Ontario Line: Case Study Transcript

My name is [Construction Manager], and I am the construction manager for Lina and Kim Bathers. My name is Mead, and I’m the Director of Engineering at Conquip Engineering Group, based in our London office.

We are working on the Ontario Line South Civil South project, a subway line running from Exhibition to Court, which includes seven stations and two twin tunnels connecting downtown Toronto. Bulk X has been used at four of the stations on this line. The project aims to improve connectivity for commuters traveling to the city center.

The construction of the downtown stations takes place in very congested areas, with limited space for operations. Excavating the caverns and managing truck movements to remove material is particularly challenging.

We began engaging with Conquip before the project started, collaborating on site-specific requirements. Together with OTG, we developed a system tailored to the project. It was fabricated to match the exact dimensions of the trucks in Canada and designed specifically for the conditions at each station. This ensured the solution could handle the challenging situations encountered on site.

Once the design was completed, it was certified by a qualified Canadian engineer to ensure compliance with all relevant standards and regulations. Once the units were delivered, a Canadian engineer inspected each one on site.

Bulk X is a bulk excavation solution that reduces the need for double handling of soil. Material is excavated underground, loaded into the bin, and lifted directly to the surface for loading onto trucks. This avoids having equipment working at surface level, streamlining operations.

The truck-loading process is fast-paced, achieving five to six trucks per hour, which helps maintain the project’s schedule. Bulk X is a mechanical system that does not rely on hydraulic components, reducing the risk of breakdowns and making it easy for workers to operate.

Overall, Bulk X has increased on-site productivity at OTG by minimizing double handling and reducing CO₂ emissions, making the project more efficient and sustainable.