Resilient Linear Infrastructure at an Industrial Canola Processing Facility

Resilient Linear Infrastructure at an Industrial Canola Processing Facility

This case study examines the geotechnical challenges faced by the owner of an industrial complex requiring road and rail infrastructure at a Saskatchewan location with glacial lake deposits. The industrial facility will have a daily intake of 200 tractor-trailers and produce 1 million metric tonnes of canola annually. The initial design examined soil-cement, subgrade replacement, and geosynthetic subgrade stabilization for the internal road/rail network. We will look at the design methods used to evaluate and select geosynthetics, including a unique high-modulus woven geotextile with enhanced lateral drainage used to mitigate the impact of construction on the clay subgrade soils subject to volumetric deformation, frost heave, and thaw-weakening.

Speaker Biography

Brock Nesbit is the Engineering Business Manager for Solmax’s civil infrastructure solutions, working with designers on projects across Canada. He graduated from the BCIT Civil & Structural program with a geotechnical specialty in 1996 and has worked in heavy industrial, resource, and transportation infrastructure markets ever since. Brock is an active member in the Canadian Geotechnical Society and the Association of Geohazard Professionals. His volunteer work with the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA), where he is assisting in updating and expanding the geosynthetics section of the Manual for Railway Engineering, is another area of great enthusiasm for him.

Food options are available for order from the Cathedral Social Hall Menu with an evening social planned, following the presentation.