Helical Pile Foundation for the Market Wharf Condo Presentation Centre

Techno Metal Post Hamilton-Durham (TMPHD) was contracted to install helical piers for a sales centre for the Market Wharf Condos project in downtown Toronto, Ontario. The client, Context Developments, needed a foundation for their temporary structure, which would be housed in a parking lot for a period of 4-5 years. Because this was a prime location, the condo display centre foundation solution needed to be cost-effective for the client and space-efficient.

Some of the challenges for this project included backfill soil and buried mainline utility services in a busy parking lot right in downtown Toronto. By using helical piers, there was no need to excavate any backfill, which would have been the case had concrete sono-tubes been used. Techno Metal Post’s Engineering Department proposed a secure and cost-effective solution by using 2 (two) piers to straddle the utility lines while staying in compliance with Ontario One’s one (1) meter off-set code requirement.

After cutting 12-inch x 12-inch holes in the pavement, TMPHD used compact R2D installation machines to install the P3 and P5 piers exactly on the locations required. Using helical piers for this project provided a space-saving solution to the client that would allow many parking spots to remain open during the period the sales centre would be in use. This approach enabled Context Developments to continue to generate higher revenue from those parking spaces and provide more parking areas for potential buyers for the condos.

Using Techno Metal Post helical piers and our proprietary installation equipment, TMPHD installed the piers precisely where the client needed, including slopped surfaces. For this project, some piers needed to be installed in areas with minor slopping. TMPHD was able to install all piers with no issue, ensuring the extra lateral stability needed for such an application.

Once all the Techno Metal Post helical piers were installed, the contractor was then able to build the frame for the temporary sales centre that same day. Context Developments was so happy with the helical pier product and the foundation and frame for their sales centre, they requested TMPHD install the required helical piers needed for three advertising signs within the sales centre lot.

After the sales centre closed, TMPHD returned and removed all installed helical piers, restoring the parking area without disruption. Had concrete sono-tubes been used, this would have required significant cost and time to remove and restore the area, which was eliminated using the Techno Metal Post helical pier solution.

Year: May 2008

Dealer: Derek Hofrichter and Roger Lauzon, TMP Hamilton-Durham

Client: Context Developments

Location address: 18 Lower Jarvis Street, Toronto, Ontario

Engineering firm: Cathro Engineering Ltd., Etobicoke, Ontario

General contractor: Bluesky Construction

Project objectives: To install a helical pier foundation for a temporary condo presentation and sales centre in a downtown Toronto parking lot.

Specific challenges:

• Rocky backfill
• Main utility lines in the exact spot where the piers were supposed to go
• Maintaining as many available parking spots as possible

Advantages over other methods:

• Compact installation equipment was used to install the helical piers on the lines of the parking spots significantly reducing the loss in parking (and revenue from those spaces) during those 4-5 years.
• Precise location installations
• Helical piers eliminated the costs associated with concrete caissons and the need for managing soil excavation.
• The pier flat plates were welded in and across the entire structure, the mounting variance was within a 1/16” for the structural steel frame.

Soil type: Rocky backfill

Installation time: 2.5 weeks

Number of people on site: 5

Materials used:

• P3 – P5 pier model, with single helix 12” diameter
• P4 – P5 pier model, with double helix 12” diameter

Equipment used:

• Two (2) R2D’s

Engineer’s specific requirements:

• In order to prevent frost heave, kept a minimum clearance of 16 inches between structural element (helical piers, wood structures, steel framing, any other) and ground surface.
• Special attention should be given to low areas (where water and snow accumulate, water down spouts, etc.), and areas where ground surface is sloped such that water/ice can accumulate under structural elements.

Average depth of piers: Approximate minimum depth of eighteen (18) feet from grade.

Specific details of the structure on piers: A temporary sales centre for a condominium project in downtown Toronto.