History was made at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Saturday, August 26 as a total of 4,533 cubic yards of concrete, weighing more than 18 million pounds was placed at the north terminal construction site in a nine-hour period. More than 1,200 tons of reinforcing steel had already been positioned at the site of the mat foundation to provide the best possible strength for this important element of the project.
Until now, most of the activity at the north terminal site has focused on the demolition and deconstruction of buildings and old pavement. We have now begun to build, and this mat foundation is a significant step in the construction of a convenient and efficient new terminal for our customers.
The mat foundation is typically 32 inches deep with thickened portions which are carrying heavier loads, up to 48 inches deep. There were 450 deliveries of concrete from five area batch plants during this massive placement. About 200 workers, including hard-working concrete finishers were handling more than 500 cubic yards of concrete per hour.
To see what the new north terminal will look like when it opens in 2008, visit
www.metroairport.com and click on north terminal on the left side of the home page. Then click images.
