Industry Sector & Application:
Hydroelectric Energy
Location:
Tazin Lake, Saskatchewan
Featured Products:
Concrete Canvas®
Featured Services:
Product Supply
Product Category:
Erosion and Sediment Control
Project Overview
In this application, Concrete Canvas® GCCM (CC) was used to create a new weir for SaskPower. CC was used as the armouring and water resistance layer of the weir, placed over a dam structure that was built from sand and gravel.
Conventional Solution
The diversion channel, which conveys clean water from the hillside above to a lower creek, was originally lined with shotcrete but the Preliminary design options included either bin walls or refacing the weir with a fiberglass liner. Both required considerable excavation into the lakebed and significant labour effort. The extensive work would also require a significant amount of time to install.
Higher Performing Solution
CC was proposed in combination with a sheet pile wall as an easier alternative. This eliminated most of the excavation work and decreased the project schedule. With support from Tetra Tech, the advantages of CC were successfully presented to SaskPower.
In addition to labour and time, logistics and location were important factors in product choice as everything was airlifted by helicopter to the site.
Weir Dam Remediation: The Technical Breakdown
Installation occurred in variable weather including light rain. Estimated temperature ranged from 15-22 degrees Celsius over a period of 8 days. Before CC was installed, a sheet pile wall was driven along the length of the weir. Excavation and replacement of the existing lakebed for a depth of 300mm was completed, then the dam structure was built with local sand and gravel that was built up and compacted in layers.
- The CC was laid perpendicular to the weir crest in full length sheets (11m) and anchored on both sides in a 0.5m deep trench which was subsequently filled with rip rap.
- Overlap seams were sealed with SikaFlex 1A sealant and screwed together at 0.3m intervals.
- To hydrate, the CC was sprayed using gas powered water pump, drawing water from the lake.
Installation Challenges & Success
Access to the installation area was very limited due to the coffer dam and limited by reach of the excavator, therefore installation was executed in stages. The geotextile was laid out first, then panels were placed within short reach of a CAT 314 that positioned rip rap in the anchor trench. The crew completed installation section by section, moving along the weir and repeating the process.
During the installation, there was a delay due to a small failure on the subgrade. This required excavation and replacement of the underlying fill material. Eight panels of CC were cut and replaced to complete the subgrade repair. A length of CC was placed transversely under the cut section to allow complete sealing of the repair.
Project Results
150-180 sq. m was placed per day by a 6-person crew. The typical workday was 12 hours. Overall, the installation took 8 days.
CC simplified the field work and reduced the risk by avoiding in-lake excavations. This is likely to have reduced the overall project schedule compared to the client’s alternatives.
What is Concrete Canvas®?
Concrete Canvas ® is part of a new class of construction material known as a Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mat (GCCM). A GCCM is a factory-assembled geosynthetic composite consisting of a cementitious layer contained within one or multiple layers of geosynthetic materials. The cementitious portion of the GCCM becomes hardened when properly hydrated to be used for erosion control and weed suppression.
CC® is a flexible, concrete-filled impregnated fabric that hardens on hydration. Essentially, it’s concrete on a roll and allows concrete construction without the need for plant or mixing equipment: just add water. The product is typically used to replace conventional concrete (in-situ, precast, or sprayed) for erosion control, remediation, and construction applications.
Benefits of CC®
- Rapid Install – CC can be laid at a rate of 200m2/hour, up to 10 times faster than conventional concrete solutions.
- Easy to Use – CC is available in man portable batch rolls for applications with limited access. The concrete is pre-mixed so there is no need for mixing, measuring or compacting.
- Lower Project Costs – quick and easy to install, Concrete Canvas® is more cost-effective than conventional concrete, with less logistical complexity.
- Eco-friendly – CC is a low mass, low carbon technology which uses up to 95% less material than conventional concrete for many applications.
- Durability – CC offers up to 120 years of performance life. Click here for durability certificate.
Features of CC®
- Waterproof – The PVC backing on one surface of the CC ensures that the material has excellent impermeability.
- Strong – CC has a 24-hour compressive strength of 50MPa. The fibre reinforcement prevents cracking, absorbs energy from impacts and provides a stable failure mode.
- Durable – CC is twice as abrasion resistant as standard OPC concrete, has excellent chemical resistance, good weathering performance and will not degrade in UV.
- Flexible – CC has good drape characteristics and will closely follow the ground profile and fit around existing infrastructure. Unset CC can be cut or tailored using basic hand tools.
- Fire & Chemical Resistant – CC has excellent high temperature performance and has been tested for reaction to fire. It is also more resistant to aggressive compounds than standard OPC concrete.
Concrete Canvas ® is used across a range of sectors including mining, oil & gas, agriculture and civil construction for a variety of applications.
- Channel/Ditch Lining
- Slope Protection and stabilization
- Bund Lining
- Concrete Remediation
- Weed Suppression
- Culvert Lining
- Outfall/Spillway Protection
- Gabion Protection
- Mining Vent Walls
- Pipe Protection
Concrete Canvas ® comes in three formats, man-portable Batched Rolls, Bulk Rolls, and Wide Rolls.
Batch Rolls
- Minor works.
- Restricted site access.
- Unavailability of plant.
- Stocking for reactive work.
Advantages
- Man portable.
Bulk Rolls
- Major works.
Advantages
- Material efficient (zero waste).
- Cost efficient.
- Transport efficient.
- Staggered production and delivery for specific projects.
Wide Rolls
- Major works.
- Straight uniform channels of constant profile.
Advantages
- Increased installation rates.
- Reduced jointing.
- Reduced ancillary requirement.
All Titan product solutions are backed by comprehensive engineering and specialized technical support. Using the latest and advanced design software, we work with engineers and consultants all over the world.
Our skill sets go far beyond product supply and installation. We are happy to provide complimentary application specific preliminary designs. We can also provide detailed designing and working calculations including construction drawings, and crucial specification and installation details.
Explore what Concrete Canvas ® can do for you. Request a Project Consultation below to discuss the best solution for your next project.
Would you rather discuss over the phone? Give us a call at 1-866-327-1957