Special Construction and Geotechnical Considerations in Deep Foundation of Vaudreuil-Soulanges Hospital Center in Greater Montreal Area-PPT Presentation

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The Vaudreuil-Soulanges Hospital is a $2.6-billion design-build project in the Greater Montreal area, scheduled for 2022–2027. The 136,000 m² hospital will include 404 patient rooms and is supported by roughly 519 rock-anchored bored piles. Its challenging ground conditions include liquefiable Champlain Sea clay and highly abrasive sandstone with unconfined compressive strength reaching 200 MPa. Seismic safety and a fast-track schedule added further demands.<br /><br />GHD and Pomerleau collaborated to reduce costs, improve constructability, manage risks and maintain the schedule. Their work included revising the foundation approach, removing the need for permanent casing, and adding full-time onsite engineering and quality assurance.<br /><br />Value engineering focused on pile numbers, concrete durability and workability, and compliance with a 75-year design life. Site investigations and laboratory testing assessed soil and groundwater aggressiveness. Trial mixes and thermal simulations helped optimize the concrete, while post-construction checks included thermal integrity profiling, crosshole sonic logging and tomography.<br /><br />The project marked Québec’s first use of large cluster bored piles with temporary casing. Seven rigs installed large-diameter piles using cluster drilling, which improved penetration and cuttings removal in difficult rock. The work involved approximately 2,500 metres of rock drilling, 18,000 m³ of concrete and 2,500 tonnes of steel, completed within a demanding nine-month period.<br /><br />Key lessons included the value of early collaboration under a design-build contract, onsite designer involvement, and investment in in-situ testing. Concrete mix design and integrated construction methods were critical. Oversizing rock sockets also provided flexibility when shaft inspection results fell below requirements.

Keywords

Vaudreuil-Soulanges Hospital

design-build project

Greater Montreal

rock-anchored bored piles

Champlain Sea clay

sandstone

seismic safety

value engineering

pile foundation

concrete durability