Construction World December 2021

ANNADALE SOCIAL HOUSING DEVELOPMENT C oreslab successful ly completed the instal lat ion of 15 000 m² of hol lowcore slabs for a large low-cost hous ing project that i s being constructed in Polokwane. Thi s 17 000 m² development cons i sts of 11 triple storey apartment blocks which, together, wi l l provide an addi t ional 500 30 m² and 40 m² rooms in Polokwane. The development i s being driven by the Polokwane Hous ing Associat ion, a divi s ion of the Polokwane Municipal i ty and managed by mul t idi scipl inar y consul tant , Chief ton Consul t ing & Ser vices . Coreslab’s component of the project was an impress ive feat that entai led manufacturing and instal l ing more than 3 000 hol lowcore slabs , each mainly 5 500 mm in length and 150 mm in width. Thi s i s in addi t ion to the 92 precast-concrete steps that were also manufactured wi th a special reveal and instal led by Coreslab on behal f of the principal contractor, Motheo Construct ion, as part of the project . Hol lowcore slabs are manufactured in a control led factor y envi ronment and then instal led on s i te by a special i st sub-contractor. Thi s approach el iminates the ri sk of potent ial errors to keep projects on schedule. Once the hol lowcore slabs have been grouted in place, work can also commence above and below the suspended slab almost immediately to help further accelerate a construct ion project . Cost savings were also real i sed by el iminat ing the need for raw materials and extens ive propping associated wi th rib-and-block systems . An accurate instal lat ion the fi rst t ime round meant that there was also no wastage due to having to redo mi stakes . Coreslab worked according to a ver y strict product ion schedule and careful planning was cri t ical to the success of thi s project . The profess ional team also had to make up for lost t ime due to unforeseen ci rcumstances that delayed the start of the project . An opt imal instal lat ion rate on thi s project was about 350 m² a day to complete a floor. To avoid delays , there was also constant interact ion between the factor y, the heart of the operat ion, and the instal lat ion team, which can eas i ly place up to 400 m² a day by instal l ing one

slab ever y five minutes in a s ingle shi f t . The hol lowcore slabs were di spatched to s i te on a just- in-t ime bas i s and then l i f ted di rect ly f rom Coreslab’s truck trai lers us ing a mobi le crane. Thi s also f reed up avai lable space to provide a clean and clear works i te. Coreslab’s team, including a s i te manager, rigger and crane operator, moved f rom one block to the next according to a predetermined schedule that was adjusted by the principal contractor on a weekly bas i s . Due to excel lent team dynamics , few chal lenges were encountered on thi s project . Af ter the hol lowcore slabs were instal led on the fi rst three blocks , an opt imal product ion process had been establ i shed and progress cont inued unhindered. Whi le also less labour intens ive than rib-and-block systems , many jobs were created on other aspects of thi s s i zeable project . By Februar y 2020 when Coreslab completed the instal lat ion, there were al ready 200 people employed on the construct ion s i te. They included the five bricklaying teams , each compri s ing 12 ski l led bricklayers and 18 general workers per subcontractor. The teams were also being closely managed by the principal contractor to ensure that they maintain high qual i ty standards throughout and each achieve thei r product ion target of laying a total of 6 000 bricks a day to keep the project running according to schedule. 

PROJECT INFORMATION

• Company entering: CoreSlab • Project start date: 1 February 2019 • Project end date: 30 September 2021 • Client: Polokwane Housing Association • Main Contractor: Motheo Construction

• Principal Agent: Chiefton Facilities Management • Consulting Engineer: Chiefton Facilities Management

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20 th Best Project Awards 2021