Driving Piles Next to Jets: Behind the Scenes at Logan International Airport

Building Pile Foundationsat Logan International Airport

At Conte Company, we do construction work in all sorts of places, driving piles and building foundations for boardwalks, schools, houses, shopping malls, industrial plants and some other really cool sites. Once in a while we land a job that’s loaded with logistical obstacles which could easily lead to delays and complications.

We’re always up for a good challenge, and the trick is to make sure our customers are happy and relaxed from beginning to end. We do this with meticulous planning and foresight. Not only for the work that needs to get done, but to anticipate all those little things that can add up to big headaches if preparations and contingencies are not in place. We bend over backward for our clients!

When the Airport Authority is the Client

A traveler running to catch a flight will rarely have time to notice the complicated infrastructure of departure airports. But, if he did take a good look around, he might notice that the tarmacs, runways, hangers, passenger gates and terminals are in a perpetual state of upgrade or repair.

Recently, Conte Company was awarded a construction contract from Logan International Airport, a very busy hub just outside metropolitan Boston, MA. Logan covers 2,384 acres, has six runways and four passenger terminals. It employs an estimated 16,000 people and is the largest airport in the New England with 36 million total passengers passing through the terminals annually.

From a general contractor’s perspective, driving piles for this job might not seem particularly challenging. Conte was hired to simply install helical piles for an airport expansion; specifically to enlarge gated terminals and add a few new gangways, used for boarding passengers.

As it turned out, this job was extremely challenging from a logistical, and a customer service point of view. Why? Precisely because of where the job was located; at an international airport with reams of security and safety regulations! Not to mention the timing and precision requirements of an airport open for business 24/7, with activity both on the ground and in the air. It’s a busy place!

Security and Safety

Before we were even allowed to step foot onto the tarmac, each and every one of our crew had to clear thorough background checks and fingerprinting to satisfy Massport (The Massachusetts Port Authority) and MA State Troopers. Then we all had to go through a rigorous safety training program, anti-terrorism certification and a personal screening process just to be allowed to work on the premises. It took a full month before the certifications and checks were completed, and no work could begin until everyone had been cleared.

“Every time we entered the gates, everything had to be checked. Every toolbox had to be opened, engines, undercarriage, materials and people were scanned. Once inside, we could not leave the airport at will because we had to be searched each and every time. But, we are a company that enjoys a good challenge — and being flexible and adhering to our customer’s requirements is one of the things we do better than everyone else.”

Equipment Transport

When our guys were finally cleared to work, it was time for Conte Company to transport all of the necessary equipment for driving piles: trucks, trailers, excavators and pile materials onto the site. Imagine driving oddly shaped equipment out onto tarmacs while huge commercial jets are taxiing back and forth between gates and runways. Fortunately, as Conte Company specializes in helical pile technology, the transport was relatively seamless. Only small trucks were necessary to move all the installation equipment into place.

An unexpected problem did arise when Conte Company learned we would not be allowed to transport pre-mixed concrete to the site. The airport authority did not want concrete trucks coming in-and-out, or idling near the terminal, for security and logistical reasons. As a result, we had to mix all of the concrete on-site, by hand.

Work Space Limitations

On an airport tarmac, wing lines are drawn on the pavement to show where planes with various wing spans are allowed to taxi. As contractors, we could not place any equipment within these lines because it would block planes from taxiing to-and-from the gates to the runways. The very limited space between these wing lines is the only path allotted for all other types of tarmac traffic and construction equipment.

Again, as we were employing a helical pile system for the foundation of the terminal expansion, we only needed small installation equipment. We employed a 4-ton excavator, a 14-ton ex and a 15 ton rubber tire ex in order to meet certain access limitations for different parts of the project. Each of these have the ability to rotate within its own footprint without hitting or blocking any jets.

“We were working in such a tight space that the arm of our excavator could have swung around and hit the plane behind us! Needless to say, we were EXTREMELY careful… And no, we never hit anything.”

Working in such close quarters could have been catastrophic with larger equipment. If another piling method was used for the building foundations, the Airport Authority would have likely needed to shut down the nearby gates, creating delays for passengers around the world.

Safety of Passengers and Workers

Installing piles for the terminals, gates and gangways of a working airport means that people are everywhere! Imagine the responsibility of drilling very close to where passengers are boarding planes. But, because our team is trained to put the safety of people first, there was never a problem. The passengers barely noticed we were there and the Airport Authority was delighted with the seamless process.

The Soil Conditions

As geotechnical contractors, the soil conditions influencing this job were fascinating to us. Boston is a city basically built on marshland. To complicate things, Logan Airport itself, sits atop a man-made landfill and 15 feet of dense compacted gravel. Below that was anywhere from 60-140 feet of infamous Boston Clay. And below that was a layer very dense till… oh, and by the way, it’s all capped off by 2 feet of solid asphalt!

