Wonderland and its use of Shotcrete and Concrete

When people mention shotcrete, most will be met with confused looks. Shotcrete is concrete, but applied in a very different way from conventional concrete. When most people think of concrete, they imagine wooden forms and concrete pouring. There are other ways of applying concrete. Anyone who has been to Canada’s Wonderland has unknowingly come in contact with shotcrete.

Shotcrete was first invented by Carl E. Akeley on June 24, 1907 and was applied using a very rudimentary machine, called a “plastergun” ¹. The development from plaster to concrete took only a couple of years, and by 1911¹ the cement gun was patented. The name “shotcrete” itself comes from “shot” and “concrete” put together, since the concrete is literally shot out of a spray nozzle.

From Akeley’s time shotcrete has advanced and developed as technology progressed. Today there are different ways of applying shotcrete. Some guns use premixed concrete fed into the hose and sprayed on. Others use dry aggregate and cement fed in the hose and mixed with water right before it exits the nozzle. This second method is specifically called Gunite, which is trademarked². Gunite quality depends on the skill of the concrete worker, also known as a “nozzle-man”³.  The nozzle-man’s skill and experience is critical, since he is the one who controls the water-to-dry-mix ratio. He controls how much water is added to the mix as it sprays out of the nozzle. The density of the concrete and its compression strength greatly depend on the ratio of water to dry-mix. This makes it a bit riskier to use than traditional concrete pouring, which is more uniform, since it is mixed at a concrete plant with computer-controlled ingredients^4,5.

Shotcrete has specific applications where it exceeds traditional concrete forming. Shotcrete concrete under high pressure is shot out of the hose and sticks to where it was shot due to the impact force. This stick-on contact method allows it to create complex forms easier than traditional concrete. Shotcrete was used in Canada’s Wonderland for repair of the famous Wonder Mountain⁶. Besides, it was used to create structures for the famous Halloween Haunt⁷, such as large serpents, trees and skeletons. The reason for using shotcrete is because it can make rounded objects and circular details easier than traditional concrete. At wonderland, Wonder Mountain has few straight walls, but instead features curves that mimic natural contours. Shotcrete is also used in concrete pool construction, since, again, it can make a circular pool easier than concrete forming. Concrete forming is faster to pour, though, when dealing with regular square or rectangular pools. 

Canada’s Wonderland Wonder Mountain⁶

Wonder Mountain repair work to be done with shotcrete concrete technology⁶

Canada’s Wonderland employed shotcrete for its mountain, but regular concrete contractors, such as SIBWEST Inc., use this technology for the footings and structural parts of its engineering projects. From the foundation of the mountain to the foundation of the roller coasters, concrete pouring is faster and easier to use for pouring concrete ground columns. For Canada’s Wonderland Leviathan roller coaster, 2045 cubic meters of concrete were poured⁸.  

In conclusion, both shotcrete and concrete have specific niches they fill in the construction business. For various projects, such as the ones at Canada’s Wonderland, both are deployed by engineers and contractors to get the job done. SIBWEST Inc. loves a challenge and always exceeds the customer’s expectation, whether it’s a footing, foundation or backyard pool. 

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Citation

^1.Teicher P. Carl Akeley A Tribute to the Founder of Shotcrete. Shotcrete. 2002 [accessed 2016 Aug 9]:10–12. http://www.shotcrete.org/media/archive/2002sum_teichert.pdf

^2.What is Gunite? Kraemer Gunite, Inc. 2013 Apr 6 [accessed 2016 Aug 9]. http://kraemergunite.com/what is gunite.htm

^3.Concrete vs. Shotcrete, What’s the Difference? Yoder Laser Concrete. 2011 Dec 20 [accessed 2016 Aug 9]. http://www.yoderlaserconcrete.com/blog/concrete-vs-shotcrete-whats-the-difference

^4.S. Gunite vs. Shotcrete. Houzz Inc. 2009 Aug 6 [accessed 2016 Aug 9]. http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2556102/gunite-vs-shotcrete

^5.Dhir RK, Hewlett PC, Jones MR. Creating with concrete: opening and leader papers of the proceedings of the international congress held at the University of Dundee, Scotland, UK on 6-10 September 1999. London: T. Telford; 1999.

^6.Canada's Wonderland - Mountain Restoration, Vaughan, ON. Hardrock Concrete Inc. [accessed 2016 Aug 9]. http://www.shotcrete.ca/projects/canada-s-wonderland--mountain-restoration--vaughan--on.html

^7.Canada’s Wonderland – The Haunt Vaughan, ON. Hardrock Concrete Inc. [accessed 2016 Aug 9]. http://www.shotcrete.ca/projects/canada---s-wonderland-----the-haunt-vaughan--on.html

^8.D. Images: Leviathan rollercoaster construction continues at Canada's Wonderland. Theme Park Tourist. 2011 Nov 1 [accessed 2016 Aug 9]. http://www.themeparktourist.com/news/20111101/5187/images-leviathan-rollercoaster-construction-continues-canadas-wonderland