Project Description

RAM’s geotechnical team has provided geotechnical consulting services for several Tsleil-Waututh Nation projects, including (but not limited to) the following projects located near Sleil-Waututh Road and Alder Court in North Vancouver.

These endeavours represent the implementation of a new centralized Tsleil-Waututh Nation Community Campus.

Tsleil-Waututh Community Centre (1998- 2002)

The Tsleil-Waututh Community Centre is a two-storey, at-grade gymnasium building. RAM’s geotechnical team provided geotechnical engineering services for this project, including foundation assessment, erosion and sediment control design, slope stability assessment, slope stability analyses, and design of seismic remedial works for an adjacent loose fill slope, measuring up to 10 metres in height.

Tsleil-Waututh Administration and Health Centre (2012- 2019)

Following the construction of the Tsleil-Waututh Community Centre, RAM was retained to provide geotechnical consulting services for the neighbouring Tsleil-Waututh Administration and Health Centre, a two-storey mass timber structur, with a unique undulating roof design. Upon its completion in late 2017, the Tsleil-Waututh Administration and Health Centre became a hub for the Nation’s administration, governance, health and social services.

This project was particularly complex as the site was comprised of several metres of loose, saturated surficial soil with moderately steep slopes at the perimeter. In order to mitigate the risk of a liquefaction induced flow slide on the sloping terrain, RAM’s geotechnical team provided a soil remediation design involving bulk excavation of the upper 10 metres of existing loose soil, which was then replaced with compacted engineered fill. In addition to providing geotechnical engineering services, RAM also provided contract administrative services for the earthworks phase of the project, which included removal of significant volumes of contaminated or otherwise deleterious fill soils.

Tsleil-Waututh Solar Power Project (2020)

The Tsleil-Waututh Solar Power Project is located on the sloping terrain situated between the aforementioned Tsleil-Waututh Community Centre and Tsleil-Waututh Administration and Health Centre Buildings. The project is the largest ground-mount solar project in Metro Vancouver to date, and includes 341 solar panels grouped in five south-facing arrays, which are anticipated to generate enough solar electricity to power the Tsleil-Waututh Administration and Health Centre Building.

In order to support the five solar panel arrays, RAM’s geotechnical team developed a deep foundation design involving the installation of 63 mini pipe piles, measuring seven to twelve metres in length. Our team also provided regular geotechnical field review services during pile installation.

Our Role

In summary. RAM’s geotechnical team’s scope of services for these projects consisted of the following:

• Site Investigation
• Slope Stability Analyses
• Liquefaction Assessment
• Contract Administration
• Excavation Shoring Design
• MSE Wall Design
• Deep Foundation Design
• Erosion and Sediment Control Design
• Construction Field Reviews