The blasting’s done at BB1, and now we’re onto the next phase: shoring. Right now, we’re installing soil nails to support the 30+ foot excavation for the new pump station.

Here’s how it works:
We excavate in 5-foot lifts. At each lift, our soil nail crew drills roughly 25 feet back into the earth. They install a roughly 1-inch diameter nail (basically a 25-foot steel rod), grout it in, and let it set. The next day, a chain-link style matting goes on, then a steel plate, and finally bolts are torqued to hold it all in place.

Once that layer is secure, we dig another 5 feet and repeat the process — all the way down. Final excavation depth is around 32 feet.

When you’ve got the room and the conditions are right, shoring is a great option; Keeps everyone safe and the schedule moving.

More to come soon from BB1.