Category Construction Progress Show all
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Multi-trade rack mock-up in Coquitlam
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On February 22 and 29, members from the DCDH PMO, Graham, HDR and subcontractor representatives attended an in-person mock-up review of a typical multi-trade rack in Coquitlam to provide feedback and discuss the pre-fabrication design.
A multi-trade rack (MTR) is a steel frame structure that contains elements such as ductwork, water lines, heating pipes, sprinkler lines, valves, VAV boxes, steel studs and drywall, electrical components and anything else that is located in the ceiling of a corridor. Part of the project strategy is to pre-fabricate large components of the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital using MTRs. There will be approximately 90 in the new facility varying in size between 16’ to 24’ long.
While in production, three MTRs will be built per week. Fabrication is done based on an established sequence of activities so as to facilitate assembly-line like production to maximize completion output.
Once they are fabricated, the MTRs will undergo inspection and testing and then be shrink wrapped and shipped to Dawson Creek starting as early as July.
Once the MTRs arrive on-site, they’ll be lifted up with the tower crane, rolled onto the floor into position, inspected again, hoisted up into the ceiling space, and then bolted to the underside of the suspended slab. Once they are installed, the two-foot gap between each one will be in-filled, inclusive of all the mechanical and electrical services and drywall.
Pre-fabricating the MTRs off-site allows for them to be completed while work is still underway on the concrete superstructure as opposed to waiting until that work is complete. This method is also quicker, more cost effective, improves quality control, and is safer as it prevents workers having to work at heights.
Note: Image is from another project showing the MTR being lifted by the crane -
Level 1 suspended slab pours
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We’re excited to share that concrete pours for the Level 1 (L1) suspended slab are underway! The first pour was done on January 25 and the remaining pours will continue until mid-April. Once all 10 pours for L1 are complete, ~2510m3 of concrete will have been poured.
Fun fact: Heidelberg Materials, Dawson Creek is supplying all of the concrete for the suspended slabs and CanaSteel Rebar Services, Dawson Creek is supplying and installing all the reinforcing steel.
Suspended slabs are upper floor concrete slabs that are not in direct contact with the ground. The slab is supported on the exterior of the building by foundation walls and on the interior by concrete columns.
In anticipation for the suspended slab pours, Graham had to complete the foundations that serve as the supporting structure of the slab. This installation involves:
- Mudsill installation – Lumber used to support shoring. Mudsills distribute the shore load across an area big enough to not exceed the allowable soil bearing pressures.
- Shore Installation – Vertical support designed to carry the weight of the formwork, reinforcing bar, concrete and live loads. All engineered to known and assumed loads. For DCDH, we are using an engineered tower system.
- Beam Installation – Aluminum beams for horizontal formwork that are supported by the shores.
- Joist Installation – Horizontal formwork installed perpendicular to and supported by the beams. The form facing material (plywood) is placed directly on the joists.
- Formwork installation – The sheathing or plywood as mentioned above is what the concrete will be placed against.
For the most part, the shoring is built in place. The beam, joist and formwork are pre-assembled as much as possible and flown in place using one of the two tower cranes on site. Infills are then completed after the prefabricated pieces are installed.
The L1 suspended slab formwork is a tower system, so after the slab section has been poured, the beam, joists, and formwork will be removed and used on future pours. The shores will be lifted and individual reshore posts will be placed for the duration of all of the suspended slab pours for all levels.
As usual, there is a lot of preparation work that goes into the suspended slab pours beforehand. In addition to engineering and picking an appropriate system, extensive planning for heating and hoarding is required to ensure the concrete cures properly. For suspended slabs, heating comes from the bottom which allows the concrete to be placed and finished and then the top of the slab is covered with tarps to keep the concrete at the right temperature and prevent moisture evaporation.
The size of the pours are also pre-planned to accommodate:
- Concrete supply capabilities – Slab sizes are based on the amount of concrete that can be received in a 6-to-8-hour window
- Reinforcing steel laps and layout – Splices in rebar can impact structural integrity and increase loads outside of design parameters
- Engineered control and expansion joints – Allow for shrinkage or movement
- Crew availability and floor requirements – Levelness, flatness and finishes all have different levels of support and manpower required
- Ambient air temperature, heating and hoarding
The Level 2 and Level 3 suspended slabs consist of 18 pours (9 per level) totalling over 5000m3 (2500m3 per level) of concrete. Level 2 is anticipated to occur from March to May and Level 3 is anticipated from April to July.
