Advanced Construction Techniques Toll Free 1-877-373-7248

Providing innovative design-build seepage and ground modification solutions for more than 20 Years

Advanced Construction Techniques Toll Free 1-877-373-7248

www.agtgroup.com

ACT has devised an innovative approach to view subgrade conditions with its IntelliCam system, offering a wide array of applications to the underground civil and geotechnical industry. This system allows for first hand inspection of in‐situ rock conditions. ACT can offer our clients a better perspective of in‐situ conditions, which allows for a streamlined problem solving strategy. The images can come in a wide variety of formats, from 360 degree high resolution images, to downhole video and resonant sonic logs where the clarity of borehole fluid does not allow for a visual image to be obtained. This system also offers borehole accuracy and precision checks. Utilizing magnetometer and gyroscopic technology, IntelliCam can be tracked in the borehole and map its location in space. The use of these two devices allows IntellCam to be used in varying site conditions.

Imaging to depths exceeding 1,000 feet (300 m).

High resolution images.

Downhole video.

Pre‐Treatment Analysis Post‐Treatment



www.agtgroup.com

There are several tools that can be used to measure the deviation of the borehole path. ACT uses the Robertson Geologger®, Reflex Maxibor® or Reflex Gyro® to map and collect coordinates. The instrument and method used to survey a hole is dictated, to an extent, by the type of hole and the lithology through which the hole has been drilled, as well as the inclination of the hole. Data is exported to generate a graphical representation of the borehole path along the x, y, and z coordinate planes. The deviation is then plotted and displayed to show the difference between the design and survey. The data is displayed as normal to the bearing, parallel to the bearing, and in plan view.

Surveying to depths exceeding 1,000 feet (300 m).

Vertical, inclined and horizontal holes.

Target location versus actual location.



www.agtgroup.com

ACT offers a broad scope of geotechnical instrumentation installation services. Piezometers, inclinometers and extensometers, to name a few, are commonly used to monitor site conditions. We also offer monitoring systems capable of detecting movement in structures and monuments including crack gauges, liquid level sensors, or robotic survey. Each of these types of instruments and systems has distinct advantages. Automated systems can be set up using transmitters and data loggers to record, save, and alert for problems. Reports can be generated with this data at any desired interval for record keeping and reporting to our clients. These systems can be customized to fit any project size or data collection frequency needed. From instruments requiring overburden and core drilling, to integrated monitoring systems for tunnel and excavation support, ACT has the experience and knowledge to assemble a plan to fit our client’s needs.

Settlement detection.

Structure monitoring.

Integrated automated systems.



www.agtgroup.com

IntelliGrout® is a real‐time computer monitoring system jointly developed and patented by ACT and Gannett Fleming Inc. It is a comprehensive integration of data collection, real‐time display, database functions, real‐time analytical capabilities, and CADD. Information can be entered or extracted and displayed through a variety of sources. The power of IntelliGrout® lies in its ability to perform instant and unlimited grouting program analyses and to be able to convert these complex computations into simple, visual color displays on a CADD profile. Patterns, anomalies, compliance or noncompliance, and areas of special interest are immediately evident, even to an untrained eye. All active CADD files are electronically exported and posted to our IntelliGrout® website on a weekly basis for review and evaluation at any time by Project Team Members. Website access is protected and secure. Please contact us for a comprehensive information package related to the full capabilities of IntelliGrout®.

www.intelligrout.com



www.agtgroup.com

Grouting is a widespread term and can mean a variety of things. It can mean the injection of grout in the ground, under controlled pressure, in order to fill the spaces that exist between soil particles. It can also mean the injection of grout in rock, under controlled pressure, in order to fill the existing cracks, crevices, and joints in the rock formation. It is best practice to conduct an onsite grout mix testing program at the onset of any project in order to develop a selection of grout mix formulations that will best serve each project and/or application. ACT provides a wide array of grouting solutions, allowing us to offer our clients innovative solutions that best suit their needs.

