Major concrete pour progress + new windows around the site
Major concrete pours off to a smooth start
Seven major concrete pours have been successfully completed on-site over the past three weeks, as the substructure and foundations work begins on Te Kaha’s western and southern stands.
The largest of these pours was around 1000 cubic metres (approximately 160 truck-loads) and the smallest about 300 cubic metres.
The aim is to complete two pours every week over the next month (weather permitting), with this stage of the construction expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.
Ground improvement works is ahead of schedule and entering its final stages, with the rigs now working on the land that will hold the northern and eastern stands. This work should be completed in the coming weeks.
The BESIX Watpac team continues to work on the detailed design and this will be largely completed during Quarter 2. Shop drawings have begun for structural steel, and the fabrication and testing of the buckling-restrained braces (more information on these below) is under way.
Investing in local businesses
The BRB testing rig before (left) and after upgrade
The Te Kaha multi-use arena project has supported the upgrade of facilities at Christchurch's Holmes Solutions, so that the engineering firm can test the huge buckling-restrained braces (BRB) required for the arena’s structure.
A BRB is a structural brace designed to allow a building to withstand the forces and loadings caused by earthquakes.
Before the Te Kaha project upgraded Holmes’ BRB testing rig, there was only one facility in the world that could test BRBs to the length and high capacity that’s required for this project.
Viewing windows installed
in site hoardings
If you have been curious to know what is happening on the Te Kaha site, we have good news: the lead contractor, BESIX Watpac, has installed viewing windows in the hoardings.
There are now several windows in the hoardings around the site, at selected spots on Madras, Tuam and Barbadoes streets.
Make sure you stop by and check out the on-site activity next time you are in the area!
Latest site camera image
Above is a photo that was taken of the Te Kaha site from BESIX Watpac's offices on Tuesday. You can see the western and southern stands' steel framework of the substructure (foundations and underground supports) progressing nicely, as well as the newly-laid concrete in the south-west corner.
The large 300-tonne capacity crawler crane in the middle of the shot takes care of all the heavy lifting. It is currently helping install the reinforcing, and will also be used to lift the concrete formwork and structural steel later in the project.
What to expect over the coming months
The next six months of the Te Kaha project will be mainly focused on completing the ground improvement work and progressing the arena's substructure (foundations and underground supports), then commence on the superstructure bowl.
Because of the huge size of the project, the different stages will overlap to streamline the process. That means as one phase of work progresses across the site (working from south to north), the next phase will follow closely behind it.
Q2 2023 - Ground improvement works completed, structural elements to start rising out of the superstructure in the south-western corner.
Q3 2023 – Substructure concrete pours scheduled to be completed.
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