Formwork Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Mining Construction’

Some pictures of the Cape Preston Accommodation Dongers located at Camp 123. Camp 123 is what they call a Hotbeds camp which means that you get a different room each time you come back from R&R.

Cape Preston Accommodation Dongers

Most dongers at Camp 123 are solid steel which can be used as a cyclone refuge. If you get placed in a donger which is not cyclone proof, you will have to proceed to the Dry Mess (The Dining Room) if a Red Alert is announced (unless prior arrangements have been confirmed).

Cape Preston Accommodation Dongers

Dongers are air conditioned and equipped with:

• Single Bed.
• Small Fridge.
• Robes and Drawers.
• En Suite with shower, toilet, sink and power point.
• A TV with cable and local channels.
• A small bench for your laptop computer.
• A network plug (RJ45) to plug into your computer for internet access which is not yet hooked up.

Every two days the dongers serviced by being cleaned, the bed linen is changed, and your soap and dunny paper is topped up.

Camp 123 Swimming Pool

Your mobile phone will work here at Camp 123 if you are connected with the Telstra Next G Network. Your mobile braodband will also work here if your ISP is Telstra Bigpond and you have a late model Next G Wireless Modem.

Note: The Wireless Internet is good on some evenings, while other evenings it is totally crap.

If you have urgent Internet business, there is 12 internet connected network cables in the Recreation room. Make sure your notebook computer has long lasting batteries because the so called Internet Room does not have 240V power outlets. While this service is free, it is pretty slow compared to my wireless Next G Bigpond modem.

Camp 123 Gymnasium

Camp 123 has a few other facilities like Swimming Pool, Gymnasium, Recreation room with Table Tennis and 8 Ball tables. If you have an alcohol habbit, you can also wet your whistle at the Wet Mess.

Camp 123 At Sunset

Here is two more pedestal formwork examples. The pedestal forms will be used on typical pedestal bases (shown below). We begin by forming up the bases.

Pedestal Base Formwork

After the base concrete is poured, the formwork is stripped leaving the pedestal steel starters exposed. After the steelfixers fix the remaining steel to the starters, it is time to assemble the pedestal formwork.

Typical Pedestal Base

On this job there are many pedestals this particular size (1200mm H x 1100mm x 1100mm) so we are using conventional timber and plywood formwork along with prefabricated steel forms.

Example #1 – Conventional Pedestal Formwork

One box composed of four small formwork shutters held together with z-bars and strong-backs.

Conventional Pedestal Formwork

Example #2 – Prefabricated Steel Pedestal Formwork

One box composed of two steel forms held together with nuts and bolts.

Prefabricated Steel Pedestal Formwork

There is several of these steel forms on this job because there are lots of these typical (exactly the same) pedestals.

Prefabricated Steel Pedestal Formwork

A closer look at the bolt template, bolts, tolerance tubes and shear key.

Pedestal Bolt Template and Shear Key Formwork

Here is the finished pedestal. If you look closely, you will notice that the shear key formwork is yet to be stripped.

Finished Pedestal

Another beautiful Cape Preston Sunrise at the Sino Project mining construction site. Yes, while getting set for another day of toil in the hot Pilbara sun, one can’t help to think of exit strategies from this business.

Cape Preston Sunrise 1st May 2010

Cape Preston is just South of Karratha in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia.

See also previous Cape Preston Sunrise photo.

Construction workers Mario (Rigger) Steve, Ed Deano (Formwork Carpenters), and Marty (Supervisor) at Sino Project mining construction site at Cape Preston Western Australia take a quick snap-shot while waiting for the next formwork shutter to be crane lifted down for dismantling.

Mario, Steve, Ed, Deano and Marty at Sino Project WA

The Cape Preston Sino Project is south of Karratha in WA’s Pilbara Region.

Construction workers Ray (concretor), Fordy (Crane Operator) and Kelvin (Formwork Carpenter) at Cape Preston construction site (Sino Project) stop for a quick photo at smoko time.

Ray, Fordy and Kelvin at Sino Project WA

They say winter time is a good time to work here in the Pilbara cause it cools right down to the low 30’s (celcius). I suppose it’s a nice change compared to the regular high 40’s

Here is an example of a very simple formwork box which is ready for concrete. It is held together with z-bars at the top and bottom on the corners while the centers are held together with z-bars at the top with pins and wedges at the bottom.

Pedestal Base Formwork

The pedestal formwork will be assembled after the concrete base is poured and set.

Dimensions: 2000mm x 2000mm wide x 1200mm high.

When I arrived at Construction Camp 123 Cape Preston Western Australia, I was wandering who would be the first person I would bump into that I already know from another job. Well, it was formwork carpenter Rami who I first met at Prominent Hill SA a couple of years ago.

Ed and Rami at Cape Preston WA

Good to see ya mate

Location: Whyalla Pellet Plant South Australia

Here’s another thrust block formwork job we had to do, but this time it was below the water table which means that water would be continually pouring into the job the whole time.

Thrust Block Excavation

Imagine arriving at this job and they say they want a couple of thrust blocks around these pipes, and they want it quick coz it’s “just a couple of thrust blocks”

Pumping the Water Out

Not only that, Des had to be very careful while digging out this watery goop to avoid damage to the fiber optic telecomminications and electrical cables while the pump pumps water out all day long. Des named this job The Swamp Monster

Concrete Thrust Blocks (Pump Still Pumping)

Finally the job is done and the Concrete Thrust Blocks are in position. The formwork for this job was almost the same as this other thrust block formwork we did.

Location: Camp Turner Mining Construction Camp, Pilbara Region, Western Australia

After driving on dirt roads for over an hour from Port Hedland, we finally arrived at the BHP Turner River Bridge Project Village (Camp Turner) entry point. You’ll know you’re almost there when you see the welcome sign on the side of the road.

Camp Turner Entry Point

So off we go to build some abutment formwork, and at the end of the day we can have some dinner then relax in the theater room, or maybe even do some snake handling.

Location: Prominent Hill Mining Construction Site South Australia – Weigh Bridge Section

While the sump with ladder formwork was a pain in the neck to construct due to the fiddly ladder treads, it is always good to see that the job turned out pretty good.

Concrete Sump with Ladder

Concrete patchers will now come along and plug the z-bar holes.