Architect and Builder December 2016 | Page 85

MINING AND INDUSTRIAL CATEGORY WINNER Husab Uranium Stockpile Cover & Ancillary Structures The Husab Uranium Stockpile Cover & Ancillary Structures, winner of the Mining and Industrial Category, entailed the detailing, fabrication, corrosive protection, delivery and installation of 2,600 tons of steelwork, as well as 21,000m2 of IBR sheeting. “What really made it special for me is the fact that you have this structure that’s two soccer fields long, and the best part of a soccer field wide put up in a matter of weeks – purely because the job was planned so well.” – Spencer Erling, Retired SAISC Director. There were a number of interesting challenges to overcome, i.e. short lead times, high specifications required by client, galvanising of trusses, for the logistical challenges due to cross border distances, lifting and jacking in the 140 ton gantries and sheeting the building on forty-five degree slopes. Highlights • The logistical concern of delivering this volume of steel and sheeting was overcome by partnering with a local transported and dedicated trucking supplemented our in-house fleet. • The development of the idea and plan to strand jack the gantries (50m span and 140 tons) into place 40m above ground level, as opposed to using the traditional method of cranes, allowing for this part of the project work to be done faster and more safely, ultimately saving the project time and the client monies. • The development of sheeting gondola platforms, which supported a four-man team, tools and materials. These working platforms allowed for the sheeting installation crews to achieve around 1,000 two square metres of sheeting installation per day. The safety risk of working on the steep slope was totally eliminated and went a long way in ensuring that Union Steel achieved another incident-free project. Steel Awards • Preassembly of truss box section allowed for the site crews to lift into place bigger sections of steelwork, minimising works being carried out in the air, again target our approach to ensuring that our focus on all projects is safety first, and driven with this mind-set. Client / Owner / Developer: Swakop Uranium Structural Engineer: HPJV between Amec and Tenova Bateman Structural Engineer: WAH Engineering Quantity Surveyor: Professional Cost Consultants Project Manager: HPJV between Amec and Tenova Bateman Steelwork Contractor and Nominator: Union Structural Engineering Works Structural Steel Detailer / Detailing Company: Union Structural Engineering Works Cladding Supplier: Re Union Projects Steel Erectors: Re Union Projects Painters: Nu Nation Protective Coating 83