Shoring Construction
TerraCana installs shoring systems for excavations across British Columbia, with the technology and field experience to protect your excavation safely and cost effectively.
Certifications & partnerships
What Is Shoring Construction?
Shoring is the installation of vertical bending members and/or horizontal tiebacks for the purposes of securing a wall face to allow for excavation to the desired depth. The goal of any shoring system is to allow for the excavation to proceed with minimal impact to the site and surrounding buildings in the most cost-effective manner.
Why do I need shoring?
In the ever growing and densifying cities and towns of British Columbia shoring of trenches and building excavations is becoming an increasing necessity for many excavations due to the proximity of neighboring structures and facilities.
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Shoring Applications
01
Underground Parkades and Residential Developments
Multi-level underground excavations in dense urban environments require shoring to protect neighbouring structures and maintain safe working conditions throughout construction.
02
Dyke Walls and Flood Protection
Sheet pile shoring provides a continuous barrier for dyke walls and flood protection structures where water cutoff and soil retention are critical requirements.
03
Institutional and Community Facilities
Large institutional projects require shoring systems designed to handle variable soil conditions while meeting strict structural performance and quality verification standards.
04
Utility and Infrastructure Projects
Shoring adjacent to active utilities and infrastructure requires precise design and installation to maintain safe operations and minimize disruption throughout construction.
Types of Shoring
Sheet Pile Permanent or Temporary Shoring
Sheet piles are an interlocking formed plate of steel designed to provide continuous shoring. This driven pile solution is great for deep excavations or where water cutoff is important.
H-Pile & Plated Shoring
Often used for temporary shoring, this type of system is best used in shallower applications. H-Pile and plate shoring is also frequently used in conjunction with sheet piles for bridging utility crossings.
H-Pile and Timber Lagged Shoring
This type of shoring can be installed with either large diameter drill rigs or using pile driving methods depending on depth and soil type. In some cases, TerraCana is even able to install the timber lagging before excavation has even started.
Drilled Pipe Pile Shoring
This type of shoring is most often installed with 4.5″ diameter pipe and micropile drill rigs. Typically used in smaller excavations on their own or in larger excavations with tiebacks or bracing. Pipe pile shoring is often also used in conjunction with shotcrete systems.
Walers
In most excavations if a waler system can be introduced the cost of the shoring can be reduced. TerraCana usually installs their own waler systems and bracing. In trench applications TerraCana utilizes custom removeable designs to ensure ease of access and excavation for our clients.
Advantages of Shoring
Cost and Time Competitive
TerraCana delivers foundations equally as reliable as alternative technologies but for a fraction of the cost and construction time, as demonstrated on the Pandora Avenue residential tower project in Victoria.
Works in Restricted Access Sites
Using the Movax Sonic Vibratory Pile Driver, TerraCana is able to reduce the amount of equipment required for installation to a single vehicle, allowing work to proceed on steep sites with very narrow access points.
Minimal Site Disturbance
TerraCana’s approach and equipment selection allows shoring to be completed efficiently and with minimal site disturbance, protecting neighbouring structures and surrounding areas throughout the excavation process.
Custom Solutions for Difficult Soil Conditions
TerraCana uses computer-generated models to design piles and installation tools that work within the specific soil conditions of each site, including variable fill, glacial till, dense deposits, and buried debris.
There are significant benefits from a structural and design perspective
Need a Foundation Solution for restricted access or difficult ground conditions?
Dealing with obstructions
Every site presents different challenges. TerraCana’s field experience and in-house engineering mean we’ve developed practical solutions for the ground conditions that stop other contractors.
Dense ground & high torque conditions
On a commercial site in Maple Ridge, the first meter of ground was extremely dense — requiring installation at very high torque, close to the capacity of the steel selected. TerraCana completed the installation without incident by matching the right equipment and pile type to the conditions.
Pre-existing soil improvements
In Richmond, helical anchors had to be installed through previously placed stone columns used to increase soil density — requiring precise positioning and coordination across multiple trades working simultaneously in the excavation.
Soft ground & limited machine access
On a peat bog site in East Vancouver with 8 metres of soft peat and silt, the machine couldn’t track across the ground without sinking. TerraCana used timber swamp pads as a platform, carefully relocating them between pile positions to complete the installation without incidents.
Variable fill with buried concrete & glacial till
For the North Vancouver soundwall, the soil included variable fill over glacial till with broken concrete buried in the top 5 feet. TerraCana developed a custom installation tool and termination bracket to bypass the deposits and reach the required depth.
See it in action
Case studies
Testimonials
At what depth do you need shoring?
What is shoring and its purpose?
Why is shoring important in construction?
Have more questions? Contact us!
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Shoring Construction
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