Project Details

The slip-lining phase of the Enwave project facilitated the reuse of abandoned infrastructure and eliminated the need to excavate a 600m long trench (through marine habitat) from the beach at Centre Island into Lake Ontario. The 564m long, 1600mm diameter, HDPE, slip-line section was fused in one piece at Pier 18 in Hamilton. All the internal and external beads from the fusing operation were removed. Each end was fitted with a flange connection and a blind flange. The pipe was then pressure tested to 96PSI. One end of the pipe was then fitted with a pulling head that was engineered for a safe pull of 100t. The pull was achieved using a Skagit RB150 (136t max.) winch fitted with 50mm dia. wire rope (twoparted using a snatch-block) and two 1020 I-beams with four sheaves attached to align the pulling force directly into the existing intake.

A specially fabricated guide/roller assembly was installed at offshore end of the work to align the HDPE with the existing intake and prevent damage during its insertion. Divers and workboats pulled the 50mm wire ropes from the winch to the offshore access and connected them to the snatch-block. The 564m length of HDPE was towed to the site from Hamilton Harbour and secured to a spud barge which was positioned at the access to the existing steel intake pipe. A coordinated effort using multiple vessels aligned the HDPE with the existing intake. The snatch-block was then connected to the pulling head. The pulling head was then submerged and the HDPE run between the guide rollers. Pulling then commenced and was successfully completed on August 20, 2021.