A Flood of Problems

Working With Constraints

Portland International Airport decided to  connect a new parking garage with their existing pedestrian tunnel. A 21-foot deep excavation, shoe-horned between two existing parking structures and the tunnel, was required. The existing structures’ pile foundations, shallow groundwater, limited workspace, and the plethora of buried utilities and obstructions severely limited the choice of excavation support systems. In addition, the use of internal braces was ruled out because of the constraints they would impose on the already crowded workspace.

Everything about this project was challenging, including getting an accurate map of where the existing infrastructure was located. The design management skills that we’ve developed over the past decade were invaluable as we coached the design/build team through developing a credible base drawing for our design