November 18th marks a milestone for the EWPL Project of Saudi Aramco. Witnessed by the PMT, PID and the Operation teams, through concerted efforts by the project team, the largest concrete pouring for the foundation was completed after 18 hours hard work on Friday, which is a weekend day in Saudi Arabia.
The foundation of PS1 substation involves a concrete volume of 400 cubic meters, and the most challenging part is the retaining and securing of 260 suspension bolts and seven different pouring elevations on the same plane. For the bolt retaining and securing, the PS1 construction team went through the extra mile by performing multiple calculations and simulations to figure out the best solution from more than a dozen securing options, which was implemented on site after relentless efforts to ensure quality and safety.
Concrete pouring is a major challenge after the on-site construction inspection. As the construction site is located in the desert hinterland, the nearest concrete batching plant is at least 1 hour's drive away, making supply of concrete a bottleneck to the pouring operation. To address this issue, the project developed a detailed construction plan, held discussions with the concrete manufacturer on quality and procurement, extended the setting time by improving the mix ratio and optimized the inspection procedures to minimize the pouring time. During the pouring, the quality and procurement staff were stationed at the site and coordinated throughout the whole process to ensure the pouring quality. As the elevation of each room of the substation foundation is different, the maximum drop is up to 400mm. It is particularly important to master the supporting quality of the formwork and the heat of the concrete pouring. Full-time personnel are arranged on site for coordination and inspection to ensure that the elevation of each room meets design requirements.
To achieve the desired concrete pouring shape and quality standard, the project team developed a detailed concrete truck schedule. The departure time of each truck is continuous, from the first concrete truck at 06:00 to the very last - 36th - truck. Given the remote location of PS1 deep in the desert, to make sure that each truck reaches the pouring destination on time, the project team arranged road guides in multiple points, including the gate and construction area, to ensure the smooth traffic by the concrete trucks.
To ensure continuous pouring of concrete for 18 hours, the project team arranged two shifts of security staff, ambulances, construction management and site workers, with sufficient drinking water and nutritious overtime meals. Through concerted efforts, the project team successfully completed the foundation pouring.
The PS1 substation foundation construction marks as an epitome of EPWL project. As the scorching summer in Saudi Arabia is coming to an end, and blessed by the pleasant season ahead, the project team will keep up with the good work with high morale to achieve the annual objectives on the project.