Nicholson is utilizing its GROUT I.T. automated computerized system on the installation of the grout curtain at McCook Reservoir. The company credits this technology for its winning of the contract.

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Deep under the streets of Chicago, Nicholson Construction Co. is carrying out the largest computerized cement-grouting project in U.S. history. The $39 million contract is part of the massive Tunnel and Reservoir Project (TARP) and the Chicago Underflow Plan (CUP), which, when combined is estimated to cost more than $5 billion, and is slated for completion in 2019.

CUP is the expansion of the tunnel system that holds the water from the storm sewers and sanitary sewer lines serving Chicago and Cook County. The project was started in the 1970s and is being overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in cooperation with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

According to Nicholson Construction Project Executive Luca Barison, who also is acting as project manager for the company’s work on TARP and CUP, Nicholson is the right company for the job.

“Our management capabilities, technical capabilities, quality, safety and performance record all make us right for the job,” he says. He explains that when the company submitted its bid to the USACE, it had to include a technical proposal showing that the company had the proper management and technical abilities to perform the work. This was outlined by displaying how the work was going to be carried out and how the quality, management and schedule requirements of the contract were going to be met.

Nicholson Construction was awarded the contracts for both phases one and two of the grout curtain portions of the project, which Barison says proves the company has the strength for jobs of that size.

McCook Reservoir
When Chicago was developing, its storm sewers and sanitary sewer lines were combined into one system, a combined sewer overflow (CSO) system. This causes overflow during heavy rainfalls, creates basement flooding and spills storm water and sewage into waterways and lakes.

The deep tunnels and reservoirs allow the system to hold a greater amount of storm and sanitary waters. Three reservoirs are being constructed so in times of heavy rainfall, there will be no spillage or contamination, and all water from the drain system will be sent through water reclamation plants for treatment.

The three reservoirs on the project are in O’Hare International Airport, and in the suburbs of Thornton and McCook. Nicholson Construction is contracted for the installation of the grout curtain at McCook Reservoir, which will have a capacity of 7 billion gallons. The company constructed a 7,800-linear-foot grout curtain around the reservoir for the CSO system during phase one of the project. Phase two will include another 7,000 linear feet of grout curtain.

The grout curtain is installed beneath an overburden cutoff wall around the perimeter of the reservoir and is designed to decrease the flow of water in and out of the reservoir. The company drilled two rows of grout curtain holes – staggered 15 degrees from vertical in opposite directions – on each side of the cutoff wall. The holes are drilled through 65 feet of overburden soil and then extended 325 feet into the limestone bedrock under the reservoir.

Communication and Productivity
Barison notes that Nicholson Construction used its GROUT I.T. automated computerized system to measure, record and graphically display in real-time the total volume of fluid placed in the rock, effective injection pressures, rate of injection, start and stop times of grout injection, and total time and volume of fluid placed. The system is exclusive to Nicholson Construction and has brought success to many Nicholson Construction projects according to the company. “[GROUT I.T.] was one of the key factors why the Corps of Engineers gave us the award for the project,” Barison states.

With a project of this magnitude, several contractors are working at a single site. The coordination is a challenge, but Barison says open lines of communication help increase productivity. “We overcame the challenge through communication at different levels, between field personnel and management personnel, and being an active participant in weekly coordination meetings between the various contractors,” Barison explains.

Phase one of McCook Reservoir has been completed and, Barison points out, on budget and ahead of schedule. “We will strive to make sure that the second phase will go the same way,” he says. “We have a very good relationship with the Army Corp of Engineers, which helped the overall process of the project. We are well positioned for the second phase to be a successful one.”

Leading Innovations
Arthur Nicholson founded Nicholson Con­struction in 1955 in Pittsburgh. It was initially a regional pile-driving company and grew to become a full-service geotechnical contractor in the late 1960s. In 2005, the company became the North American subsidiary of Soletanche Bachy Group.

Nicholson Construction says that it has always led the way in the industry through its innovations. Barison mentions its trademark GROUT I.T., cutter soil mixing (CSM) and JETPLUS processes.

The company says that CSM provides a cost-effective solution for the rapid construction of retaining and cut-off walls by mixing soil in situ with a cement/bentonite grout. CSM walls consist of adjacent male and female panels, similar to traditional walls. The soil is mixed and grouted – following pre-determined procedures – during the drilling and extraction phases. Nicholson Construction’s JETPLUS allows it to cut larger-diameter columns through increased jet-grouting efficiency.

The company says its jet-grouting process consists of breaking up the soil with a high-pressure jet in a pre-drilled borehole and mixing the loosened soil with a cement grout to form columns, panels and other structures in the ground. Its range of processes include single for cement, double for cement with air or triple for cement with air and water.

Company Versatility
Nicholson Construction is a versatile company, working in the areas of deep foundations, earth retention systems, ground treatment and ground improvement. Barison believes the company has the chance to grow in all fields. “Given the right opportunity, the company can tackle several different sectors of the industry and be successful,” he says, adding that the company can handle a wide range of projects, from $10,000 to more than $100 million.

He notes that the company has the ability to stay productive and maintain its versatility in the industry. “We are able to manage all ranges of techniques and all project sizes,” he states. “We can cover the entire geographical area of the U.S. and also perform in Puerto Rico.”

With its headquarters in Cuddy, Pa., – which handles the mid-Atlantic district, as well – the company has several other locations, including:

• New England district – Hudson, Mass.;
• New York district – Sparta, N.J.;
• Midwest district – Kalamazoo, Mich.;
• Southern district – Knoxville, Tenn.;
• Western district – Salt Lake City;
• Florida/Puerto Rico district – Miami; and
• Puerto Rico office – San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Nicholson says it has built its reputation on its versatility. “We have built our reputation by performing the highest quality work and providing the most innovative solutions on the widest range of demanding and high-profile projects,” the company says. “With district offices around the country, Nicholson has the capabilities and local expertise to address each region’s unique geotechnical construction needs.”

Nicholson was awarded another USACE contract for the David D. Terry Lock and Dam in Pine Bluff, Ark. The project consists of the structural repair of a 110-by-600-foot navigation lock and gated spillway with eight tainter gates.