₦airaland Forum

spyder880:
Learning, enjoying the learning process. Thanks my man.

@ spyder880, No wahala, maybe one day we can join forces to do something in naija. you can run the residential side while i handle commercial projects,   

reinforcing steel for grade beams, these will be tied shortly,

@Fidelo726, this one na for you,

More pics of caps, You can see the size as it relates to the people standing by it,

As of today, the tower crane base installation is complete. The cap was poured, th shear walls around the base have been erected, and it has been back filled. (see pic). The rest of the crane will be erected over the weekend.

We started pouring the pile caps this week. There are right under 65 caps and 3 supercaps for the stairs and elevators. We have currently poured 2 of the caps. These caps are 4ft deep with the surface dims at 13ft X 14ft. These hexaconal caps sit on 7 piles. Each corner sits on an 80ft deep pile, with an additional pile in the center, See pics,

77ken:
Hi, one of they best thread by a nairalander in recent times I must say, thanks for the effort,
I am interested in the project management angle of your project, what software are you guys using for scheduling and project controls activities? would it be possible for one to follow your on on weekly progress measurement and controls activities?
I am would be grateful to learn a thing or two about the above, if you can, send a mail to me on belemathomson@yahoo.com. Thanks

@77ken, thanks for the compliment, I am using suretrack for scheduling, and CMiC for project management and controls. Sorry man, the most i am willing to divulge is a general idea of value of material stored and work in place on a milestone basis. However, i can answer any other PM related questions,

Aventures:
@Ke07. We are used to boring a hole apply chemicals to keep the soil mass stay, fix reinforcement then pour the concrete. Is auger cast pile process an alternative/ advance method of constructing end bearing piles?

The process you are describing is more similar to the drill pier installation, which is a little different from the auger cast pile installation. This was covered earlier on in the thread. Usually when the chemical or slurry is used, you have to use a concrete pump to start pumping at the bottom of the hole which displaces the slurry and pushes it up. At the same time a suction pump hose is ran to to surface of the hole to suck the chemical back into the tank as the concrete pushes it up. On the other hand if chemical/slurry is not used, the hole is simply drilled, reainforcing installed, and the concrete is poured in to the hole by conventional means. hope the picture below helps a little.

WaltherPPK:
U r a bloody fool.Better go do what u know how to do best, which is chopping toto.Don't distract the poster who is doing noble or I will take it personal with you.

I can't stop laughing!!! Thanks for the support guys,

@ perenren, thanks for the comment. I hesitated to start this thread, but then i decided not to let a few bad influences deprive progressive and ambitious nairalanders from benefiting from this experience,  Hope NY is good cheers!!

Aventures:
I am subscribing to this great tread. This tread is for we local champs to upgrade our self to international level.
@Ke07. Pls i will like to know little more abt Auger cast piling. I unbderstand the process as u av described it but is it only cement you use becos u mentioned cement grouting. i was thinking it should be concrete. Moreover how do u drive in your reinforcement into it after removing the Auger.

My brother u are correct, it is concrete, but it is designed to have smaller sized aggregate so that it can be pumped long distances without blocking the hose. With regard to the second question, remember that when the auger is being removed, the hole is filling up with grout/pumpable concrete so that when it is completely removed, the hole is completely filled. The reinforcing has already been tied into cages and is merely inserted with the use of a truck mounted crane. I should add that before they are inserted, wheels and spacers are installed on the outer bounderies to maintain uniform clearance from the piles exterior surface,

@ToToChoper, the only reason why i am responding to you is  to maintain the focus on this thread. Despite your doubts, it is what it is. As i previously stated, the thread is to cover construction "means and methods" not to provide patients an update on the completion of their new service center. So please keep it moving if you have nothing better to do, especially if you do not need the knowledge.

The issue of privacy has nothing to do with seeing the building being built, it's about all the different pieces that go into it and how they are installed. For instance when a bank is being built, you cannot determine the components of the vault from the street, or in a project like this, did you know that the building would sit on 525 piles that are 80ft deep? amongst other things.

smh. It's funny how we nigerians never want to appreciate or give credit to our accomplishments. Just be happy for someone else's progress for once,  instead of looking for a way to discredit it,  Anyway, let's move on with the original intent of this thread,

ToToChoper:
@OP.

Is this the ongoing construction at the Heart and Vascular Tower of Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge?

@ToToChoper, Wisdom dictates that I always decline to disclose any specific info for the sake of client privacy, and potential legal implications. I'm not exactly sure why some people seem to be bothered by the client name or specific project location. This is not Nigeria, Certain things are not taken lightly in the U.S as you may well know especially when disclosed on a public thread. The purpose of this thread is to share knowledge, and provide insight on modern construction means and methods that are applied on large projects to those that are interested, and for me to do so, some certain level of discretion is always necessary. You can send me a private message at winextracash@yahoo.com if you really want more specific information.