It was a serious challenge, to say the least. It was determined that we needed to drill our piles somewhere between 70-140 feet deep to assure stability and anchor into the till far below the asphalt. It was up to us to figure out how to do that.

The top 10-15 feet of the gravel was incredibly hard and much too dense for standard helical equipment to get through. Ultimately, we decided to pre-drill to break up the gravel which prevented the piles from buckling or breaking. Once we hit the clay the helical piles could screw in easily and take it from there. We built custom, reinforced digger-plates which we used to pull grout down through the gravel to encase the entire piles in a concrete column.

In the end, it all worked out nicely. We hit a couple obstructions and had to re-drill once or twice, but ultimately, the plan succeeded! At Conte Company, creativity runs deep and everything we customized for this project worked just as we designed it.

In case you’re curious about driving piles, we installed CHANCE® SS225 Helical Piles with 7″ grout shafts, load tested for 140 kips (or 70 tons).

Complicated logistics and damage control

As a contractor that specializes in foundation work, Conte Co always performs our work with precision. Even so, a minimum $10M insurance umbrella was mandatory to win the contract (obviously, it’s very expensive to repair a damaged jet).

With Conte’s helical pile technology, there is no pounding and little chance of debris shooting away and hitting planes, terminal windows, passengers or workers. Alternate methods of foundation work could have made a real mess of the surroundings and an injury hazard for the airport’s customers.

The Logan Airport job was completed in just a few weeks over the course of a full year. It was a great experience for us, and a successful install, because Conte Company knows how to plan for contingencies. And even when we don’t anticipate something strange, we bend over backwards to meet our clients’ needs.

Wetland Boardwalk Construction: Solutions for a Fragile Eco-System

The Quequechan River Rail-Trail Project is a beautiful example of wetland boardwalk construction

Building a boardwalk over wetlands is a great way to add value to a community. Wetland boardwalks give the public a way to enjoy the beauty of nature, in place that would otherwise be off-limits. But building a walkway in such a fragile environment brings many challenges. Especially in environmentally protected areas, there are a number of factors that need to be considered in wetland boardwalk construction.

One of our recent boardwalk construction jobs in Fall River, Massachusetts is a perfect example of how a great site plan, combined with a little creativity and lots of experience can result in a breathtaking natural sanctuary for the public to explore.

The Quequechan River Rail-Trail

For over 30 years the Rails to Trails Conservancy® has been helping to transform unused railroad corridors into vibrant public places to be enjoyed by the community. The initiative has been so successful that public and private funds have poured into new, local projects all over the country. 

Conte Company had a great opportunity to work on just such a project last year in Fall River, Massachusetts. The beautiful landscape, full of wildlife in a robust wetland sanctuary challenged us to complete a highly-sensitive, environmental project using our highly adaptable, helical pile expertise.

Now completed, we are extremely proud of this project and happy to bring the story of its construction to our readers. Like us, most of you love being outdoors, enjoying what nature has to offer while maintaining its pristine beauty. Fall River wanted the same for their residents and decided to complete part of a hiking and biking trail that followed the old Fall River Rail Line. The rail bed was being recycled with help from the Rails to Trails folks, who sponsor these kinds of projects all over the USA.

During the wetland boardwalk construction on the Quequechan River

A Boardwalk Foundation Supported by Mud

In a nutshell, we were asked to connect a trail that ran down the center of a few tiny islands while making the island trails accessible from each river bank. The islands were separated by stretches of the flowing water, swampy wetlands and various grades of soft wet soil. Our mission was to develop a support system for four bridges which would seamlessly connect the trails running through these islands.

Using helical piles to build or repair a boardwalk is not uncommon. In fact, for building on wetlands, helical piers are the most effective solution to support paths, bridges and walkways. So when we first heard about this boardwalk construction project in Fall River, we knew it had our name all over it. We had the expertise, the experience and the attention to detail to do the job right.

We live to find new and better ways to build stronger foundations, which is why we are the #1 installer of Chance® Helical Piles in New England! After a few references from previous projects, the general contractor knew that our construction footprint would be nowhere to be found once the pathway was complete. And so, the job was ours.

Working in a Protected Eco-System

To dig right in, this project pitted a variety of environmental challenges against the special requirements of the boardwalk. First and foremost, protection of the wetland plants and animals inhabiting the river and surrounding marshes topped the priority list. A tricky work environment, unpredictable soil conditions and a litany of environmental regulations would be enough to scare off most contractors, but not Conte Company.

“Conte Company’s experience with environmentally sensitive areas, and the regulations protecting them, was invaluable to the success of this project.”

Strong Enough for Semis

The boardwalk requirements were challenging in-and-of itself. In short, a total of 4 bridges were needed, which had to be H20 loaded. That means they had to be strong enough to support 18 wheeler trucks! In our experience, the best way to accomplish this type of necessary support was to space the piles more closely together and use batter piles (angled supports) to resist lateral loads.

