AIL is proud to be a project partner in another major Canadian infrastructure project. Edmonton's busiest intersection is 23rd Avenue at Gateway Boulevard, serving over 100,000 vehicles daily. The project converts the level, signaled intersection to a split diamond interchange and calls for 25 MSE Precast Panel Walls to be constructed over a 14-month period. The $260-million-plus, four-year effort also includes: five bridges, roadway, railway and drainage construction, and; the re-alignment of major oil and gas pipelines.

The walls are primarily used in fill applications to elevate 23rd Avenue. They cover an area 18,116 m² and use 500,000 m³ of clay fill and 250,000 m³ of granular fill. The AIL contract includes: engineering, design and drafting; manufacturing and delivery of precast concrete panels; manufacturing and delivery of soil reinforcing, and; coordination of design and delivery of materials in accordance with the contractor's schedule.

Our in-house engineering and technical teams have worked very closely with Kiewit Management Company (General Contractor) and ISL Engineering and Land Services (Prime Consultant) to address some unique challenges. The most significant challenge was in developing a concrete mix for the precast panels that would meet the project's high coulomb requirement. The mix design involved a specialized, high-performance concrete that had a very low permeability of less than 500 coulombs requiring a seven-day wet cure process prior to shipping. We also created custom, slope-topped design for the panels and custom, extended soil reinforcement bar mat lengths for the abutment walls.

Wall construction is nearing completion and we look forward to showcasing the project in the near future as one of Western Canada's more significant infrastructure upgrades. In the meantime, the project's extensive website features a live construction cam, a 3D-animated drive-through and more detailed information.    www.23avenue.com