A job of this magnitude and importance would certainly require the precise use of the right equipment, with shoring being of special interest to Lash Construction.  Before the job even bid, Rick Henderson (Superintendent for Lash Construction) met with Ken Slaughter of Trench Shoring Company to determine their exact shoring requirements.  It was clear that a good amount of clearance would be needed and the decision was made to bid the job with a slide rail system that would offer a clearance of up to 15 feet. Once the job was bid, Rick and Ken met once again out on the jobsite to determine if there may be a more economical shoring solution. After careful review, the two men came up with a two-shield system. A 10’x16’ front shield with a 4’x16’ stacker would be used in the front, while another 10’x20’ shield and a 4’x20’ stacker would be utilized at the rear. The rear shield would come complete with legs that would allow it to ride atop the precast box culvert.  These adjustable legs would be 4’x4’x6’ and be manufactured from 3/8” material. Lastly, it was decided that skid plates would be welded to the bottom of each of the legs to allow the shields to be pushed and pulled along the trench line. The design worked perfectly and as the pipe section got deeper, Rick asked Ken and Trench Shoring Company to fabricate 8 ft. legs instead of 6’ and make them out of a heavier ½ “ material.

In addition, Rick also asked that Trench Shoring add wheels to the legs to allow the shields to move more fluidly. Trench Shoring Company took Rick’s requests for alterations back to Fabrication Manager, Jesus Ojacha at the Trench Shoring Los Angeles branch. Jesus fabricated the wheels out of heavy duty steel and added an additional two feet to the legs using ½” instead of 3/8”. The design worked perfectly in the field and overall, Lash Construction was able to save around 50% from the original bid which called for a full slide rail system. In addition to this, Trench Shoring Company also provided Lash Construction with several truck loads of trench plates ranging in size from 5x10 to 8x20.

In addition to specially engineered shoring, it was necessary to procure the right excavator for the job.

Lash Construction needed a machine that could handle the large precast sections with ease, while also having the ability to dig up to 16 feet deep and 18 feet wide, and still be able to maneuver around the huge oak trees on a street that is only 32 feet wide. They found this machine at their local Caterpillar dealer, Quinn Company who rented them a Caterpillar 365 excavator. Although Lash Construction owns several Caterpillar machines, they do find it necessary to rent what they need from time to time. They rarely have need of a machine of this particular size, but found it invaluable for use on this particular project. They used the 365 to dig and set the culvert boxes and to load the trucks that exported the trench excavation spoils for screening. Lash Construction also made good use of their own Caterpillar 325 excavator to help move the rear of the shield and to backfill material around the sides of the boxes. Lash Construction also utilized several other pieces of equipment from their fleet including a small John Deere excavator with a compaction wheel, a CAT 928 loader and a Hyster 24-ton forklift.

From building a 8’x8’ culvert that can handle any and all storm water to working in a confined space located right in the middle of a residential neighborhood, this job has been full of challenges for Lash Construction. They have however been dedicated throughout this project to help keep the hospital and other local businesses running smoothly, as well as keeping the local homes connected with as little down time as possible. The sewer is kept constantly live and bypassed from manhole to manhole. This is accomplished 12 feet at a time with a goal of completing approximately 30 feet each day.

Installing the box culvert has been challenging in general, due to the location of the sewer mains.  The existing sewer mains had to be removed, because they stood in the way of the new drainage culvert. With every foot of sewer culvert, it was necessary to construct a new water main, located just a few feet from both sides of the culvert. It was then necessary to pickup the laterals from both sides of the street and replace them all the way back to the homeowners property line. In all, 300 yards of concrete and 500 to 600 feet of drop inlet will be constructed, so that all of the laterals can connect to this outlet. In all 2,900 lineal feet of 15 inch sewer main and 2,000 feet of 8” will be installed, with an additional 1,300 feet of 12”sewer main for other related relocations. By the end of this project, 2,300 lineal feet of 8x8 box culvert will also be installed. In addition, 22,000 yards of dirt and spoils will be hauled off site, where it will be screened to 3” minus and hauled back to the job as fill. Associated waterline and sewer work will also be necessary before jobs end in certain intersections or anywhere existing water lines get into the way of the new culvert.

After it is all said and done, this job will run an estimated $8 million and take a little more than one year to complete. By the end, Lash Construction will have completed their task, allowing for the construction and expansion of the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, which will benefit millions for years to come.