Chemical Grouting

Compaction Grouting

Compensation Grouting

Grout Curtains.



www.agtgroup.com

Grout curtains are installed to prevent or reduce water seepage and can also be adapted to other ground conditions to form seepage barriers. Installation of foundation grout curtains involves the injection of stable grout in rock, under controlled pressure, in order to fill the existing cracks, crevices, and joints in the rock formation, thus preventing seepage and reducing permeability. A grout curtain consists of a series of holes beginning with primary grout holes at a predetermined spacing. Secondary holes are installed between the primary holes (split spaced). Tertiary and further series holes are split spaced between the previous series forming a curtain. The work is monitored in real time using electronic flowmeters and pressure transducers. ACT pioneered, developed and has patented a real time computer monitoring system named IntelliGrout®. Our system allows the grouting work to be directed, in real‐time in order to provide the best solution based on the measured response of the rock formation.

Successful installations to depths in excess of 600 feet (200m).

Seepage reductions to 1 Lugeon (1.3 x 10‐5 cm/s).

Completed over 20 grout curtains including 3 of the largest ever done in North America.



www.agtgroup.com

Chemical grouting can be used to stabilize soils for tunneling, control water seepage, and provide excavation support. Chemical grout is injected under pressure in order to permeate soils and create a homogenous mass with increased strength and reduced permeability. In many applications, a sleeve port pipe (Tube‐a‐Manchette), containing rubber sleeves over predrilled holes, or ports, for injection, is installed into a drilled hole. This allows the chemical grout to be injected at discrete locations along the sleeve port pipe. The rubber sleeves are equally spaced and permit multiple grout injections through the same sleeve. The more commonly used chemical grouts include polyurethane, epoxy, sodium silicate and acrylamide/acrylate.

Comprehensive line of chemical grout pumps delivering in excess of 20 gpm (75 lpm).

Custom built, semi‐automated, high volume batch plants.



www.agtgroup.com

Compaction grouting is typically performed in loose or weak soils to mitigate settlements and is also used for sinkhole remediation. Compaction grouting involves the injection of a very stiff, mortar like, cementitious grout into soil to densify or compact the soil under high pressure. When injected, the grout will not permeate the surrounding soils, but instead form “grout bulbs” that laterally displace the soil. By repeating the process in adjacent holes the soil between the holes is densified through the lateral displacement.

Compaction grouting to depths exceeding 100 feet (30 m).

Improved soil mass through densification.

Sinkhole remediation.



www.agtgroup.com

Compensation grouting, sometimes referred to as fracture grouting, involves the injection of grout to intentionally fracture the ground, creating “grout lenses” to displace the surrounding soil in order to provide controlled heave of soils and structures. It is commonly used to protect buildings by mitigating settlement caused by tunneling operations. Sleeve port pipes (Tube‐a‐Manchettes), containing rubber sleeves over predrilled holes, or ports, for injection, are installed to facilitate compensation grouting. An array of sleeve port pipes are used to ensure complete coverage and control, in the area requiring treatment, is achieved. Multiple injections are performed through the sleeve port pipes, at discrete locations, in order to treat the area. A surface monitoring program is required in order to monitor and provide early detection of surface movements so that the compensation grouting program can be initiated, controlled, and directed.

Detect and mitigate settlements as little as 1/32” (1mm).

Building protection during tunneling.



www.agtgroup.com

Jet Grouting creates in‐situ columns of grouted soil using very high pressure grout injection. Grouting is performed by pumping high velocity jets of grout (or sometimes grout and air or grout, water and air) through the side of a grout monitor, attached at the end of the drill string. The jets erode and mix the soil as the drill string and the monitor are being rotated and withdrawn. The jet grouting process constructs jet grout panels, full columns or anything in between (partial columns) with designed strength and permeability. Jet Grout column size is dependent on soil type, soil density, injection pressures and flow rates of the various fluids employed, rotation speed, lift rate and type of system used. It is best practice to perform a pre‐construction test program to calibrate, adjust and verify jet grout parameters and the design.

Jet grout columns in excess of 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter.

