox team to pre-plan accordingly to ensure that there were enough materials and scheduled labor for the team. Additionally, Paradox recycled onsite materials to ensure that supply levels were kept consistent.
Ground Conditions
Churchill is on an ecotone between three regions: the boreal forest, the Arctic Tundra, and Hudson Bay. On the rail line, there was little shelter from the elements, making the weather conditions more extreme. The ground was soft, with a CBR of 1%. Paradox worked with these conditions and prepared their team properly and pre-planned the utilization of Tough Cell technology to fix the rail line and make it resistant to these significant biological conditions.
Minimal Communication
Churchill’s remoteness resulted in technical issues with communication. Cell service was limited, so the team was to use satellite phones and radios. Despite this, workers and the Paradox team pushed through and made the circumstances work to ensure proper and efficient communication.
Community Access
The absence of the rail track made it hard for residents to maintain a sense of consistent wellbeing. A solution to remediate the rail line was essential.
Our Approach
“The rail line was damaged by flood and possible damage to the underlying permafrost. Compounded with the harsh winter weather, shorter construction season, and a linear construction sequence, we needed a solution that could address all these issues and complete the work within
TOUGH CELL & TEAM WORK
The re-construction of a rail line is a demanding task. Weather conditions can vary, the weight, speed, and frequency of the load play a role, and environmental conditions such as permafrost can be problematic. These challenges are why this was the perfect project for Paradox. With our extensive experience, a skilled team, and the ability to communicate and embrace challenges, is what made this project an excellent fit. – Tough Cell is a cellular confinement and soil stabilization solution made of Novel Polymeric Alloy (NPA) geocells and is befitting for railway construction and areas with an influx of muskeg. Tough Cell is constructed from Neoloy, a novel nano-polymeric alloy (NPA) that maintains its dimensional stability from -60⁰ to +60⁰, under dynamic and cyclic loadings, and is highly resistant to polymeric creep.
REHABILITATION
Designing sustainable infrastructure with limited engineering data is always a challenge, especially when it comes to an environment where damage to the environment should be minimal. – Rehabilitation of the century-old Gillam to Churchill railway line crossing had similar challenges as it passed through the vast permafrost region of Northern Manitoba.
The road utilized two layers of Tough Cell®, while the pad utilized three layers of Cells. Both were filled with local materials while aggregates were supplied by local quarries, within ±30km radius.
The road was 4.3 kms in total and finished with a width of 8 meters The Pad was 210m x 195m (40,950m2)
Aggregate materials required are significantly less than conventional methods, due to eliminated requirement for excavation and replacement of organic materials. This resulted in a huge carbon savings usually incurred through expensive excavation & hauling of aggregate material.
Results
Work is progressing on schedule; coming in In under 60 days, the project was complete. With our materials, team, and expertise, the project was finished ahead of schedule, on budget, and met the highest quality standards. With the rail up and running, and its ability to operate safely and efficiently no matter the conditions, Churchill and surrounding communities now have consistent and reliable access to necessities.
A design with NPA Geocell reinforcement for the railway embankment addressed the following issues and was able to:
1. Provide necessary structural strength for the railway traffic. 2. Protect the underlying permafrost from further degradation. 3. Provide erosion control at the embankment slopes against snowmelt and creek flows.
4. Facilitate a linear construction schedule to be completed within one construction season. 5. Complete the work in a reasonable budget significantly less than that estimated for conventional construction.
Benefits
REINFORCING THE GROUND WITH TOUGH CELL
Paradox’s patented Tough Cell solution was the most suitable technology for reinforcing the ground on this site. Tough Cell met all requirements specified by United Rentals, including (but not limited to):
Fortifies track structure, and stabilizes ballast layers.
Adds lateral restraint instead of lateral spread.
Reduces the settlement of ballast materials and fouling.
Fewer structural layers.
ADVANTAGES
Lower material and infill costs and faster installation. Tough Cells material is stiff, and it’s passive resistance of the geocell mattress and the “Beam Effect” working mechanism help to increase subgrade strength and decrease vertical
Reduces up to 50% of your project’s cost and duration.
Utilize non-cohesive Local Infill Materials.