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Ground heating and new temperature monitoring system
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Graham Design Builders prepared for the winter months by implementing their frost protection plan to maintain temperature levels of the foundation subgrade, thereby allowing concrete work to continue through the winter and protecting the ground from frost. This included procuring and installing ground thaw machines and natural gas lines.
Graham has sourced a new-to-market temperature monitoring system to complement the ground thaw machines. The new system provides real-time temperatures of the subgrade to their cellular devices and allows them to turn down or shut off the heaters when they’re not needed. It also ensures compliance, reduces costs, and helps the environment.
Graham has taken a different approach to ground heating with the use of natural gas instead of diesel. Natural gas is more reliable, cleaner to run, eliminates greenhouse gas emissions from regular fuel deliveries, and reduces the amount of greenhouse gas producing fuel being used. Diesel units can have limitations, be prone to mechanical issues in colder weather, and typically run for shorter periods of time to remove frost as opposed to preventing it.
Typically, a ground thaw machine is supplied and installed as a single all-in-one unit. Graham acquired a system that was installed as individual units that work in unison to run cleaner and limit potential re-work or replacement. Individual units also keep a consistent heat to the multiple lines to prevent frost and reduce the volume of glycol that would typically be lost in the event of a line failure.
How does the ground thaw system work?
- There are five individual glycol boilers, and each boiler is 1.8 million BTU.
- The boiler heats the glycol and supplies a fluid exchanger pump with a 2-inch supply and 2-inch return line – which is the main heating element of the system.
- The hot glycol runs through the plate exchanger and back to the heating unit.
- The use of the fluid exchanger pump keeps the fluid from the heating unit separate from the fluid in the field.
- From the fluid exchanger pump, 2-inch supply and return hoses are connected to 2-10 port manifolds.
- From the manifolds, soft ¾-inch glycol lines are connected and run for a maximum length of 1,000 feet.
- This creates a full system where the glycol is pumped from the heating unit to the fluid exchanger pump, which then heats the glycol that’s circulating through the ¾ hose and manifolds therefore resulting in warm, frost-free ground.
How does the new temperature monitoring system work?
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The temperature sensors are placed strategically throughout the site and at various depths.
- The depths are chosen based on the depth of the footings – some are placed at the bottom, some in the middle, and some shallow.
- A cellular enabled control node collects data at a set frequency (ex: 15 minutes) and then the information is sent to the Cloud where Graham can access the data.
- From the control node, there is an expansion box that can be hooked up to six temperature sensors.
- The system also notifies Graham automatically if/when temperatures drop below a certain set threshold.
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Tower crane #2 installed
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There's been a new addition to the Dawson Creek skyline with the installation of the second tower crane.
Check out this timelapse video of the installation process.
Read more about the first tower crane and the important role that cranes play on construction sites.
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More concrete pours and winter weather preparation
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If you’ve driven or walked by the site of the new hospital recently, you might have seen a sea of vibrant orange tarps across the site. Graham is planning and preparing for the winter months and starting to implement their frost protection plan.
It’s fundamental that heat and moisture control is addressed throughout the construction process during the winter months. This includes controlling the temperature and protecting the concrete foundations to avoid a negative impact on the quality of the installation and possible re-work, if not done correctly.
One of the biggest risks during the winter is the frost impact to the deep foundations. Planning and executing the plan has already started and will be an ongoing effort throughout winter. This includes:
- Installing and managing over 800 – 12x24 insulated tarps
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Procuring and installing five 1.8m BTU glycol ground thaw machines that provide heat to over 80,000 lineal feet of glycol lines
- The glycol lines are spread throughout the foundation subgrade to maintain temperature levels
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Installing a 30-pound natural gas line to the site with a 5-pound distribution centre to 12 locations across the site footprint
- This ensures there is a fuel supply to any location that heat is required for frost protection
- It also supports concrete pours throughout the winter
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Elevating stored materials to ensure they don’t freeze into the ground
- Materials are marked so they know what it is and where it is, in the case of heavy snowfall
Safety of the people working on or visiting the construction site remains a priority. Winter weather creates different challenges and risks that have to be eliminated and controlled, and colder temperatures and snowfall changes how work is done on site.
Special equipment, tools, and materials are procured in preparation for the winter weather including snow shovels, ice melt, sand or rock chips, and skid steer attachments. Snow clearing is completed before shift start to limit interaction with the public and construction personnel. Workers are constantly clearing snow, removing ice, working on safe access over tarps, moving heaters and glycol lines, setting up hoardings and running extension cords.
The amount of planning hours and labor-intensive work that goes into preparing the site for winter helps ensure that workers and visitors can safely gain access to the construction site and work safely at all times.
