The Brief
Fun and functionality must go hand in hand. We helped Canada’s Wonderland create the country’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, with a safe and solid foundation designed to last.
Project Overview
Blending fun and functional for winning results
Incredible adventures require incredibly thoughtful construction. When Canada’s Wonderland engaged our team to support the launch of the country’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, we instinctively knew: this was a unique chance to blend game-changing fun with next-level functionality.
Standing 93 m high and reaching top speeds of 148 km an hour, The Leviathan launched in 2012 to the delight of thrill-seekers nationwide. It also opened up entirely new considerations for the kind of support structure required to make a rollercoaster like this feasible.
Through our unique design and construction techniques, we built 240 concrete piers to underpin the high vertical and horizonal forces generated by the dynamic path of The Leviathan’s train. This included creating special piers with grade beams or slabs for key track columns. We also redesigned the surrounding ride station and photo area, building indoor service bays, maintenance workshops with an overhead crane, electrical rooms, architectural fabricated metal roof trusses, and more.
At every stage of this project, our team worked to mitigate the nature of the ground beneath the ride itself. The soil below The Leviathan consists of saturated sand, topped by a thick layer of strong silty clay. This added complexity required us to avoid saturated sand in our pier designs, or risk creating the need for tremie concrete placements.
Almost 10 years later, The Leviathan has maintained its top-billing title among Canadian rollercoasters by blending a fun-loving concept with solid engineering designs.
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