Ritson Road: AI Grading for Warehouse Site Feasibility

Engineer: Stantec

Tech Solution: Level AI

Location: Ontario, Canada

Project: 6 warehouses

Design turnaround: Less than 1 day per option

Level AI enabled multiple rapid iterations and certainty on earthworks quantities.

Ritson Road is a commercial logistics development in Ontario, Canada, comprising six large warehouse buildings, truck bays and heavy-duty pavements. Stantec used Allsite.ai’s Level AI to compare warehouse configurations and provide grading, retaining-wall and earthworks quantities for a site-purchase decision.

Dock heights, truck approach grades, internal circulation and stormwater controls had to work together within a flat landscape, existing servicing constraints and local accessibility and winter-performance standards.

A computer-aided design (CAD) software interface showing a detailed top-down technical drawing of a building layout with multiple colored lines representing different components and layers of the building plan.

The Challenge

Stantec’s client needed rapid feasibility feedback on multiple warehouse layouts before deciding whether to purchase the site. Each option needed reliable retaining-wall and earthworks quantities, connections to existing roads, an on-site pond and management of 100-year flood waters.

3D topographic map of a terrain with contour lines, displaying color-coded elevation levels in green, red, purple, and blue. The map highlights a designated area labeled 'STAGE 1' within a yellow boundary boundary, with elevation data shown on the sides and bottom.

Technology in Action

Using Level AI, the team iteratively optimised building-pad levels, truck-yard grading and drainage falls across the warehouse configurations. Minimum pad elevations and maximum retaining-wall heights were set, and roads around the buildings were configured to a maximum 1% grade. Truck bays were sized automatically, ponds were auto-sized, and a 100-year flood was managed on site — with all drawings produced automatically via the Allsite.ai web app. Level AI returned retaining and earthworks quantities per option, giving rapid answers on site viability.

The Results

Level AI returned retaining-wall and earthworks quantities in less than a day per warehouse option, helping Stantec’s client assess site viability and decide whether to purchase and proceed. Roads around the buildings were configured to a maximum 1% grade, with pond sizing and 100-year flood management included in the design.

Explore Level AI for grading and earthworks, browse more civil engineering case studies, or talk to our team about your site.