The Coquihalla Highway (Highway 5) between Hope and Merritt, BC was closed in November of 2021 following an atmospheric river event that damaged more than 20 sites along the 130 kilometres stretch of highway. The flooding and washouts associated with the rain also impacted seven bridges where spans completely collapsed or were heavily damaged.
The BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure began permanent repairs to the Coquihalla Highway and the Trans-Canada Highway through the Fraser Canyon, to return four-lane traffic to three sections of the Coquihalla, while temporary repairs allowed traffic through in December.
Work to return the Coquihalla Highway to the previous full, four-lane capacity permanently, took place at three sites; Bottletop Bridges, 50 kilometres south of Merritt, Juliet Bridges, three kilometres south of Bottletop, and Jessica Bridges, 48 kilometres south of Juliet.
The contract for development and early construction work for this project was awarded to KEA5, a joint venture between Kiewit Infrastructure BC and Emil Anderson. KEA5 engaged Allnorth to complete materials testing at these sites. The scope of work included the following:
- Concrete field testing as per the Design Build Standard Specifications (DBSS) for highway construction.
- Concrete laboratory testing for compressive strength and other tests as per DBSS.
- Compaction testing and reporting.
- Aggregate sample collections, laboratory testing and coordination.
Allnorth provided qualified technicians to confirm and document the compaction of placed materials using the nuclear method, as well as performing on-site concrete testing as per CCIL (Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories) specifications.
In an effort to minimize traffic disruptions during peak travel hours, the schedule was accelerated, which demanded a short turnaround time for concrete laboratory test results. Allnorth took prompt action by providing a CCIL Certified Materials Testing Laboratory on short notice, as well as additional certified technicians to facilitate the quick turnaround of concrete laboratory test results. This allowed for timely decision-making and smooth progress in the construction activities, while minimizing potential delays due to transportation or external laboratory processing times.
Images, courtesy of BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Highway 5 – Coquihalla – 2021 BC Highway Flood Recovery Project | Flickr
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Concrete Field and Lab Testing
- Compaction Testing
- Aggregate Lab Testing and Coordination
- CCIL Lab Testing
LOCATION
Merritt & Hope, BC