The need for this added structural strength is unusual. Most boardwalks we build are pedestrian rated and we can bring in our smaller equipment to install the piles. In this case, however, it was mandatory that the popular walking, running and biking path had access for emergency vehicles. The Quequechan River Boardwalk was designed for pedestrians, but also needed to be able to support ambulances and other first responders, which would require much bigger helical piles sizes than we would normally install. Ultimately, this job required us to bring in the big excavator in order to drive the large diameter piles into the soil beneath the water.

With all of these ingredients and the big equipment necessary to install a heavy-duty boardwalk, the project had all the ingredients for disaster… that is if a less experienced company had been hired for the job. But Fall River hired Conte Company and we’re proud to take on the most complicated wetland boardwalk construction projects.

Barges are the Answer

Given the nature of the delicate eco-system in which we need to work, the first major question that came up was:

“How do you get the big equipment where it needs to go, to do what it needs to do, without compromising the eco-system or the safety of the workers?”

The solution was barges! We’ve used barges in helical pile installations before, and they’ve worked really well. We decided that floating pontoon barges to transport equipment and materials was the way to go. The big excavators could reach over the side of the barge, lower the helical piles into the water and screw them into the ground. Our guys, on free-floating docks, would guide the helical piles into position and bolt on the extensions so they could be driven deep into the soil. Our experienced crew could focus on this intricate task because we’ve done it before. We have a lot of experience around water and didn’t forget the bug spray). At Conte Company, safety is always first!

Installing helical piles underwater for a wetland boardwalk construction project

Boardwalk Bridges, Made To Order

Two of the longer bridges were to stem from opposite shores and meet on the biggest island, allowing pedestrians to cross from one side of the river to the other. The two shorter bridges were to span a few smaller gaps over the water. The longest bridge was to be 500 feet, the shortest 100 feet, and we would have to use a grand total of 600 helical piles to make everything hook up — and stay up.

A Google satellite view of the River Rail Trail boardwalk in Fall River, MA
An aerial view of the two boardwalk bridges spanning The Quequechan River

View this project on Google Maps

The boardwalk’s roadbed was to be lined with 10-inch wide timber sections. Each section would require us to fabricate custom, galvanized beam saddles to secure the boardwalk to its helical pile system.

The general contractor fabricated each timber boardwalk section based on measurements of the piles as we installed them. And each boardwalk section was attached to the foundation as it was completed. You can think of it like a custom boardwalk assembly line. As we go, so go the boards. This requires meticulous care to ensure that each and every pile was plum, secure and properly aligned with each of the other piles.

“Helicals were really the only option on an environmentally delicate job like this.”

Batter piles and beam saddles are used with helical piles to offer aditional support
An intricate helical pile system complete with batter piles and beam saddles support the wetland boardwalk

Using Helical Piles for Boardwalks

There are three reasons why helical piles are the perfect solution for wetland boardwalk construction: Logistics, Structural Stability and Environmental Impact…

Logistically and structurally, using helical piles in wetland boardwalk construction makes a ton of sense

Simplified Logistics

Compared to other types of pile foundations, helical pile systems are easy to install and require less maneuvering room to do it. The arm of the pile driving excavator can reach out away from the machine, whereas other types of piles systems need to be drilled or driven straight down.

One-path-in and one-path-out means there’s not a lot of room for extra machinery. Fortunately, to install helical piers, you really only need the one excavator. No other pile system could be installed faster or more efficiently than helical.

High Structural Stability

As we mentioned, construction of the boardwalk itself was being measured, fit and installed right in our footsteps. This meant the foundation needed to be secure and able to hold capacity immediately. That’s sort of a trademark of screw pile systems, as they do not require concrete.

Screw piles are also incredibly stable in soft soils, like mud and riverbed. In this case we used round shaft helical piles to accommodate the potential trailer truck loads. Even if another pile system were easier to install (which it wasn’t), a helical foundation was the correct choice for the project.

Low Environmental Impact

As we mentioned, protecting the eco-system in which we were working was one of the most important aspects of this job. And helical pile systems have very little impact on their environment, even feet from where they’re being installed.

  • No Grout Necessary – No contamination to the water or the habitat.
  • No Spoils from Drilling – No dirt or mud was pulled up from screwing the piles into the ground.
  • Only Piles Remain – Nothing goes into the water except for shiny, galvanized, steel piles.
  • No Danger to Wildlife – Piles are screwed deep underground, posing no threat to living things.
  • Finished Fast – Completed in just a few months, the environment was to back to normal before Springtime!

“All of this had to be done in real time, while working on a barge, floating in 6 feet of water, in an environmentally protected area, alongside birds, fish and turtles. This job was interesting, to say the least.”

