How To Build A Boardwalk Over Wetlands
Building a boardwalk over wetlands is a great way to add value to a community. Wetland boardwalks give the public a fashion to bask the beauty of nature, in place that would otherwise be off-limits. Only building a walkway in such a fragile environment brings many challenges. Peculiarly in environmentally protected areas, there are a number of factors that need to exist considered in wetland boardwalk construction.
Ane of our recent boardwalk construction jobs in Autumn River, Massachusetts is a perfect example of how a great site plan, combined with a little creativity and lots of experience tin can event in a scenic natural sanctuary for the public to explore.
The Quequechan River Track-Trail
For over 30 years the Rails to Trails Conservancy® has been helping to transform unused railroad corridors into vibrant public places to be enjoyed by the community. The initiative has been so successful that public and private funds have poured into new, local projects all over the land.
Conte Company had a great opportunity to piece of work on only such a project concluding yr in Fall River, Massachusetts. The beautiful landscape, total of wildlife in a robust wetland sanctuary challenged u.s. to complete a highly-sensitive, ecology project using our highly adaptable, helical pile expertise.
Now completed, we are extremely proud of this project and happy to bring the story of its construction to our readers. Like u.s., most of you love existence outdoors, enjoying what nature has to offer while maintaining its pristine beauty. Fall River wanted the same for their residents and decided to complete part of a hiking and biking trail that followed the old Fall River Rail Line. The rail bed was being recycled with assistance from the Rails to Trails folks, who sponsor these kinds of projects all over the USA.
A Boardwalk Foundation Supported past Mud
In a nutshell, we were asked to connect a trail that ran downward the center of a few tiny islands while making the island trails accessible from each river banking company. The islands were separated by stretches of the flowing water, swampy wetlands and various grades of soft wet soil. Our mission was to develop a support system for four bridges which would seamlessly connect the trails running through these islands.
Using helical piles to build or repair a boardwalk is not uncommon. In fact, for building on wetlands, helical piers are the most effective solution to support paths, bridges and walkways. And so when nosotros first heard nearly this boardwalk construction project in Fall River, nosotros knew information technology had our name all over it. We had the expertise, the feel and the attending to detail to do the job right.
We alive to find new and better means to build stronger foundations, which is why we are the #one installer of Chance® Helical Piles in New England! Later a few references from previous projects, the full general contractor knew that our structure footprint would be nowhere to be found in one case the pathway was complete. And and then, the chore was ours.
Working in a Protected Eco-System
To dig right in, this project pitted a diversity of ecology challenges against the special requirements of the boardwalk. First and foremost, protection of the wetland plants and animals inhabiting the river and surrounding marshes topped the priority listing. A tricky work surroundings, unpredictable soil conditions and a litany of environmental regulations would be enough to scare off well-nigh contractors, but non Conte Company.
"Conte Visitor'south experience with environmentally sensitive areas, and the regulations protecting them, was invaluable to the success of this project."
Strong Plenty for Semis
The boardwalk requirements were challenging in-and-of itself. In brusque, a total of four bridges were needed, which had to exist H20 loaded. That means they had to be strong enough to back up 18 wheeler trucks! In our experience, the all-time manner to accomplish this type of necessary support was to space the piles more than closely together and apply batter piles (angled supports) to resist lateral loads.
The need for this added structural strength is unusual. Most boardwalks we build are pedestrian rated and we tin bring in our smaller equipment to install the piles. In this case, nevertheless, it was mandatory that the popular walking, running and biking path had access for emergency vehicles. The Quequechan River Boardwalk was designed for pedestrians, but also needed to be able to support ambulances and other first responders, which would require much bigger helical piles sizes than we would normally install. Ultimately, this job required u.s. to bring in the large excavator in order to drive the big diameter piles into the soil below the water.
With all of these ingredients and the big equipment necessary to install a heavy-duty boardwalk, the projection had all the ingredients for disaster… that is if a less experienced company had been hired for the chore. Simply Fall River hired Conte Company and we're proud to take on the most complicated wetland boardwalk structure projects.
