{"id":125892,"date":"2019-07-31T10:15:26","date_gmt":"2019-07-31T14:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/?p=125892"},"modified":"2019-08-02T13:46:14","modified_gmt":"2019-08-02T17:46:14","slug":"campus-construction-update-aug-1-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/2019\/07\/31\/campus-construction-update-aug-1-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Campus Construction Update: Aug. 1, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Getting Here From There Dept.<\/strong>: The next few weeks are bringing partial closures of the two side streets \u2014 Bardwell to the east, followed by Nichols to the west \u2014 that flank the Bonney Science Center construction site.<\/p>\n

The closures will affect only the stretches of each street adjacent to the site, where they intersect with Campus Avenue.<\/p>\n

In fact, that end of Bardwell has been closed since last week, on account of a giant crane in the middle of it. Even bigger than the crane that subcontractor H.B. Fleming brought up in June, the second unit has joined the first in driving so-called pipe piles that will help support the building foundation.<\/p>\n

At the moment the crane-come-lately is assigned to driving piles at the east and west ends of the site. The job, though, is a bit different from what\u2019s gone before, as Consigli Construction, the firm overseeing the project for Bates, has in effect opened a second front.<\/p>\n

\"Construction<\/a>

Russ Dillingham, chief photographer for the Lewiston Sun Journal<\/em>, captured this aerial image of the Bonney work site on Aug. 1. “I launched the drone for these photos from Fred Hall Sr.’s house just up Franklin Street as he watched in awe.” says Dillingham. “I remember standing in the same spot watching him in awe throwing a baseball and football to us a half-century ago. Scary but comforting.” (Russ Dillingham\/Sun Journal aerial photo)<\/p><\/div>\n

Previously all the piles were going into the deep hole that will become the science center\u2019s basement. But the building footprint will actually extend beyond the basement to the east and west, and those extremities also need some extra support. So the second crane is driving piles to support those foundation components. The process is the same \u2014 the difference is the shallowness of the excavations at the ends. (They\u2019re perfectly nice, just shallow.)<\/p>\n

By Tuesday, July 29, piledriving at the east end was well underway, with more than a dozen at least partially sunk.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not the only way the project team has sped up the piledriving<\/a>, which had been challenged by the extra length of each pipe needed to provide sufficient foundation support \u2014 that is, the length needed to meet refusal, in the jargon of the trade, and sink no further.<\/p>\n

We wrote previously about positioning each pipe in the basement hole, welding a second pipe onto it for the required length, and then having welds inspected. Tick tock! Now Consigli has taken that time-consuming process out of the hole, where room to work is shrinking as the foundation preparations are expanding.<\/p>\n\t\n\t

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The red screens protect other workers on the science center site from the intense, potentially injurious glare of welding torches. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t

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Amidst the pipe piles in the cofferdammed portion of the science center foundation hole on July 25. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t

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The concrete-pumping setup used to fill pipe piles, shown on its first day at Bates, July 9. The Mack truck carries the pump and the extensible arm that puts the concrete where needed. Closer to Carnegie Science is the concrete mixer. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t

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Pipe piles ready to be filled with concrete and capped with the steel plates at left. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t

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Standing in the Bonney Science Center clay filling a pipe pile with concrete. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t

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\u201cThe Consigli team quickly learned that when the pile splicing was being done vertically in the hole there was a lot of other work that was being blocked and delayed,\u201d explains Chris Streifel, Bates\u2019 project manager for Bonney Science<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s a big gain in efficiency to get the pre-splicing going effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few weeks ago welders began fabricating 60-foot pipes up at ground level in the adjacent service area, at the south end of the site. And then, speaking of second fronts, a welding team from Warren Mechanical of Portland, Maine, set up an additional pipe-splicing operation at the college\u2019s off-campus storage site, a few blocks away on Strawberry Avenue.<\/p>\n

Now all of the horizontal splicing is taking place at Strawberry Avenue, where the crew can make up 10 or 12 piles daily. \u201cYou weigh the benefits of taking up a lot of real estate with the welding operation and impacting other work that you’re trying to do, vs. dealing with transportation\u201d from Strawberry Avenue, Streifel says. \u201cThis is what made sense as they refined their process.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The way things stood at the Bonney Science Center site on July 30, 2019: In the foreground are freshly driven pipe piles at the easternmost end of the site. At the lower center are newly placed forms for concrete foundation footings. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cSo much of what\u2019s been happening over the past couple of weeks is figuring out what works, where the points are that can be more efficient, and where more resources are needed to keep the overall workflow smooth.\u201d<\/p>\n

