The new elevated boardwalk Valley Trail Link within the Highland Creek Valley at the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus (UTSC) links the campus to the environmentally sensitive ravine and the Highland Creek Valley land trail system.

Midome Construction Services Ltd. retained GEI’s team to provide engineering and technical support for the design-build and QVE certification components of the project. These included: slope stability analysis and value engineering for soil nailing stabilization of the proposed ravine grading, structural and geotechnical stability design of new proposed natural stone retaining walls as part of a value engineering proposal, and design of deep foundation elements to support the proposed elevated boardwalks.

The team provided an innovative design using helical piers as soil nails to reinforce a steep fill slope, which was reviewed and approved by the TRCA. In addition, significant errors were present within the original grading plan, leading to cut areas requiring fill and vice versa. Quick response to new retaining walls and excavation safety were required.

Environmentally Significant Areas surround the project work area, and all the works were within the ravine slope area. These site restrictions and limited equipment access for construction required a value engineering proposal and design to accommodate the slope stabilization program through helical soil nailing and retaining wall installation.

Working closely with the Client, Owners Design Team, and Agencies, the Design-Build team developed low-impact designs to accommodate the stringent environmental and slope stability constraints to address the value-engineered components of the Project.