Project: | Claymont Rail Yard & Environmental Capping |
Client: | Drawbridge Claymont, LLC |
Location: | Claymont, DE |
Classification: | Industrial |
Job Size: | $3 – $5 Million |
Duration: | 1 Year |
Date of Completion: | April 2019 |
Project Overview
This rail yard and capping project was a Brownfield re-development of approximately 14 acres at the former General Chemical plant in Claymont.
Prior to capping the site, all existing concrete debris was removed to 2′ below subgrade. Several thousand cubic yards of concrete footings and other debris was removed and stockpiled at the site. In addition, the existing sluiceway needed to be buried for the length of the rail yard, which required installing a 72″ concrete drain pipe in place of the old sluiceway. Site lighting consisted of three new high-mast lights, each approximately 120′ high.
Once the subgrade was cleaned up, the site was fine graded and nearly 14 acres of environmental liner was installed. After lining the site, a drainage system was installed and a 45,000 CY cushion layer of soil was placed. Following that, sub-ballast stone and ballast stone were placed for the new rail yard.
Key Challenges
Installing 72″ RCP in the existing, active sluiceway required diligent controlling of water during pipe installation.
Prepping the subgrade by removing existing concrete was challenging due to the large size of buried debris that was frequently encountered. The debris removal was especially difficult because the old foundations were quite solid.
Screening the 45,000 CY of material from the existing pile before it could be used for the cushion layer of soils. At this point in the project, space was limited, but by careful sequencing, the material was successfully maneuvered so work wouldn’t be delayed.
Meeting regulatory and end-user requirements demanded careful coordination with the ownership group, the design team, the QA/QC team and the consulting engineers.