Barges are the Answer
Given the nature of the delicate eco-organisation in which nosotros need to piece of work, the first major question that came upwards was:
"How do you get the big equipment where it needs to go, to do what information technology needs to do, without compromising the eco-system or the safety of the workers?"
The solution was barges! We've used barges in helical pile installations before, and they've worked really well. We decided that floating pontoon barges to transport equipment and materials was the manner to go. The big excavators could accomplish over the side of the clomp, lower the helical piles into the water and screw them into the footing. Our guys, on free-floating docks, would guide the helical piles into position and bolt on the extensions then they could exist driven deep into the soil. Our experienced crew could focus on this intricate job because we've done information technology before. We have a lot of feel around water and didn't forget the issues spray). At Conte Visitor, safe is e'er first!
Boardwalk Bridges, Made To Lodge
Ii of the longer bridges were to stalk from reverse shores and come across on the biggest isle, allowing pedestrians to cantankerous from ane side of the river to the other. The two shorter bridges were to bridge a few smaller gaps over the water. The longest span was to exist 500 anxiety, the shortest 100 feet, and we would have to use a m total of 600 helical piles to make everything hook up — and stay upwards.
View this project on Google Maps
The boardwalk'southward roadbed was to be lined with 10-inch wide timber sections. Each department would require united states tofabricate custom, galvanized beam saddles to secure the boardwalk to its helical pile organisation.
The general contractor fabricated each timber boardwalk section based on measurements of the piles as nosotros installed them. And each boardwalk section was fastened to the foundation every bit information technology was completed. Yous can think of it like a custom boardwalk associates line. As we go, so go the boards. This requires meticulous care to ensure that each and every pile was plum, secure and properly aligned with each of the other piles.
"Helicals were really the simply choice on an environmentally fragile job like this."
Using Helical Piles for Boardwalks
There are three reasons why helical piles are the perfect solution for wetland boardwalk construction: Logistics, Structural Stability and Ecology Bear on…
Simplified Logistics
Compared to other types of pile foundations, helical pile systems are like shooting fish in a barrel to install and require less maneuvering room to practice it. The arm of the pile driving excavator can reach out away from the machine, whereas other types of piles systems demand to exist drilled or driven straight down.
1-path-in and one-path-out means there's not a lot of room for extra machinery. Fortunately, to install helical piers, yous actually only need the one excavator. No other pile system could be installed faster or more efficiently than helical.
High Structural Stability
As we mentioned, construction of the boardwalk itself was being measured, fit and installed correct in our footsteps. This meant the foundation needed to be secure and able to concur capacity immediately. That'southward sort of a trademark of screw pile systems, as they do not require concrete.
Screw piles are likewise incredibly stable in soft soils, like mud and riverbed. In this case we used round shaft helical piles to adjust the potential trailer truck loads. Even if another pile system were easier to install (which it wasn't), a helical foundation was the correct choice for the projection.
Depression Ecology Impact
As we mentioned, protecting the eco-system in which we were working was one of the nearly important aspects of this job. And helical pile systems have very little impact on their environment, even feet from where they're being installed.
- No Grout Necessary – No contamination to the h2o or the habitat.
- No Spoils from Drilling – No clay or mud was pulled up from screwing the piles into the ground.
- Only Piles Remain – Nothing goes into the water except for shiny, galvanized, steel piles.
- No Danger to Wildlife – Piles are screwed deep underground, posing no threat to living things.
- Finished Fast – Completed in just a few months, the surround was to back to normal before Springtime!
"All of this had to be done in real time, while working on a barge, floating in 6 feet of water, in an environmentally protected area, alongside birds, fish and turtles. This job was interesting, to say the least."
All-in-all we couldn't be happier with how this project tuned out. If you've got a boardwalk project and need some adept advice, requite us a call. Our experience with wetland boardwalk construction and pile foundation systems makes us one of the most qualified contractors in the state.
Get a Gratis Consultation
Tell Us About Your Project
or
Asking an Authentic Estimate
Source: https://contecompany.com/wetland-boardwalk-construction-in-a-fragile-eco-system
0 Response to "How To Build A Boardwalk Over Wetlands"
Post a Comment