Project Summary

Client
Little Qualicum Holdings Ltd.

Budget
$30,000

Services
Geotechnical Engineering

Market
Transportation, Facilities

Project Description

This project focused on a property located at 3095 Island Highway West in Qualicum Beach, B.C., which consisted of fifteen developed strata lots containing residential buildings adjacent to the foreshore area. An unpaved access road was located directly to the south side of these residential lots.

There had been two recent occasions in which small landslides from the sea bluff affected both the strata access road and the individual properties. This raised concerns about property damage and the danger posed to the building’s residents, which resulted in a critical process to determine the risk management strategy to mitigate against property damage, and address overall safety.

Our Role

RAM was responsible for the following tasks in this project:

  • investigating and reviewing all relevant information regarding the geology of the sea cliffs;
  • implementing empirical methodologies, and documenting recent and historical events in the area;
  • conducting a site assessment and investigations comprising shallow, manual test pits and examination of soil exposures;
  • thorough mapping of the hazard slopes, and providing a detailed description of land forms;
  • identifying and assessing all potential hazards and risks;
  • providing recommendations to prevent or mitigate against the risks of slope hazards.

Project Highlights

RAM’s geotechnical team evaluated challenging terrain across steep slopes in the site’s central area, analyzing complex sea bluff geography extending north of the Little Qualicum River estuary.

We also accounted for multiple uncertainties within the risk assessment framework to ensure strict alignment with diverse regulatory and industry guidelines.