Productivity simulation during the planning phase of the Glencoe tunnel in Calgary, Canada: a case study

This paper discusses the Glencoe Storm Sewer Upgrade Project in Calgary, Alberta. The proposed tunnel is 2920mm in diameter, stretching along 27th Ave SW from 15th St SW to 20th St SW with a total length of 935m. Its depth varies from 16m at the working shaft to 42m at the retrieval shaft. The tunnel will reduce surface flooding by providing temporary storage of stormwater runoff during major storm events. The focus of this paper is project planning. The planning phase includes scope definition, contract setup, cost estimate, team assembly, equipment and material procurements, risk analysis, constructability review, geotechnical investigation, Safety and ECO Plan development, and scheduling and productivity simulations. The challenges presented in this project are the unfamiliarity with the local conditions and the uncertainty of the projected productivity and completion date of the project. Those issues were modeled and mitigation strategies were established using simulation technologies.