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November 24, 2009 - Foundation Works Begins

Submitted by admin_green on Tue, 01/26/2010 - 14:35

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First Pour, Step 1

First Pour, Step 1

And so it begins. The whole armada arrives: backhoe, two cement mixers, panel truck, lifter, and a couple of support cars. It seemed like the trucks and vehicles just kept coming and coming. There will be two separate concrete pours to create the support base for the tower. Because of weather and water, we had to wait a week between pours to get the job completed.

First Pour, Step 2

First Pour, Step 2

No turning back now: the backhoe begins digging a hole that will eventually grow to a square seventeen feet to a side and six feet deep. Cement will be poured to create a base pad that fills the bottom two feet deep. Then a central column will be poured that is six foot square and extends a foot above ground level.

First Pour, Step 3

First Pour, Step 3

So far, so good. Rebar has been laid out, and the first foot of the base pad has been poured and set. A second pour will complete the base pad, at which point the workers will begin to create the central column that will reach above ground.

First Pour, Step 4

First Pour, Step 4

A layer of plastic sheeting prevents moisture from seeping in and destabilizing the concrete. The second layer of rebar is in place for the second foot of the base pad.

First Pour, Step 5

First Pour, Step 5

Before the concrete is poured, the workers add the rebar which will form the framework of the central column.

First Pour, Step 6

First Pour, Step 6

The central frame complete, the concrete starts pouring for the top foot of the base pad.