Upgrades and repairs to existing utility lines always remain a high priority among local and state authorities. Failing to properly oversee and manage these utility lines can result in a catastrophic system collapse that may lead to flooding, property damages, and lawsuits. It is paramount to effectively perform routine inspections and evaluate the footprint ratios in the area. Recently, a southeast Florida city invested in utility upgrades to account for the added footprint in the area. The upgrade required installing a pre-cast junction box that would tie a 48-inch pipe into double-barrel 54-inch pipes designed to aid and redirect stormwater from a heavily traveled avenue near a freeway. The project, a two-phase construction, required an initial excavation cut 24-ft in length, 16-ft in width, and a depth of 15-ft. The second phase required a linear run of 600-ft, 8-ft in width, and a variable depth that stretched from 10-ft to 12-ft.
Early in the preconstruction phase, the general contractor started planning on how to secure the linear excavations within the median of a busy avenue. NTS collaborated by presenting several shoring alternatives that would adhere to the demands of the project. For Phase I, the contractor employed a sheeting guide frame system to secure the installation of a junction box and completion of the pipe tie-ins. The sheeting guided 
frame allowed the contractor to accommodate three pipes entering from three sides of the shoring system. The installation of the sheeting guide frame system starts by threading short steel panels that ‘dovetail’ into tracks of the stabilizing corner posts at the top of the excavation. Steel sheet piles are then inserted through the shoring panel interior open pockets, which are designed to accept the system-specific sheet pile, allowing excavation to total depth in proactive support.
For the final phase, the contractor had a limited window of time to complete the pipe installation as a section of the avenue would remain closed. The urgency of restoring the flow of traffic in the area forced the contractor to set up multiple pipe crews that needed to work around the clock—28 trench boxes were employed to secure the long linear excavation within the median. Trench shields or trench boxes are modular static solutions composed of steel panels and spreaders. Panels are single or double-wall, while spreaders come in an array of lengths—designed to aid different types of applications. Trench shields are assembled by inserting spreaders to the shield’s receiver collars and secured by pins. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to have the right tools and equipment on projects with tight deadlines. NTS’s extensive rental fleet inventory was instrumental to the completion of the storm sewer project.
