CONSTRUCTION OF THE IONA OUTFALL SUBMARINE SECTION

In February 1987, the Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District awarded an $8.5 million contract for the construction of the Iona Outfall submarine section. The contract awarded to the Dillingham - Manson joint venture involved the installation of approximately 3200 m of twin 2.3 m diameter steel outfall, of which 500 m was twin 2.1, 1.8, and 1.4 m diameter steel diffuser sections. The outfall extended from the end of the Iona Jetty into the Strait of Georgia near the mouth of the Fraser River and was 107 m deep at the end of the diffuser. The tender documents suggested a method of installation such that the entire twin outfall pipe was fabricated on an existing jetty complete with flotation pipe and pulled into the water. The contractor submitted an alternative method with the tender and was the successful low bidder. The proposed installation method was to assemble the pipe into nominal 300 m lengths in Dillingham's North Vancouver yard, launch them, tow them to the site, and sink and bolt them together underwater. This paper discusses the more interesting aspects of the project.