The longest yard

The largest single self-consolidating concrete pour in North America to date involved Degussa Admixtures materials at the site of the future Trump International Hotel and Tower superstructure in Chicago.

The concrete foundation of the super-structure — 198 feet long by 60 feet wide and 10 feet deep — was laid in a 5,000-cubic-yard monolithic continuous pour that lasted approximately 24 hours. The Rheodynamic Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) system from Degussa Admixtures Inc. was the material used in the pour.

Concrete producer Prairie Material Sales Inc. collaborated with Degussa Admixtures on a concrete mix that would adhere to the project’s strict specifications. The maximum temperature allowed during the placement of the concrete was 80 degrees F and the maximum temperature of the concrete in place was 170 degrees F. The specs also called for self-consolidating concrete with strength of 10,000 psi produced on a continual basis.

Over 30 ready mix trucks from Prairie Material Sales Inc. No. 32 plant made 600 trips to the Trump Tower site. The trucks unloaded the concrete onto three large conveyors that placed the concrete right into the opening of the mat. Trump International Hotel and Tower will be 92 stories tall, consist of over 2.6 million gross square feet of building area and more than 180,000 yards of concrete when it is completed in 2009. The Tower will be constructed of concrete instead of steel so it will fit in the limited space available.

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