Public Construction

Challenged by peat bog soils and grade variation, IMCO carpenters tied steel for grade beams needed to support an 18-inch-diameter storm drain pipe.
IMCO General Construction
WWU Utility Improvements South Campus — PW337

Owner: Western Washington University
Engineer: David Evans & Associates

The $7 million Western Washington University utility improvements project on South Campus was complex. In addition to technical demands, the project required a great deal of coordination with the university to allow students access to classes during construction.

The project encompassed a wide scope, including construction of storm and sanitary sewer systems, a public water main extension, utility tunnel, utilidor, duct bank and electrical systems, pile support systems, pedestrian walkways, temporary parking and access roads, landscaping and resurfacing of a service road.

IMCO overcame several project challenges, such as dealing with varying types of soil — from excavating solid rock up to 20 feet deep, to driving pile and pouring pile beam caps to support utilities over a peat bog. Mindful of safety concerns for blasting rock on a university campus, the team used a Vermeer trencher — one of only three machines in the world — to saw through the solid sandstone.

Trench shoring for the 7-by-7-foot precast tunnel also proved difficult. The team installed 1,100 linear feet of tunnel system, which housed about 3,000 linear feet of steam and condensation piping. Crews cautiously worked together to stock piping as the tunnel was constructed; the team waterproofed each 7-foot tunnel section as it was installed, then moved ahead with trench shoring. Once the section was backfilled, crews installed pipe supports on the interior and welded steam and condensation piping in place before electrical crews installed main power in the tunnel.

IMCO worked with engineer David Evans & Associates, and ABC team members Bratrud Middleton and Wilder Construction Co.



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