TGIF !!! Make i enjow isi-ewu and star yankee style , 
@Spyder880 Na your own be dis!!

Poured pile cap for tower crane base,

Formed cap for tower crane base

This ones are for the tower crane base

Pictures of the completed Augered piles. Excavation has also been completed ready for the cap.

spyder880:
@Kez007, nice explanation about the drilled piles, I was about to ask what will hold the soil in place while the drill goes in and comes out to empty the sand, thanks for the fluid explanation, but what of place where the ground water is much, will this fluid hold back the water from flowing into the hole and possibly loosening some soil wall that will fall into the hole. Also, how is the rods inserted up till 65ft below the surface? I am sure machines handles those also. You are doing great, thanks.

In addition to Fidelo726 response, in areas where the water table is significantly higher than the depth of the pile, a cylindrycal casing made of metal sheets is inserted to prevent the collapse. This casing stays in place permanently and becomes part of the structure. Here are pictures of completed drilled piers.

@ haribo, you can email me at winextracash@yahoo.com and i can provide alittle more info, Cheers!!

Steel installation

The drilled pier is different in that the drill bit is about 5ft long and drills progressively. As in it drills to its length and then is pulled out, the soil is dumped in a heap and then it is inserted again to drill another 5ft. This process is repeated until the required depth is achieved. In this case, 65ft. After which the reinforcing steel is installed, and then concrete is pumped in via a concrete pump truck. They are usually thicker in diameter and shorter in length than the augered piles.

The blue tank in the second picture contains a slurry mixture which is used to hold the walls of the hole in areas where the water table occurs before the bottom of the hole.

Jps1:
Nice work@ poster and thanks for the information, one love 9ja.

Fidelo726:
I can see that I am already fascinated by the op's narrations.
I hope to love this thread.

well done kez

Thanks man, Na God!!

After the auger is removed and the hole is filled with concrete, then the reinforcing steel cages are dropped into the hole. Then the centralizer bar (see pic) is dropped in the center of the cages. These rods are about 2.5inches in diameter,

Auger casting piles,

spyder880:
Quick question bros, what is an Auger cast pile and what is its function in the building, this will help us understand how the materials used there compare with what we use here.

@spyder880, the response is accurate. The auger is basically a huge screw with a hollow spine. It drills to the required depth, concrete is pumped into the hole via the spine and as the auger is being retracted, the hole fills up with concrete, Feel free to ask any more questions,

Haribo:
@ OP thanks for such an awesome thread! I am a construction professional like yourself, except that I work in the Northeastern part of the country.

What company do you work for? Does the name start with a T ? Or are you with a regional company? You don't have to answer my question with specifics. Also, what is your role on the project? Field engineer, superintendent, project engineer? Would love to know.

My first construction related job was at a hospital. I remember mocking up a PACU unit for the doctors and nurses to review, a birthing room (they had a bathtub type of thing for giving birth in the water, can't remember the exact name) and also some masonry mockups for exterior wall. Fun times.

It's a joint venture agreement between my company and another regional contractor,   but in the scheme of things as it relates to the project, i am a project manager.

justokey:
Are those adjoining buildings occupied? There seem to be no protection for the occupants from hazards.

Nice observation, The adjoining building was evacuated and isolated a month before work started, All utilities and MEP services were disconnected also.

tutuwater:
waoh see money. how much is ya cut bros

Na to see if we fit complete the project within budget first, money go come , lol

Demolition!!

Demolition!!

In October, two major phases were completed, and two still ongoing.

1. Demolition of the one story building and removal of brick facade from existing building to be adjoined to.
2. Installation of 525 Auger cast piles for foundation - Ongoing.
3. Installation of 21 drilled piers for foundation.
4. Started installation of tower crane - Ongoing


With reference to number 2 and 3 above, the foundation design is such that we have numerous configuration of pile caps sitting on piles. Imagine a big block of concrete sitting on legs (six to eight). Each leg is 80 ft deep and 2 ft in diameter. The caps on the average are 13ft X 9ft X 5ft (L X W X D).

The difference between the "augered piles" and "drilled piers" is the installation process. I'll explain later from pictures,   Here are pictures of item #1- Demolition of one story building and brick removal, 

justokey:
Interesting post, will be following. BTW i suppose by 10 Storey you mean groudfloor and 9 other levels?

You are correct! i guess in naija/UK, that would be 9-story abi,

kellynoah:
@poster, give me my own share now else am sending BOKO HARAM there now. ok wait first, where is de location?

@Kellynoah, i dey wait for you with my cutlass,  i still dey laugh!   

Location was listed earlier,