Arcus archives

HAMMA® ARCHITECTURAL COMPLETES MAJOR MILESTONES AT GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, USA

Friday 1st November 2024

Our Project Manager, Shaun Salmon, is currently leading an incredible project for hamma® Architectural Inc. Here’s a summary of the progress made so far, highlighting the key achievements during the first few weeks of this exciting venture.

TRAVEL & PROJECT KICKOFF

Shaun and the team travelled over 14,500 kilometres (9,000 miles) from the Gold Coast to Atlanta, USA where work officially began on 26th August 2024. Upon arrival, the team swiftly mobilised onsite, marking the start of what has already proven to be a remarkable installation project.

WEEK 1: LAYING THE FOUNDATION

During the first week, our team took delivery of essential equipment and materials from across the globe, including:

Redaelli cables and installation equipment from Milan, Italy
A storage shipping container, generator, EWP, telehandler, and various accessories
Steel columns from Macuch Steel in Augusta, Georgia

The team installed nine columns and knife plates, as well as eight tie-back cleats, totalling 6.8 tonnes (15,000 pounds). The heaviest column alone weighed 1.3 tonnes (3,000 pounds). A 100-tonne crane with a 360-degree swing and a 140-foot boom was used to lift and place the columns. To ensure safety and efficiency, we shut down the main pathway next to the Tech Green for three days. Temporary cable supports were also set up in preparation for the next phase.

WEEK 2: PRECISION INSTALLATION OF EDGE AND TENSION CABLES

Week two saw the arrival of installation equipment from Australia, as well as the canopy cables. Working closely with Redaelli, the team successfully installed:

1 x 24mm continuous edge cable
5 x 20mm edge cables
3 x tension cables
12 x tie-back cables

Additionally, three custom edge clamps, made from S490 steel and designed by Kinzi, were installed. Steel clamps were also fitted on the outreach arms of columns 6, 7, 8, and 9.

WEEK 3: TENSIONING THE SYSTEM AND FINE-TUNING

During the third week, the team continued making significant strides with the arrival of additional equipment, including two extra EWPs and tension rods from Kinzi. Working with Redaelli, we installed and tensioned:

Tension rods
24mm and 20mm edge clamps (both single and double cleats)
Horizontal canopy cables, utilising 3.5mm hamma® Pro cables with rigging screws and forks

A key milestone was the tensioning of the system using jacks, which transformed the structure into its final design position. This intricate process involved incrementally adjusting the tension, which gradually straightened the inclined columns.

The week concluded with all Redaelli forks being painted and locked off, and all special clamps and column clamps tensioned to engineering specifications.

WEEK 4: SECURING THE STRUCTURE

In week four, we welcomed the delivery of cross clamps from Kinzi, allowing the team to focus on:

Demobilising the Redaelli equipment
Tensioning all edge clamps (over 400) and locking off all 3.5mm hamma® Pro cables (370+)
Installing and tensioning over 2,000 cross clamps, ensuring they met the engineer’s specifications

The progress was showcased to a special group of visitors, including the project’s donor and nine guests. As the week wrapped up, the team grouted the columns and applied touch-up paint where needed.

WEEK 5: THE FINAL STRETCH

Looking ahead, we anticipate the arrival of the artwork for the canopy, marking the final stage of this exceptional project. Once onsite, installation of the artwork will commence, bringing this unique architectural vision to life.

This project has been a showcase of global collaboration and technical precision, with deliveries from Italy, Australia, and the United States, and the expert involvement of partners including Redaelli and Kinzi. We’re incredibly proud of the progress so far and look forward to sharing news of the completed installation soon.

Stay tuned for more updates as the team continues to bring this remarkable architectural project to fruition!