Building a boardwalk in the wetlands means working alongside birds, fish and turtles

All-in-all we couldn’t be happier with how this project tuned out. If you’ve got a boardwalk project and need some expert advice, give us a call. Our experience with wetland boardwalk construction and pile foundation systems makes us one of the most qualified contractors in the country.

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Quequechan River Boardwalk in Winter
Even in Winter, the Quequechan River Boardwalk can be enjoyed by all

Bulkhead Repair: Overcoming the Challenges of a Failing Boardwalk

Bulkhead repair in Norwalk Connecticut

Norwalk, CT is our home and the place where Conte Company was started in 1948. The town was founded in 1640 on the southern shoreline of CT known as the Long Island Sound. Norwalk is less than 50 miles from downtown Manhattan, but light years away in attitude and economic history.

Well known for its oystering industry, the town grew and prospered, attracting new residents who want to live on or near salt water while still in commutable distance from NYC. Charles Cove is a man-made tidal inlet, a quarter mile cut in from Long Island Sound, surrounded by a boardwalk, boasting luxury boat marinas and high-end condos. The Charles Cove Condos, which wrap cozily around the end of the cove, were built in 2004 and are highly popular for their location near beaches and shopping. Recent sales have them priced at just under a million dollars each.

Boardwalk foundations are a perfect fit for helical piles

Rotting Bulkheads in Need of Maintenance

Last year, the board of directors of the Charles Cove Condominium complex were informed that the wooden bulkheads holding up their complex were rotting and in serious danger of collapse. Apparently, the salt water tides running in and out of Charles Cove twice each day had taken a serious toll on the foundational structures. The residents, who strolled peacefully along the water on the complex’s walkways probably had no idea they were right on top of a disintegrating bulkhead.

Fortunately, someone did notice the rot and a marine contractor was quickly hired. But, instead of attempting a bulkhead repair by replacing the old bulkhead, the engineers proposed building a new bulkhead directly over the old one using new bulkhead sheeting, secured with piled tiebacks. This was going to be challenging, considering the natural elements in play, so the marine contractor wisely placed a phone call to Conte Company. (We are well known as the folks who love a good challenge and this one was going to be a doozy!)

Let’s talk about your project’s foundation challenges

A rotting bulkhead under a boardwalk in dire need of repair

Barging-In and Timing the Tides

We are well known for our helical pile technology expertise, which turned out to be the perfect solution to create tiebacks for this precariously threatened bulkhead.

We determined that our helical pile tiebacks would have to be securely drilled into the old timber retaining wall, a structure directly perpendicular to the salty waters of Charles Cove — and right below that 8-foot walkway. The new, poly-coated composite wall could then be attached to our secure helical piles. And, because this very tight working space was not accessible from land, we also planned to bring in a small barge to hold and transport our drilling equipment and crew for the bulkhead repair.

However, being raised in a shoreline town, we were aware in advance of a bigger challenge. Each 12.5 high tide was going to raise our working barge at least a few feet and once raised, we knew that our drilling boom would not always fit under the walkway. We would only be able to work from low-tide until just before mid-tide. Providing this critical timing information to the marine contractor in advance enabled them to plan ahead for other aspects of the project and helped to keep the project on schedule.

(we bend over backward to work efficiently)

Finding creative ways to repair a water damaged bulkhead under the boardwalk

Men Overboard (with Extensions)!

With the tidal problems addressed, our crack team anticipated, and solved, another watery problem before we began our bulkhead repair work. The barge, small as it was, still needed to be anchored 10 feet away from the bulkhead. The vertical piers that hold up the boardwalk kept the barge and our machines from getting up close and personal with our work. We were not going to get it close enough for our boom to reach where the piles needed to be drilled.

Our plan was simple, yet effective. We used standard pile extensions to lengthen our reach from the barge. Two crew members on the barge would load the extensions onto the helical piles. Two other Conte workers worked off a small floating dock where they could jump into the shallow waters, close to shore, and bolt the ends of the shaft extensions onto each helical pile as it was drilled into the wall.

At Conte Company we are team players and will to jump through hoops, or off barges, to get the job done right!

Ask us what we can do for your next foundation job

A few weeks later the job was done! Our men dried themselves off, the barge was floated out of Charles Cove and the residents began to stroll the walkways again. The customer, in this case, the condo’s board of directors, was confident that the bulkhead repair was completed according to the highest standards, as it passed all required inspections. Their residents were safe to once again stroll the walkways along Charles Cove and watch the sunsets —which are absolutely gorgeous over the waters of historic Norwalk, CT.

An aerial view of the Charles Cove boardwalk where our bulkhead repair project took place

How well are you vetting your contractors? Get Conte Company's 2017 Guide to Evaluating Geotechnical Contractors: 22 Mandatory Questions to Ask Before Getting a Bid.