24-tonne precast concrete beam and working platform on level 10
Large concrete transfer beams constructed at height at N06 East Village
Plot N06 East Village will provide 524 new residential apartments across two high rise towers and two ten storey pavilions for client Get Living, the UK’s most experienced and progressive build-to-rent operator of large-scale residential neighbourhoods.
The structure and facades for the towers are being delivered in a partnership by PCE Ltd with Mace Tech and Oranmore Precast utilising a revolutionary, DfMA HRS (High Rise Solution) which delivers speed of construction, offsite-engineered quality and on-site safety. Mace Tech is leading the N06 delivery with support from the Australian Hickory Group to manage the deployment of patented Hickory Building Systems within the UK.
Large transfer beams
Key to the construction of the double height communal areas (levels 10 to 12) was the incorporation of large transfer beams, two of which were offsite engineered precast concrete and two cast in-situ due to their depth. These beams were constructed in preparation to carry a link bridge between the two towers. PCE’s scope of work was to oversee the design and installation of the temporary works required to install a 24-tonne precast concrete beam and working platform on level 10. This incorporated a cantilever deck that was designed in conjunction with formwork specialists Peri amalgamating both models to produce 3 and 2D plans that assisted the erection of the decks. In keeping with the offsite manufacturing, most of the temporary decks for level 10 and 12 were preassembled by Peri offsite with the whole process taking just two days. The construction of these levels coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic with PCE working closely with Mace, the international consultancy and construction company leading the delivery of N06, to implement a safe working environment in accordance with Government & Industry guidelines.
70-tonne concrete beam
Level 12 proved to be the toughest challenge with the temporary works creating a working platform to support a 70-tonne concrete beam, poured insitu and tied into the HRS floor system. An 8-tonne reinforced steel cage was preassembled and lifted into position allowing the fixing of more traditional Peri formwork to be installed. Support bearings were installed to fit the sky bridge brackets once the shuttering had been stripped. Concrete strengths were monitored using Converge sensors an online software package that enabled PCE to monitor the curing process. This concept meant that resources could be planned well in advance thus forecasting the window of opportunity when the concrete reached the required strength to allow the formwork system to be stripped and the concrete beams to take load. Whilst these transitional levels introduced a break in the normal cycle of the erection of the HRS System, the concrete transfer beams were constructed whilst the main superstructure progressed unhindered which meant PCE’s multiskilled site team were able to continue with the installation of bathroom pods, utility cupboards, risers, twin walls, core boxes and flooring units.
