Role of geophysics in optimizing Light Rail Transit track design for Edmonton’s Valley Line LRT

Patrick Finlay, Cassandra Budd, Nicholas Chow

In the proceedings of: GeoEdmonton 2018: 71st Canadian Geotechnical Conference; 13th joint with IAH-CNC

Session: In-Situ Testing

ABSTRACT: The Valley Line LRT in Edmonton is currently being constructed, extending from the downtown core to the community of Millwoods in the southeast of the City. Tetra Tech Canada Inc. (Tetra Tech) was retained by TransED LRT Design Build (TransED) to conduct multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) testing at two locations within the Millwoods section of the alignment. The objective of the investigation was to determine ground flexure/stiffness along the centre of the alignment. Both shear and compression wave velocities were collected, which along with density values provided through materials testing, allowed for calculation of the small strain shear and Young™s moduli continuously along the testing locations. Using the calculated values from the MASW testing, the track design was optimized for localized site conditions, and provided cost savings for the project.

RÉSUMÉ: La ligne Valley de train léger (SRL) est en cours de construction à Edmonton afin de prolonger le tracé du centre-ville jusqu™à la communauté de Millwoods dans le sud-est de la ville. Tetra Tech Canada Inc. (Tetra Tech) a été retenue par TransED Design Build (TransED) pour conduire une analyse sismique d™exploration (AMOS) sur deux zones à l™intérieur de la section Millwoods du tracé. L™objectif de l™analyse était de déterminer la flexion et rigidité du sol le long du tracé central. Les vitesses des ondes de cisaillement et de compression ont été recueillies, ce qui a permis, avec les valeurs de densité fournies par les essais de matériaux, de calculer le cisaillement de petite déformation et de modules d™Young en continu le long des sites de tests. En utilisant les valeurs calculées à partir des analyses AMOS, la conception du tracé a été optimisé aux conditions du site, en plus de permettre des économies de coûts pour le projet.

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