Project Description
In 2015, Foundex was contracted to complete geotechnical investigations in shallow nearshore areas along the North Coast of British Columbia in support of a potential infrastructure expansion project. The work was undertaken in foreshore areas in low‑draft environments characterized by some of the largest tidal variations encountered in marine geotechnical drilling programs, creating challenging conditions for conventional floating marine platforms.
To support the program, Foundex designed, manufactured, and assembled a purpose‑built self‑elevating jack‑up barge to provide a stable and mobile drilling platform capable of operating in very shallow water. The platform was positioned during high tide and elevated above the water surface hydraulic jack legs prior to drilling, creating a fixed working surface isolated from tidal fluctuations. At subsequent tidal cycles, the platform was lowered and repositioned to access additional investigation locations.
By eliminating continual movement associated with changing tides, wave action, and vessel heave, the jack‑up configuration allowed investigative drilling to be conducted from a stable reference elevation. This supported consistent drilling conditions and high‑quality data acquisition compared to conventional marine operations that are subject to ongoing tidal influence and platform motion.
This methodology enabled Foundex to obtain reliable subsurface information across a broad stretch of the northern coastline, providing critical geotechnical data to support the assessment and planning of future infrastructure development in the region.
