The contractor was engaged to participate in the expansion of an industrial facility along the Gulf Coast. For this particular phase, the contractor would be laying a triple barrel box culvert that would be used for efficient drainage of the site. The project would require an open cut of approximately 28-ft wide, 200-ft length, and 12-ft in depth. The contractor’s Competent Person had classified the sandy clay soil mix as a Type C-60.

This was a sizeable drainage project, as the culvert would need to be installed over approximately 4 miles. The 28-ft width was also wider than the typical excavation and would require a system that could easily be moved along the excavation while also protecting workers from harm. The contractor contacted NTS to discuss possible options on this project. After reviewing the potential options, the contractor decided a linear slide rail system would provide the most effective and efficient system for the project.

The linear slide rail system is installed in “bays” consisting of slide rail panels installed through grooves in each linear rail and then a successive bay is installed by utilizing the open end of the existing rail and adding additional panels and a new linear rail to each side.  Once the system is constructed, the contractor was able to fill over the installed and tested culvert, remove the slide rail bay and then use that same equipment down the line to continue the excavation. The process proved very effective for the contractor and the slide rail system was able to balance the contractor’s need for the working room while promoting the need for a production run.