R.S. Foundation Systems Ltd
Design-Build Deep Foundation Solutions | Shoring, Piling & Anchors | Serving Western Canada Since 2008
Wrapping up another technically demanding scope, the completed retaining wall system for at the Kamloops Cancer Centre.
The scope:
• 14 soldier piles
• 18,987 sq ft of 10” finished shotcrete
• 23 micropiles
• 147 tieback anchors
Our crews were drilling upwards of 50’ in the air, working off man baskets and excavator mounted drill rigs. Multiple disciplines, tight access, and a sequencing puzzle from start to finish.
The results:
✅ Zero NCRs
✅ 100% of anchors passed proof testing
✅ On schedule, even with additional scopes added mid project
Hats off to the RS Foundation team that executed this one in the field and in the office, and an equally big hats off to the EllisDon team. They were an outstanding client to work alongside on a project of this complexity, and that partnership showed up in the result.
Projects like this are exactly why we do what we do. When piling, shoring, micropiles, anchors, and shotcrete all have to integrate on one wall, ex*****on is everything.
RSFoundation EllisDon Kamloops
05/25/2026
Why tieback anchors?
A shoring wall on its own is a cantilever. It works by embedding the pile deep enough below the bottom of excavation to balance the earth pushing against it. That’s fine for shallow digs, but past about 6 m of retained height, the bending and deflection get out of hand. Piles grow huge, and neighbouring buildings, sidewalks, and utilities start to feel the movement.
Tiebacks solve it.
A steel tendon is drilled on an angle through the wall, grouted into competent ground well behind the excavation, then tensioned and locked off. That single move does three things. It transfers lateral earth pressure back into stable ground behind the shoring wall. It pre-stresses the wall so it resists movement before it occurs. And it converts the wall from a cantilever to a tieback system, slashing bending moments.
The alternative is internal bracing or rakers, which clogs the excavation with steel. Tiebacks keep it wide open, so construction builds straight up from subgrade without working around anything.
That’s why almost every deep urban excavation past 6 m relies on them.
05/11/2026
Design, Supply & Installation of deep foundations for a commercial building in Calgary, AB
05/05/2026
Excited to welcome Jamie Sparkes, P.Eng. to RS Foundation Systems as our new Vice President of Estimating!
Jamie brings more than 14 years of piling industry experience to the role. A civil engineering graduate from the University of New Brunswick, he started his career as a geotechnical engineer - in the field inspecting, testing, and evaluating soil conditions - before moving into project management and estimating. Over the years he’s split his time between delivering deep foundation projects from start to finish and leading estimating, strategy, and pile design work. Load testing, client relations, design, full lifecycle ex*****on - he’s done it all.
That blend of field, design, and commercial experience is exactly what we wanted at the head of our estimating function as we continue to scale.
Welcome to the team, Jamie. Glad to have you with us.
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3661 48 Avenue SE
Calgary, AB
T2B3N8