The welders developed a good productive rhythm, says Jacob Kendall, Bates\u2019 construction administrator (a position formerly called \u201cclerk of the works\u201d). \u201cThat production needs to sustain itself because they\u2019re using both cranes.\u201d With fewer than 100 piles left to drive, each crane will be able to do 10 or 12 daily once they\u2019ve hit their stride, he says.<\/p>\n

The second crane works faster than the first, thanks to a more forceful piledriving hammer. That larger hammer also changes the criteria for declaring refusal. If the pipe doesn\u2019t move an inch after five blows from this hammer, that\u2019s refusal. It\u2019s 14 blows for the original crane.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s an important difference in rigging between the cranes, too. The first has what\u2019s called a fixed-lead derrick: A framework connects the chassis of the crane to the base of the derrick, giving it a fixed angle of approach to the pile. The advantage is that by restricting the derrick motion, it concentrates the pile-driving force where it belongs instead of wasting energy in off-axis motion.<\/p>\n

The second crane, in contrast, uses a \u201cflying lead\u201d \u2014 the pile-driving rig is not braced at the bottom. This gives the crane much more flexibility in positioning the hammer.<\/p>\n

So from the pipe pile\u2019s point of view, the new crane means that you can get conked on the head both harder and from farther away.<\/p>\n

\"As<\/a>

As Consigli Construction superintendent Stacey Harris (left) looks on, workers pump concrete into a pipe pile at the Bonney Science Center construction site on July 9. The concrete supply truck and pumper are out of view, above and to the right. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n

Meanwhile, the forms \u2014 think molds \u2014 for the concrete basement foundation wall started showing up this week. These are placed onto the stone-and-fabric load transfer platform \u2014 the \u201cstone pillow\u201d that we referred to in the previous installment \u2014 that\u2019s being laid around the hole\u2019s perimeter atop completed pipe piles.<\/p>\n

Finally, another conspicuous development in the basement hole has been another hole: a rectangular area, cofferdammed by sheet piles, that is nine feet deeper than the rest of the basement. As the future site of holding tanks for storm runoff and other undesirable liquids, this feature has been expanding by leaps and bounds, as crews alternate excavation with piledriving.<\/p>\n

Better-case scenario<\/strong>: Across the Historic Quad at the Gomes Chapel<\/a>, a structural engineer determined in early July that most of the building’s portico is sound and will need only cosmetic restoration. The exceptions are its entrance facade and roof, both of which will be rebuilt.<\/p>\n

This comes in contrast with the worst-case scenario anticipated by Consigli, which is overseeing the chapel’s ongoing restoration (as well as the science center project) for Bates. Contingent on the findings of a “destructive investigation,” as Bates project manager Shelby Burgau described it, Consigli had been prepared to raze the portico and rebuild it from the ground up.<\/p>\n

So if the structure looks a little discouraged now, sans roof and quite a lot of masonry, just remember that it could have been much worse.<\/p>\n\t\n\t

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Sports Fields workers settle new turf into place on the Bates soccer field on July 16, 2019. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t

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Rolls of bluegrass turf set out on July 16 for re-covering the college soccer field, at the Russell Street sports complex. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t

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The Sports Fields crew lays a roll of new grass on the Bates soccer field on July 15. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t

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New grass on the Bates soccer field on July 18. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t

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Here's some restored masonry on the east wall of Gomes Chapel. The cast stone section at left is original, and the section at right is new. All the other stone has been repointed. It will look even better after a wash. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t

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In addition to project management, Consigli has brought its long expertise in masonry to bear on the chapel. Masonry foreman Keith Lyford estimated on July 30 that his crew had completed about 20 percent of its work on the west side, facing College Street, and 40 percent on the east.<\/p>\n

The scope of the work includes repointing masonry joints, which is pretty far along; replacing deteriorated stone, notably much of the concrete ornamentation; and replacing the decorative cast traceries that surround most of the building’s windows.<\/p>\n

\"Deteriorated<\/a>

Deteriorated masonry has been removed from this buttress on Gomes Chapel. The steel rods have been epoxied in place to secure the replacement stones. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n

The first round of precast pieces that make up the traceries is on site \u2014 about one window\u2019s worth \u2014 and another delivery was expected on July 31. The traceries have to be put in place before Phoenix Studio<\/a> of Naples, Maine, can reinstall the chapel’s signature stained glass, which it has been restoring this year.<\/p>\n

