Fluor-Lane was performing a phase of a much larger project that focused upon footers for a bridge on the I-495 Hot Lanes. The excavation would occur in a C-60 soil and would require a protective system to provide four-sided protection.

The contractor’s biggest concern for the shoring system was identifying a cost effective four-sided protective system that would allow the crew to work efficiently as it set the 50 bridge footers required. Because Fluor-Lane would not have machine lifting restrictions for the protective system, it would be able to use cranes for the lifts.

Shoring specialist Pat Hewitt met with the contractor to discuss the project and possible protective systems. After a brief discussion, the contractor elected to use a pit system composed of steel trench shield.

Coble Trench Safety was able to quickly customize existing steel trench shields to a pit configuration using technical data to meet the project needs. The pit system would be installed in “rings” and with the available equipment on-hand, the installation was not an issue.

The pit system provided the contractor the necessary four-sided protection, while providing the crew an open span to promote maximum efficiency. The pit box used was 28 ft. (8.5 m) long, 16 ft. (4.8 m) wide and up to 16 ft. deep.

For more information, visit www.cobletrenchsafety.com.