Paradox Access Solutions

Paradox Access Solutions was founded in 2004 by Marc Breault, who holds six patents relating to roadway construction.{{cite web|url=https://patents.justia.com/inventor/marc-breault|access-date=15 April 2018|title=Patents by Inventor Marc Breault}} In 2012, the company formed an engineering firm to provide geotechnical engineering expertise.

In the aftermath of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire, the company assisted with road restoration in affected communities, creating 40 km of temporary roads in a little over one week.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/churchill-railway-repairs-beginning-1.4810424 |title=Company fixing Churchill rail line says repairs will be complete in 60 days |work=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |author=Caroline Barghout | date=2018-09-05 |accessdate=October 14, 2018}} Paradox also donated used mats (see description in Products and Services below) to regional nature trail construction groups to aid in trail stabilization and sustainability.{{cite web| url=http://www.albertatrailnet.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012_TrailTracker_4-web.pdf| title=Paradox Access Solutions Donates Rig Mats for Trails|access-date=15 April 2018}}

In 2018, the company began work to restore the Hudson Bay Railway to Churchill, Manitoba, which was washed out by floods in May 2017. Paradox provided railbed restoration while Cando Rail repaired the rails.{{cite news |url=https://www.brandonsun.com/local/Cando-awarded-contract-to-repair-Churchill-rail-line-492468761.html |title=Cando awarded contract to repair Churchill rail line | work=Brandon Sun |author=Michael Lee |date=September 5, 2018 |accessdate=October 14, 2018}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-ottawa-to-provide-long-term-support-for-churchill-rail-line-port-new/ |title=Ottawa to provide long-term support for Churchill rail line, port: new owner |work=The Globe and Mail | date=September 4, 2018 |accessdate=October 14, 2018}}

The company is a provider of wood, rubber and composite mats (often called rig mats or swamp mats), intended to provide stable, if temporary, roadways for industrial applications, such as in oil and natural gas, pipeline access, mining, and utility corridors. The mats are placed in the spring when the ground thaws and removed later in the year when the ground re-freezes, providing extended access to industrial sites in locations where traditional access construction methods are ill-suited, due to location, cost or sensitive environmental conditions. These mats may also be used in aviation, rail transport and paved or unpaved public or private road surface applications.{{cite web|url=https://www.paradoxaccess.com/matting/| access-date=15 April 2018|title=Matting Products}}

Paradox Access Solutions is the sole Canadian distributor of a product called Tough Cell, a Novel polymeric alloy cellular confinement product known as Neology geocell.{{cite web| url= https://www.stalbertgazette.com/article/building-roads-to-anywhere-20121229| work= St. Albert Gazette| access-date= 15 April 2018| title= Building roads to anywhere| date=29 December 2012}}

Once the honeycomb-shaped geotextile is placed, it's filled with sand, gravel, dirt,{{cite web| url=https://www.albertaoilmagazine.com/2012/02/breaking-trail/| work=Alberta Oil Magazine| access-date= 15 April 2018| title=Paradox Access Solutions supports a horizontal shift| date=24 February 2012| last=Snyder |first=Jesse}} or other locally available materials, and then compressed. The honeycomb shape is able to support heavy equipment by redirecting downward energy outward, “decreasing differential settlement of soft subgrades,”{{cite web| url= https://www.paradoxaccess.com/products/prs-neoweb/prs-neoweb-techinical/| title= Tough Cell (PRS-Neoweb): Technical Overview| access-date= 15 April 2018}} providing soil confinement, stabilization, and reinforcement.{{cite conference| url=https://www.prs-med.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/2_Pokharel_Validating-PRS-Neoweb-Design-Unpaved-Roads-Geo2015a.pdf|title=Validation of Geocell Design for Unpaved Roads |conference=2015 Geosynthetics Conference| date=February 15–18, 2015 |location=Portland, Oregon |access-date=8 May 2018| last1=Pokharel, P.Eng| first1=Sanat Kumar| last2=Martin, P.Eng| first2=Ian |last3=Norouzi, E.I.T.| first3=Meisam|last4=Breault| first4=Marc}} The resulting surface is functional in very cold (-60 °C) to very hot (60 °C) conditions.{{cite web| url= http://www.albertatoolbox.ca/2016/12/08/tips-for-a-greener-work-site/| title= Tips for a Greener Work Site| last=Tannas| first=Kim| date= 8 December 2016|access-date=15 April 2018}}{{cite web| url= https://www.constructionequipmentguide.com/frigid-weather-couldnt-slow-oil-sands-road-development/24446| title=Frigid Weather Couldn't Slow Oil Sands Road Development| access-date=8 May 2018|last=Mickle|first=Dale |date=10 February 2015}}

The product is notable for its use of local, rather than imported, aggregate materials.{{cite web| url=https://www.evergreeninnovation.ca/best-practices/innovative-roads/| access-date=15 April 2018| title= Innovative Roads}}

In addition to temporary roadway applications, it has also been approved for municipal road construction projects.{{cite web| url= https://canada.constructconnect.com/dcn/news/Technology/2015/8/Paving-a-new-way-for-road-base-material-1009810W |date=28 August 2015| access-date=15 April 2018| title=Paving a new way for road base material| work=Daily Commercial News}}{{cite web| url= http://tofieldmerc.com/?p=4656| access-date=15 April 2018| date=26 July 2016| work=The Tofield Mercury| title=Ryley's Railway Avenue using innovative 3D cellular confinement system – looks like a honeycomb before filled in and paved over}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|https://paradoxaccess.com/}}

Category:Construction and civil engineering companies of Canada

Category:Geotechnical engineering companies

Category:Companies based in Alberta

Category:Privately held companies of Canada

Category:Construction and civil engineering companies established in 2004

Category:Canadian companies established in 2004

Category:2004 establishments in Alberta