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National Research Council Canada Article

http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/pubs/ci/v12no2/v12no2_9_e.html

Regina firm's landslide victory earns CCA Excellence in Innovation Award

How do you stop a landslide? Until recently, this was a question with only difficult, expensive answers involving excavation and reconstruction. Two years ago, however, Morsky Industrial Services Ltd. of Regina, Saskatchewan, developed an innovative technique for launching nails as part of its soil stability remediation system. The technique offers a quick, easy and aesthetically pleasing solution to holding slopes in place — and earned Morsky the Excellence in Innovation Award from the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) this past March.

In 2005, a 50-metre section of Highway 20 near Lumsden, Saskatchewan, was in danger of sliding into the adjacent Qu'Appelle River. Officials with the Saskatchewan Department of Highways and Transportation determined that the slope was in urgent need of remediation and stabilization, and that emergency measures were warranted.

Nail shooting work in progress

Enter Morsky, which had recently introduced its unique "launched" soil nailing system to the Canadian marketplace. Originally designed for military applications, the technology uses a customized excavator outfitted with a compressed-air cannon to launch nail-like rods into a failing slope. As the nails enter the ground, they displace the soil, which then rebounds and binds tightly with the nails. This action causes sufficient resistance to stabilize the soil and prevent the slope from sliding any further.

The results of the Highway 20 project are impressive. Completed in three days, the nailing process moved little soil beyond the direct nailing point and caused no disturbance to the river or the riverbank. The bank is now stable and includes erosion protection to avoid future contamination of the river system.

Each year, the CCA honours outstanding contributions to the Canadian construction industry with a series of awards given to individuals, companies and organizations. NRC-IRC is proud to be on the jury for the Excellence in Innovation Award because the development and promotion of innovative solutions in the construction sector is one of the institute's top priorities.