Roger Arena, South Tower, Vancouver, BC, Canada: Jet Grouting for the Structural Underpinning of the Existing Georgia Viaduct Foundations and Temporary Excavation Support

The paper describes the use of jet grouting technology, as a soil improvement technique used for the excavation support and the underpinning of a viaduct and stadium foundation to permit the construction of a 32 storey residential/office tower constructed over five levels of below grade parking, in very close proximity to the Georgia Street viaduct. The site is located in the near the Yaletown neighbourhood of downtown Vancouver, in close proximity to a number of buildings and other infrastructure, including Rogers Arena, home of the local NHL Vancouver Canucks hockey team, the Georgia Street Viaduct, an elevated structure that is a main artery for commuter traffic in and out of the downtown core and Griffiths Way and Pacific Boulevard. It is also in close proximity to significant roads that provide access to Rogers Arena and support heavy commuter traffic during the day. The site is approximately triangular in shape and located in area of reclaimed land within the former limits of False Creek, a channel that connects to Burrard Inlet and separates the downtown core from the Point Grey Peninsula. The lands were reclaimed by the placement of fills into the former marine environment. The subsurface conditions generally comprise fills overlying native deposit of post glacial marine and glaciomarine origin, overlying dense glaciated soils. Groundwater levels were inferred at depths of 4 to 5 m below street grades and well above the proposed bottom of excavation, located 16 m below street grades.