Jet grouting to depths in excess of 80 feet (25 m).

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4

Step 1 Advance drill rod to design column depth.

Step 2 Switch to Jet Grouting

system, applying high pressure to activate grout monitor.

Step 3 Column created by rotating

rods while simultaneously withdrawing the rods.

Step 4 Column completed when

rod reaches surface.



www.agtgroup.com

A cement‐bentonite or soil‐bentonite Cut‐Off Wall’s (COW) primary purpose is to mitigate the flow of groundwater. The COW is constructed using a trench cutter and can be installed in almost any soil conditions. The trench cutter makes ‘bites’ to excavate rectangular panels in the earth. The plan geometry is infinitely variable, to accommodate any plan layout of the future structure within the COW barrier. The COW acts as a barrier, enabling varying construction to proceed inside the cut‐off wall. When the panels are contiguously cut, the perimeter of the COW can total thousands of feet in length.

COWs up to 8 feet (2.5 m) wide.

COWs to depths exceeding 400 feet (120 m).

Infinite plan geometry able to encompass any shape.



www.agtgroup.com

Cutter Soil Mix (CSM) technology is the latest generation of soil mixing, injecting and mixing binding agents (generally cement) with the aid of water and air with in‐situ soils to produce a final hardened product. Once cured, these mixed soil/cement elements are capable of supporting soils and retaining groundwater for deep excavations, environmental cut‐off walls or carrying structural loads. The CSM system is ideally suited to granular soils but can also be constructed through clays and some weaker rock formations. ACT’s equipment has full computer instrumentation ensuring vertical tolerances are maintained. Quality records for CSM panels are produced daily to include with project record documents.

CSM panel up to 3 feet (1 m) wide.

CSM to depths in excess of 400 feet (120 m).



www.agtgroup.com

Slurry walls (also known as element walls) are deep trenches excavated in the soil into which reinforcement is placed. Excavation is accomplished by cutting panels into the ground using a trench cutter. Trench stability is maintained using suspensions of bentonite or polymer slurries. Once excavated, reinforcement is set in the trench, followed by the placement of structural concrete using tremie pipes. The result is a structural wall system that provides temporary earth support, as well as the permanent foundation system. When the panels are contiguously cut, the perimeter of the diaphragm wall can total thousands of feet in length.

One of the only Bauer BC50 trench cutters available in North America.

Slurry Walls to widths of 78” (2,000 mm).

Slurry Walls to depths in excess of 200 feet (60 m).



www.agtgroup.com

Secant Piles are constructed by drilling and concreting intersecting circular piles. Reinforcement of the piles can be achieved using either structural steel members or reinforcing steel cages. Secant piles are commonly used as support for deep excavations and provide a barrier against seepage migration into the excavation. Secant piles offer a flexible solution for sealed shafts and a viable solution to traditional pile and lagging shoring. They can be designed as free standing system or in some cases be tied back with the use of anchors. Our Front of Wall system provides the most flexibility and allows us to place the piles in close proximity to existing structures. It provides a fully cased hole ensuring verticality of the piles.

Secant piles in excess of 32” (750 mm) in diameter.

Secant piles to depths exceeding 80 feet (25 m) deep.



www.agtgroup.com

A Pile in Self‐Hardening Grout (PSHG) wall is an intermediate solution between a soldier beam and lagging wall and a diaphragm wall excavation system. A PSHG wall consists of pre‐fabricated segments of soldier beams with timber lagging lowered into pre‐excavated trenches full with a cement bentonite mixture (self‐hardening grout). The trenches are constructed utilizing a trench cutter A PSHG wall system provides a rigid structural excavation support system, while the bentonite grout provides a water cut‐off wall. A PSHG wall system eliminates the need for a separate water cut‐off to be constructed alongside the primary excavation support structure. ACT owns the only CBC 32 machine equipped with a BC 32 trench cutter available in North America. This machine is ideal for the confines of an urban environment.

PSHG walls up to 59” (1,500 mm) wide.

PSHG walls to depths exceeding 200 feet (60 m).

