**Please note the change in venue for
this event to the Executive Royal Inn**
2007/2008 LECTURE SERIES
Date: Tuesday February 19, 2008
Place: Executive Royal Inn, 2828 - 23 Street NE, Calgary
Time:
Speaker: Terence Coulter, B.A., B.A.I., M.Sc.
Principal, Coulter Consulting Ltd.
Geotechnical
Manager, Kicking Horse Canyon Project
Topic: Kicking Horse Canyon Project
The
Trans Canada Highway’s Great Challenge
Abstract:
Until the
1950’s, the Trans Canada Highway east of Golden to Yoho
National Park was little more than a trail. During the post-war highway
expansion, the route was upgraded to a two lane paved road. With the exception
of lane additions at two locations, little upgrading work was done until
2002.
Completing
the four-laning of this 26 km section of the TCH is
high on the BC Ministry of Transportation priority list as it forms part of the
Pacific Gateway strategy. The work is being carried out in a number of stages
as funding permits. Recent work has included the very successful $130M Park
Bridge section, which opened before Labour Day, after only 22 months of design
and construction under a DBFO procurement process.
The
presentation will focus on geotechnical issues encountered on this project and
on previous completed works. Of the four remaining stages, the 5 km Canyon
section will provide the greatest challenge because of the steep terrain,
natural hazards and geotechnical concerns. At an approximate capital cost of
$500M, it will be among the most expensive sections of the highway on a
kilometre basis in the province. Numerous options are being considered,
including a long (2.9 km) twin bore tunnel and surface routes with multiple
structures and protection works. These will be discussed from a mainly
geotechnical perspective.
About the Speaker:
Terence
Coulter is Principal of Coulter Consulting Ltd, Victoria BC. He received his B.A., B.A.I. in Civil
Engineering and M.Sc. in Geotechnical Engineering from Trinity College in
Dublin, Ireland in the late 60’s. Terry provides professional
engineering services for geotechnical design and construction for
transportation projects, bridges, retaining structures, and earthworks. He has
authored publications relating to slope stabilisation and road construction on
compressible soils.