Toppings, Part I<\/strong>: Over at the Russell Street Track and Field, irrigation of the new soccer field turf<\/a> is underway and will continue for about another month.<\/p>\n

The roots are digging in their toes and the seams between strips of Maine Turf Co. bluegrass are closing up, reports Jay Phillips, director of operations for Facility Services. \u201cThis week we\u2019ll fertilize, and a week after that we\u2019ll aerate, and then we\u2019ll just keep activity off it until six weeks are up\u201d since the turf was laid.<\/p>\n

Lead contractor Sports Fields Inc. of Monmouth, Maine, planted some 300 rolls of the new grass in mid-July. Taking place July 15\u201318, the work was jaw-droppingly fast.<\/p>\n

A worker in a specialized forklift placed the turf rolls on the field, driving backward to unwind them into place. He was attended by other workers who guided the alignment and then attacked each new strip of grass with rakes and knives to match up seams and slice out wrinkles.<\/p>\n

After each roll, the forklift would spit out the PVC pipe on which the grass had been rolled up, and periodically other vehicles would go around picking up the pipes and the divots left over from fitting the turf.<\/p>\n

\u201cSports Fields coordinated closely with Maine Turf to make sure the sod was very fresh when it arrived\u201d from Fryeburg, Phillips notes. \u201cThat was a key to the success of the project, especially given the kind of heat that we had\u201d the following weekend. \u201cIt’s so critical to get that sod down before it suffers too much stress.\u201d<\/p>\n

All told, the project budget was around $65,000.<\/p>\n

\"New<\/a>

New grass on the Bates soccer field on July 18. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n

Toppings, Part II<\/strong>: Parking behind Lane Hall, Bates\u2019 administration building, suddenly became a matter of vital interest to us last November when the Bates Communications Office was relocated from Nichols Street to Lane.<\/p>\n

So we\u2019ve been closely following the reconstruction of the Lane Hall parking lot, aka the Pit, which began the second week of July. As both the old pavement and the soil supporting it were deteriorating, the rebuilding has been a thorough job. With local excavation firm St. Laurent & Son as general contractor, the work to date has entailed excavation; placing new layers of geotextile fabric, aggregate base, and sub-base; and then laying a binder coat of asphalt.<\/p>\n

Granite curbing is scheduled for placement this week, followed by resetting of drainage fixtures, the asphalt top coat, striping, and landscaping, including new trees on the center island. Depending on the outcome of a grant application, a dual-unit electric-car charger may also be sited there. The project should be complete by mid-August.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a really nice project with our contractor partners,\u201d says Phillips. He gives St. Laurent particular credit for keeping the project on track despite June weather that put participating subcontractors behind schedule.<\/p>\n

The project will expand the lot\u2019s capacity to 72 vehicles or so, contingent on the vicissitudes of striping. That\u2019s a gain of about six vehicles. At long last, we\u2019ll have a place to store our 1973 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia.<\/p>\n

Can we talk<\/strong>? Campus Construction Update welcomes your questions and comments about current, past, future, and imaginary campus improvements. Please e-mail news writer Doug Hubley<\/a>, stating \u201cConstruction Update\u201d or \u201cDid you ever try to change the spark plugs on a Karmann Ghia?\u201d in the subject line.<\/p>\n

\"Rolling<\/a>

Rolling the binder coat on the “Pit,” the Lane Hall parking lot, on July 17. (Doug Hubley\/Bates College)<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

More cranes mean faster piledriving at the Bonney Science Center. Also: It’s all over but the watering at Bates’ returfed soccer field.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":105,"featured_media":125889,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_hide_ai_chatbot":false,"_ai_chatbot_style":"","associated_faculty":[],"_Page_Specific_Css":"","_bates_restrict_mod":false,"_table_of_contents_display":false,"_table_of_contents_location":"","_table_of_contents_disableSticky":false,"_is_featured":false,"footnotes":"","_bates_seo_meta_description":"","_bates_seo_block_robots":false,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_id":0,"_bates_seo_sharing_image_twitter_id":0,"_bates_seo_share_title":"","_bates_seo_canonical_overwrite":"","_bates_seo_twitter_template":""},"categories":[11009],"tags":[11942,1932,1312],"class_list":["post-125892","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-college","tag-bonney-science-center","tag-campus-construction-updates","tag-gomes-chapel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125892","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/105"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125892"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125892\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":125958,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125892\/revisions\/125958"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125889"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125892"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125892"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125892"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}