Alternative support of excavation method.



www.agtgroup.com

Micropiles, or minipiles, are foundation structural elements constructed using high strength, small‐diameter, typically 6 to 12” (150 to 300 mm), steel casing and/or threaded bar, which are encased and surrounded by grout within soil or rock. Since micropiles can be installed with relatively small drilling equipment, they are an effective support for applications with restricted access and/or low headroom. They permit facility upgrades with minimal disruption to normal operations. Grouting can be achieved by tremie grouting, pressure grouting during casing retraction, and tremie‐grouting with post‐grouting. Post‐grouting within the bond length can increase frictional forces with surrounding soils, thus achieving greater capacity.

Micropile capacities in excess of 400 kips (1,780 KN).

Micropiles to depths exceeding 200 feet (60 m).



www.agtgroup.com

Rock and soil anchors are structural members that are used to provide temporary or permanent structural support. A rock or soil anchor consists of a tendon and an anchorage. The tendon can be one or more solid steel bars, a single hollow bar, or a bundle of high strength tensile steel strands. After drilling, installation and grouting, the anchors are tested to ensure that they are capable of carrying the design loads. Both performance and proof tests are performed in accordance with PTI prior to locking the anchors off at the required load. In some instances, anchors are installed but not stressed and remain passive. Anchors can be hundreds of feet deep and typically carry working loads of 100 to 400 kips (445 to 1,780 KN) for each bar anchors. Loads in excess of 2,000 kips (8,900 KN) can be achieved using multiple strand anchors.

Rock anchor capacities exceeding 2,000 kips (8,900 KN).

Dam stability.

Tower foundations.



www.agtgroup.com

Rockbolts and dowels are widely used for support of tunnels and underground excavations. A wide variety of rockbolts and dowel types have been developed to meet different needs which arise in mining and civil engineering applications. Rockbolts and dowels consist of plain or deformed steel rods fastened using either mechanical methods, or with the use of cement or resin grouts.

Rockbolts and dowels up to 2” (50 mm) diameter.

Rockbolts and dowels exceeding 50 feet (15 m) long.



www.agtgroup.com

Simply put, shotcrete is sprayed on concrete. It is the process of conveying concrete through a hose and pneumatically projecting it at high velocity onto a surface. Shotcrete is an all‐inclusive term that is used to describe both the dry mix and wet mix versions. It can be applied to any type or shape of surface including vertical and overhead applications. We have utilized shotcrete to repair spalled concrete patches on bridges and in parking garages, for soil nail slope stabilization and even to build shafts. Additives, accelerators, reinforcing fibers (polypropylene, steel, nylon, etc.) can be added to both wet and dry shotcrete mixes to enhance performance characteristics. Mix designs, just as those for concrete, can be easily adjusted based on project specific requirements.

Fiber reinforced shotcrete.

Custom Shotcrete plants able to place up to 13 yd3 per hour our (10 m3/hour).

Wet and dry plants.



www.agtgroup.com

Soil nails are steel reinforcing members that are typically installed in a closely spaced grid pattern, fully grouted, passive (non‐tensioned) anchors that when covered with shotcrete, create a cohesive mass with improved shear strength to prevent slope failure. Soil nails are generally used where prestressing is either not possible or desired. They are advantageous when the slope being treated is vegetated with mature growth that can, by conscientious design and installation considerations, be preserved intact. Soil Nail Walls are constructed in stages/lifts using the top down method. Stages are excavated, followed by installation of the soil nails and shotcrete to support the stage. Successive stages are created by repeating this process until the desired bottom elevation is reached.

Soil nails up to 2” (50 mm) in diameter and to depths exceeding 50 feet (15 meters).



www.agtgroup.com

Exploratory and investigative core drilling is used to extract rock core samples to be viewed, analyzed and logged by a geologist. This type of drilling uses a diamond impregnated drill bit and rotary action in conjunction with water circulation to cut and core rock. The drill is equipped with a wire line system that is able to extract the inner core barrel containing the rock sample without removing all of the drill rods. Once the rock is brought to surface and extruded, it is ready for further logging and analysis. ACT perform this type of drilling to investigate, collect and provide information to our clients on a variety of projects.

