 |
| Pier removal continued today. I learned a few things. |
 |
| First the diagonal braces have to be cut, inside and out. |
 |
| These are exterior piers near the northeast corner. Micropiles are inside the piers, and the men cut the metal near these rings and then clean away the concrete around the micropiles. The micropiles will then be a functional part of a new slab which will connect with the slab in the north annex area. |
 |
| When the I-beam at the top is cut, Mr. Crane lifts the pier-- |
 |
| --and puts it in the pile. The longer piers are from the interior. |
 |
| There will be a lot more room in the basement when all the piers are gone. |
 |
| I learned that there will indeed be a foundation built under each of the two east towers. This obviously has to happen before the piers you are seeing under the tower are removed. |
 |
| The west towers have a foundation, but it is square, while obviously the towers are octagonal. |
 |
| These pillars I saw last week in the basement under the southwest tower will support a new base between the tower and the foundation. |
 |
| The tower base will fit in this gap. I'm always happy when people explain things to me and I understand. |
 |
| I learned that the base for the baptismal font is being formed just on the other side of this east wall. The base is on the lowest level, but the font will be accessed from Lower Level 1. |
 |
| A blog reader asked about these rectangles on the north and south sides of the tabernacle. I scrolled through my pictures and they have been there since Day 1. They were vents from the crawlspace in the original building. The holes were covered with shotcrete when the tabernacle was stabilized. The "stone" you are seeing below the brick on the tabernacle is actually plaster added to look like stone, and this is readily apparent in several photos in this post. The plaster will be replaced with granite, and these vents, which no longer function at all, will be covered. |
 |
| Work continues in the south lot. Micropiles are being drilled, but some will be covered by the entrance when it is moved from the west side of the lot. There has to be an entrance, and the micropiles have to be drilled, so everyone is cooperating. I am guessing that the pink pipes or stakes will mark the micropiles when they are temporarily buried. |
 |
| Last but not least, the west side is being prepared for its final lift pour. |
2 comments:
So there WILL be a foundation under the east towers! What are they waiting for, I wonder. An access point before the walls are sealed??
I am learning that all sources are well-meaning, but they are not all as well-informed. Yesterday I attempted to confirm what I'd been told about the cantilevered support for the east towers, and two men told me that type of support would not be sufficient for the weight of the towers. They didn't know a time frame, but they knew the piers are all coming down, and the east tower piers can't be removed until the new foundation is built. Fortunately, this is the east side, and it's very, very easy to watch. And, did you notice that piers were removed into the wee hours this morning? That means the crane worked two shifts.
Post a Comment