Poor soil conditions make for a tricky project.
Recently, Miami Beach-based contractor David Mancini & Sons, Inc. (DMSI) was low-bidder to install two heavy precast pump station vaults for its hometown city of Miami Beach, Fla. The vaults were installed at 14th and 10th streets.
The ground conditions for the excavations were extremely wet, and DMSI needed to install a large series of well points to get the soil as dry as possible. The poor soil condition also made shoring the excavation rather tricky as well.
“The strategy was get in, set the precast vault pieces, and then get out as quickly as possible,” said Orlando Castelblanco, shoring specialist of shoring equipment distributor Efficiency Shoring & Supply. “And despite needing to trouble shoot the excavation and shoring system installation around the well points, both pump stations were installed on time and on budget.” Castleblanco said.
Mancini Chooses
Efficiency Production
The key to managing the quick turnaround for the utility install was choosing the best shoring system for the job. Rather than trench boxes or sloping or sheeting, Mancini went with a shoring system that was new for them; an Efficiency Production manufactured Slide Rail System, rented and supported by Efficiency Shoring & Supply’s Miami branch office.
“After speaking with Efficiency Shoring, we decided to give [the Slide Rail System] a shot,” said DMSI’s Christopher Lazzari. “We were used to using sheeting on jobs like this but found the Slide Rail to be more cost efficient.”
Efficiency’s Universal Slide Rail is a component shoring system comprised of steel panels (similar to trench shield sidewalls) and vertical steel posts. The highly versatile system can be used in a variety of configurations. Efficiency’s Slide Rail System can be configured into small four-sided pits; an obstruction-free ClearSpan configuration; or in a Multi-Bay configuration to install large tanks and structures, or lengths of pipe more than 40 ft. (12.1 m)
Slide rail is considered “positive shoring.” It is installed by sliding the panels into integrated rails on the posts, and then pushing the panels and posts incrementally down to grade as the pit is dug; a process commonly referred to as a “dig and push” shoring system.
“That’s another advantage of our Slide Rail; there’s no over-excavation,” said Castelblanco. “The system keeps constant pressure against the surrounding dirt, which was critical for the saturated soil DMSI was digging in.”
Multi-Bay Slide Rail Provides Open Space for Vault Install
Mancini rented a two-bay, four-sided multi-bay configuration from Efficiency Shoring & Supply, which provides a larger unobstructed area for installing tanks, vaults and other structures. Mancini’s system was 18 ft. (5.4 m) wide, 29 ft. (8.8 m) long and 20 ft. (6 m) deep; and was installed with a Cat 345 excavator. A crane was used to install the vault base and the two 27 by 16 by 10 ft. (8.2 by 4.8 by 3 m) vault sections and cap. To address fall protection, Efficiency Shoring also supplied a set of 10 ft. (3 m) wide guardrail, which integrates seamlessly onto the top of the slide rail panels.
Multi-bay utilizes Efficiency’s exclusive parallel beams that roll up and down the slotted rail on the inside face of the linear posts and have spreader collars — like trench shield sidewalls — which pin standard trench box spreaders. For the DMSI project, tie-back waler i-beams were added at the top of the slide rail system on both of the long sides, attached into integrated waler brackets that connect into a slotted rail on the outside face of the linear posts. Paired with a “sacrificial member” such as a spreader pipe or timber beam braced cross-trench against the bottom of the linear posts; the entire parallel beam spreader assembly can be removed which provided Mancini with the full 29 ft. (8.8 m) of open space.
Mancini Impressed With
Efficiency Shoring & Supply
“Overall, the support we received from Efficiency Shoring was excellent,” said Lazzari. “We were provided with an onsite installer plus Orlando [of Efficiency Shoring & Supply] and Brian Campbell [branch manager] also made stops to the site.”
In 1965, Richard Mancini, founded Ric-Man Construction Inc. which specialized in the construction of large diameter pipelines for municipal sewer and water projects. In October 2010, Richard’s son, David Mancini, incorporated David Mancini & Sons, Inc. (DMSI) now running the company with his sons.
For more information, visit www.efficiencyshoring.com.
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