Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog

Did somebody order the spinning loading platforms???

Preston Hire – ‘count on us’.

In an effort to convince everyone that I am in fact not working in a deep hole under the Stirling lines I have decided it is high time I blogged to give everyone an update on my project at Southbank Place with Expanded Ltd.

When I last blogged we had just poured the first segment on the basement raft slab. This incorporated a tower crane, drainage runs and sumps, earthing and lightning protection and a lot of concrete. Since then there have a further 27 pours for the basement raft slab using over 7000m³ of concrete and over 1000 tonnes of steel. The basement team (of which I am part of) are responsible for taking the buildings from level -3 to ground, after that the superstructure team take over. The raft slab is 1250mm deep whilst the floors above are 300mm suspended slabs. We have gone from the raft slab on level -3 all the way to ground level on 3 of the 7 buildings being constructed and are now stating the raft slab for the next building. Concurrently to all of this the slipform team have completed the cores of the buildings and are now waiting for the raft slab of the next building to be completed.

The site in May. One pour completed, a tower crane up and works continuing in other areas.

By June there have been another 6 raft slab pours and another tower crane erected

July: more cranes and concrete. You can see the slip form teams preparing the cores for ‘slipping’

August: Slips have stated and basement levels -2, -1 and ground are starting to be finished. -3 raft slab is complete.

September: Ground level nearly complete and slips almost at full height.

Along the way there has been many trials and tribulations   as the project has been pushed forward at a relentless pace. The construction manager has a plan on how the project will get built which, a lot of the time, differs largely from the project programme. As a result no one actually looks at the programme anymore, everyone just waits to hear what the construction manager wants to do one week to the next….it is his way or the highway. Even the senior project managers bow to his every command and go with whatever he says.  I find this a very odd way of going about business but the project is going forward at a rapid rate so it obviously works. There has also been a high turnover of engineering staff on the job. Out of a team of 12 engineers there are only 4 (myself included) that are still on the job now. I personally think the high turnover is a product of the ‘unique’ management style but I may be wrong.

Other issues that have been encountered include ‘feeding the beast’. This is the process of making sure there are enough materials (rebar, waterproofing, drainage, etc) on site for the workforce so that there is no delays to the project. Whilst this seams incredibly simple it is surprising how often you will only get told when they run out of equipment….never when they are just running low. They are all aware that they just have to use the materials, not order it.  I’m sure that everyone else has this issue and is equally frustrated by it.

During my time on site my role has moved from being the senior engineer on the -3 raft slab (now complete) to managing the handover package. This involves directing the ‘making good’ team and liaising with the client (Canary Wharf Contractors) in an attempt to handover sections of the basement to them so that further trades can start work. They are yet to take a single area due to a variety of minor defects ranging from small cracks in the slab to plywood being left behind a corner. I think that they are just trying to play hardball on the first set of handovers but if I keep promising them the world and laughing at their jokes I’m sure they will accept the areas eventually.

For any Phase 1’s reading this Southbank Place will still be in full swing when you go to placements in February. Whilst it is hectic and demanding there is a large amount of experience to be gained so if you have never been on a construction site before it could well be the place for you.

On a side note I interviewed for a Phase 3 attachment with Wentworth House Partnership. As part of the interview there was a structures paper…..needless to say it was a bit of a shock to the system. However the office is only 3 miles from my house so I’ll get over it! I will be starting there after I have conquered the slopes of Austria on Ex Racing Ice.