Photo Courtesy of the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Allnorth was contracted to lead a project team in the research and development of a mechanical snow clearing system to keep the Port Mann bridge stay cables free of snow during winter snowstorms.
The multi-talented project team included mechanical, structural, electrical and instrumentation engineers, rigging specialists, plus a steel fabrication manufacturing facility. The focus was on the research and development of a rolling mechanism actuated via high speed linear winches to clean the stay cables.
Allnorth completed prototype testing of the snow shuttle in an all-weather GM test laboratory located near Oshawa, Ontario, and mock system prototype testing was completed in Chilliwack, BC.
Although the snow shuttle design was highly regarded by the BC MoTI, research and development of the cleaning system was placed on hold prior to starting the bridge testing, to allow for the installation and situational testing of the currently installed chain drop cleaning system.
In addition to snow shuttle research and development, Allnorth also provided finite element analysis (FEA) engineering services to estimate the heat input required to keep the stay cables free of snow electrically.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Research and development
- Mechanical Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
LOCATION
Coquitlam to Surrey, BC