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Over 300 jobs anticipated; locals already involved in the project
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A new hospital for the community means more than just investing in health-care, it also means economic opportunities for the region. Construction on the new hospital just started, but local businesses and workers are already involved in and benefiting from the project.
Wherever possible, Graham Design Builders LP is prioritizing working with and hiring local and regional businesses. Local hospitality businesses are also benefitting from workers being in town and renting hotel rooms or houses for weeks or months at a time.
Check out this document (Local and regional businesses) to view the list of just some of the local and regional businesses that are already involved in the project - which we will continue to update as the project progresses.
Graham, through their subcontractors, have also already hired a number of local labourers and apprentices to work on site – with more opportunities to come. They will advertise employment opportunities on various platforms such as Indeed, Kijiji, and LinkedIn as well as on the Graham Careers page.
A project of this size requires a large workforce and Graham is committed to filling as many positions as possible with people from the local community and region. During the peak of construction, there will be approximately 350-375 workers on-site. As the project progresses, the number of out-of-town workers is expected to increase as more specialized skills, not always available locally, are needed.
Graham plans to work closely with Northern Lights College’s Trades and Apprenticeships department to provide eligible students with apprenticeship training. Northern Health has also been reaching out to local and regional Indigenous communities to share these opportunities with the economic development and employment and training departments.
Check out our other post - Interested in business and employment opportunities? to view the list of current and upcoming awards and business opportunities.
Businesses interested in getting involved with the project are encouraged to send information about their services and product offerings to Graham Design Builders via email to dawsoncreekhospital@graham.ca.
Local workers and apprentices who are interested in working on the project are also encouraged to send their resume to Graham Design Builders via email to dawsoncreekhospital@graham.ca.
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Reaching new heights: Tower cranes
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The Dawson Creek skyline has a new look! From most areas of the city you can spot the first tower crane that has been erected on the site of the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital.
Crane #1 is 50 metres tall with a jib length of 75 metres. Crane #2 will be erected within the next month and will be 41 feet tall and have a jib length of 60 metres. Both cranes will remain on site for the next 16 months.
Tower cranes are an important piece of equipment that are used on construction sites to lift and move heavy materials. They play a crucial role in ensuring efficiency and precision in the building process. The erection of a tower crane is a complex process which includes:
- Preparing the base: The crane requires a stable and level concrete base to create a strong foundation.
- Assembling the mast: The vertical mast sections are assembled on the base and connected to reach the desired height.
- Attaching the turntable: This unit allows the crane to rotate horizontally and is attached to the top of the mast.
- Adding the jib: The jib is the horizontal part that extends from the top of the mast and is used to lift and move heavy objects. It's attached to the slewing unit.
- Installing the counterweights: These are added to the crane for balance to prevent it from tipping over when lifting heavy loads.
- Attaching the hook and load line: The hook holds the load and the load line and is attached to the jib. The load line runs from the jib and down to the hoist.
- Testing and safety checks: These are done to ensure that all components are functioning correctly and the crane operates safely.
Tower crane #1 installed 
Infographic of parts of a tower crane from: How Do Construction Cranes Work? | BigRentz
Attaching the counterjib
Attaching the first sections of the mast
Another view of tower crane #1 on site -
Check out the new DCDH construction camera!
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The DCDH Construction Camera is now available! That means any day, any time, you can see what progress is being made on the construction of the new hospital.
You can see live snapshots, zoom in and out and side to side, compare photos from different days, go back in time for archived snapshots, and view timelapses.
Photo from 09-05-2023 @ 3:34pm -
Pouring concrete
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Last week, mud slabs were poured for one of the crane bases and a few of the foundations on the southwest corner of the building footprint.
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New sidewalk and temporary parking lot
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A new sidewalk has been built and work is underway for a new temporary parking lot on the southwest corner of Northern Lights College’s campus.
Graham has been collaborating with NLC on the site logistics plan and identified the need for additional parking for workers to reduce the amount of parked vehicles around the site. NLC reached an agreement with Graham to allow them to use the vacant corner of their campus property for a temporary parking lot with over 200 parking stalls.
With winter quickly approaching, a safe walking path is also needed for workers to get from their vehicles in the lot to the construction site. As a thank-you to NLC and the City of Dawson Creek for their ongoing collaboration and hard work, Graham built a new sidewalk along 12 St. from 116 Ave to NLC's access road. Workers on site, students at NLC and local residents can now all enjoy the new sidewalk which makes walking around the area that much easier and safer!
