The new Samuel De Champlain Bridge in Montreal, Canada opened to traffic in June 2019 following four years of construction. One of the biggest infrastructure projects in North America, the 3.4-kilometer (2.1 miles) bridge spans the St. Lawrence River and is a critical junction with around 50 million vehicles crossing it annually.

To join drainage piping running the entire length of the bridge, Victaulic was chosen for its simplicity of installation, engineered benefits, and track record of reliability. For this application, stainless steel and galvanized couplings and fittings up to 18” were installed. The solutions included:

• Style W77 AGS Flexible Couplings
• Stainless Steel Grooved Fittings
• Style 107N QuickVic™ Rigid Couplings (galvanized)

For over two years, Victaulic pipe preparation tools were onsite to roll groove the pipe, including on a barge that was outfitted with a fab shop. Sticks of pipe with fittings were assembled and hoisted up to be put in place due to the height. “Spidermen” hanging from the bridge performed the installation, and a minimum of 3 teams of fitters and 3 tools (at each end and the middle of the bridge) were working at any given time. With large crew sizes and many different people involved over the lengthy construction period, the ease of use and installation of Victaulic proved to be a big benefit.