Empire Mine was in need of a firm who could help with two large, essential culverts supporting the rail system used to transport their ore pellets. Payne + Dolan (P+D) replaced two 60″ culverts with a new, much larger 14′ x 8′ structural concrete box culvert capable of supporting the rail system. Precise planning, careful project coordination, and flawless execution were required to ensure the scheduled shutdown of the railroad did not impact their shipping schedule. The team navigated challenging winter weather conditions to minimize impacts to the tight project schedule.
Project Challenges
- A large overhead electrical transmission power line required careful maneuvering of equipment throughout the project.
- Various equipment was used to set the box culvert as power lines did not allow for crane use.
- Snowfall and extreme temperatures of -10 degrees made bypass pumping the creek very difficult.
- Adverse weather conditions and railroad closures impacted schedule coordination.
Project Solutions
- A large excavator was used to carry and set the box sections in order to safely navigate the electrical transmission line.
- The original design called for sheet pile around the perimeter of the excavation. Due to the tight time frame of the project, P+D devised an excavation sequence to eliminate the costly and time-consuming sheet pile operation.
- Given the critical nature of the project, Zenith Tech (ZTI) was on call and ready to install the sheet pile within 24-hours. However, the excavation plan was successful and the sheet pile was not required.
- Eliminating the sheet pile saved our client a substantial amount of money and allowed the project to be completed 3 weeks earlier than planned.