3” (75 mm) NQ holes to depths exceeding 3,000 feet (1,000 m).

4” (100 mm) HQ holes to depths exceeding 2,000 feet (700 m).

5” (125 mm) PQ holes to depths exceeding 1,400 feet (450 m).



www.agtgroup.com

The drilling method selected for any given project is of utmost importance. If core recovery is not needed, but precision is, then down‐the‐hole (DTH) drilling is the system to use. Some sectors of the construction industry also refer to this method as in‐the‐hole drilling or ITH drilling. DTH drilling is more accurate and efficient for deep hole since the hammer is located directly behind the drill bit; therefore no energy is lost along or at the drill steel joints. This type of drilling is helpful for overcoming geological features that can cause deviation such as particle grain size within the rock, bedding dips and the degree of fracturing. ACT owns a fleet of down‐the‐hole drills which can be used with air circulation or equipped with water hammers. The use of a water actuated hammer produces cleaner holes.

DTH holes in excess of 4” (100 mm) diameter.

DTH holes in excess of 600 feet (180 m) deep.

Air or water actuated.



www.agtgroup.com

ACT owns several rotary duplex drill rigs capable of using either auger rotary or eccentric drill tooling systems for overburden drilling. Typically, this type of drilling is used for rock anchors, soil nails, micropiles, overburden casing installation or holes of large diameter or long‐reach drill holes. ACT’s rotary duplex drills utilize inner and outer drilling strings housed in a magazine rack. The magazine rack, operated by hydraulics, allows the drill string to be loaded and unloaded. The drill head is equipped with a twin‐impact system that permits rotary percussive drilling with both the inner drill rod and outer drill casing simultaneously, thus reducing drilling time.

Standard tolling sizes from 4 to 6” (100 to 150 mm) diameter.

Larger sizes exceeding 8” (200 mm) diameter available.

Rotary duplex drilling to depths exceeding 150 feet (45 m).



www.agtgroup.com

Sonic drilling, or rotary vibratory drilling, is drilling with the use of vibration. The sonic drill consists of a rotary head as well as an oscillator which produces the vibration frequencies. The vibrations are placed on the drill string which in conjunction with rotary and push operations allows this type of drilling to advance through many types of geology rapidly. This type of drilling is also used for continuous intact sampling which no other equipment is capable of doing. ACT has employed sonic drilling on several of our major dam rehabilitation projects where the earthen dam embankment required drilling without the use of water to protect the dam core.

Resources to drill holes in excess of 6” (150 mm) diameter.

To depths in excess of 100 feet (30 m).

Continuous soil samples.



www.agtgroup.com

Top percussion or top hammer drilling is a type of drilling where the hammering energy is imparted with a drifter. The drifter, or top hammer, is hydraulically driven and is situated at the top of the the drill mast. This hammer energy is then transmitted from the hammer down the drill steel to the drill bit and then to the rock. As the drifter hammers, the drill string is rotated simultaneously resulting in the rotary percussive action associated with this drilling method. ACT’s fleet of drills includes several top percussion drills equipped with water flush that are capable of drilling hard or soft rock.

Holes in excess of 3” (75 mm) in diameter.

Hole to depths in excess of 150 feet (45 m).



www.agtgroup.com

A Geoprobe® drill is a hydraulically‐powered, direct push drill that is used for soil sampling. With the direct push method, the soil is removed without the use of rotary drilling. It is capable of continuous soil sampling, discrete soil sampling, and coring for monitoring well installations. The Geoprobe® is mobile, compact and quick to perform environmental, groundwater, and geotechnical investigations. ACT’s GeoProbe drills are capable of operating in tight areas that larger drills are unable to access.

Continuous soil samples, 1.5 to 2.25” (38 to 57 mm) diameter.

Samples in excess of 50 feet (15 m) deep.

Documents

Advanced Construction Techniques Toll Free 1-877-373-7248