CLIENT: PCL Construction Canada Inc.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
PRI Engineering provided supplementary geotechnical investigation, foundation design field investigation, and racking adaptor design services for a 55 MW AC solar project in Claresholm, AB. The scope included an extensive field program, laboratory testing, and full foundation design through to issued-for-tender drawings.
CHALLENGE:
The scale of the project demanded a high-volume geotechnical program to characterize subsurface conditions across a large site. Laboratory analysis revealed corrosive soil conditions, introducing a durability risk that required careful consideration in foundation selection and design. Ensuring the helical pile foundations could reliably handle axial and lateral loads — while resisting long-term deterioration — was critical to the structural integrity of the solar racking system.
APPROACH:
PRI mobilized an extensive field investigation program comprising 40 boreholes, 2,150 helical probes, and the installation and testing of 175 helical foundations. Axial and lateral load testing (175 and 25 tests respectively) provided robust data to validate pile performance. Laboratory results informed corrosion risk mitigation, with protective coatings recommended to ensure long-term durability. Pile depth, load capacity, and stability against bending and shifting were all assessed and optimized through the design process. The foundation design was structured to allow final verification against construction drawings.
OUTCOME:
PRI delivered a comprehensive geotechnical investigation and foundation design package, including issued-for-tender drawings. The design provided a site-specific, corrosion-resistant helical foundation solution validated by one of the most extensive field testing programs on a solar project of this scale in the region.