Abstract Manager

Connect Cité, a general partnership between Aecon and EBC in which Aecon is the lead partner, started building the Montréal-Trudeau International Airport Réseau express métropolitain (REM) Station project in Dorval for its client ADM Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), in the Spring of 2022.

The station will be a significant addition to Montréal’s transit system. It will be a critical hub for the 67-kilometre REM network, a project in which Aecon is also currently playing a key role in executing.

As urban areas around the globe rapidly grow and densify, underground construction continues to gain popularity and requires the development of innovative construction methods which minimize local disturbances while still safely and cost-effectively achieving a quality product.

Rock splitting is a method consisting of fragmenting rock by means of hydraulic wedges which is used in vertical or horizontal construction. This method can be used to mine small diameter tunnels or sink shafts in hard rock and significantly reduce the impact on surrounding structures and populations, when compared to traditional excavation techniques, while retaining competitive production rates and increasing project safety. This presentation explores the benefits of using rock splitting for shaft sinking close to critical infrastructure and presents a case study from the ongoing Montréal-Trudeau International Airport REM Station project. 

Further to the excavation of the shaft we excavated two tunnels to link the station of the airport to the TBM bored tunnel done by REM’s teams. Our presentation will also highlight how we excavate those tunnels in hard rock conditions without using explosives, and then again we will detail the method of execution which were used to execute the tunnel linings.

We could also talk about the following topics related to cost effective methods to achieve the best financial performance:

• Our Building Smarter program and the results obtained to improve costs, schedule and procurement;

• BIM technology used to optimize costs throughout the project life cycle;

• Or, obtaining ENVISION GOLD for sustainable infrastructure.