Miami’s “Manhattan of the South” is a Baker Concrete Pumped Project

Brickell is one of the fastest growing areas in Miami and Baker Concrete is on a fast track to complete an entire block of the urban neighborhood. Brickell is referred to as the “Manhattan of the South,” with the largest concentration of international banks in the United States. Brickell City Centre is a $1.05 billion mixed-use development strategically located in the center of the Brickell financial district. It is the single largest project currently underway in downtown Miami. A residential/retail 54-story condominium project anchors the west end of the development and is currently being pumped with Schwing equipment.

“We have a very aggressive construction schedule on the project, “ according to RayC Southern, Baker’s project manager, “We originally were going to place two block-outs for the placing boom but decided to centrally locate the mast with a longer placing boom to speed construction.” The concrete contractor is using a Schwing SPB 37 placing boom mounted on an octagonal mast with a self-climbing system.

Brickell is one the most densely populated neighborhoods in the United States with 37,622 residents per square mile. Street closures are discouraged and placing a pump on the street was impossible so a Schwing SP 8800 concrete pump is strategically placed in the center of the building at street level. Ramcrete, Hamilton, Ohio located near Baker’s corporate offices in Monroe, Ohio is supplying all of the concrete pumping equipment and pipeline.

No strangers to the Miami market, Baker recently completed a 42-story twin tower condominium project named 500 Brickell. The current 54-story tower under construction on the west side of the development is named Rise and will cover 1.5 million square feet and consume 80,000 cubic yards on its way to topping out in January and completion in late 2015. A similar condo structure named Reach Tower on the east end is 50% sold at prices ranging from $580,000 to $2.8 million. Swire Properties, Miami, is the developer setting the schedule with an eye to capitalizing on the booming residential market.

“Because tower crane time is very valuable we decided to set the mast and placing boom as early as possible, “ explains Southern. After finishing the third floor pours with boom pumps, the mast was inserted in the 41-1/8” x 41-1/8” floor openings and secured with a pin and a system of wedges. The separate placing boom uses a four-pin system to connect to a universal head set. The boom and hydraulic powerpack were flown separately to reduce picking weight to an industry low 13,000 lbs. for the turret and boom assembly. With 35,000 square foot floor plates, which include an adjoining 9-story parking structure, the floors step into 22,000 square feet at floor 12 as the building rises. The four-section Roll and Fold placing boom covers 45,216 square feet allowing maximum pumping efficiency to all areas of the decks. Further speeding the pumping process is the boom’s 730-degree slewing range that gives the operator flexibility to complete a pour.

A vertical five-inch pipeline is assembled through the floor openings as it climbs from a standpipe at ground level to roof top which will eventually be over 800-feet. A one cubic yard concrete thrust block stabilizes the pipeline between the pump and the vertical elbow. “We are on a four-day per floor schedule with decks poured from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., “ Southern states, “We form the verticals around one in the afternoon and pour the same day.” The core will contain five elevators and consumes approximately 350 yards per floor. An EFCO stilt-wall form system with a trailing whaler allows the vertical forms to be in place before the deck is finished. On days two and three the form tables are flown to the next level and ironworkers complete the reinforcing on day four.

The SP 8800 offers 152 cubic yards per hour output pumping on the rod side of the differential cylinders. The pump has dual settings for high volume or high pressure with up to 2364 psi applied to the concrete. “We are achieving our output goals without any difficulty,” according to Southern, “The pump’s high-pressure Rock Valve housing can handle all the volume the truck mixers can deliver. We have devised a drive-through system where the ready-mix drivers enter on the south side and exit on the north side to speed traffic flow.” The concrete is 10,000 psi below grade with 7,200 psi mix to the 12th floor and 6,500 psi to the top.

Another feature of the placing boom set-up that is speeding concrete placement is the self-climbing feature. The system is operated by one of Baker’s two concrete pumping crewmen using hydraulic cylinders powered from the boom’s electric power pack. “The same two operators who handle the boom operation and pumping can raise the mast and boom in a few hours,” Southern notes, “The octagonal mast has welded-on brackets that accept pipeline and ladder holders which also saves time.” The same octagonal mast can be used freestanding to 70-feet with a ballasted cross frame or bolted to a gravity base.

Brickell City Centre is anticipated to bring a whole new level of urban living and sophistication to the area. The highlights of the project include 5.4 million square feet of office, residential, hotel, retail and entertainment space, in addition to a two-level underground parking garage that spans seven acres below the property. As the Rise Condo tower rises at breakneck speed thanks to the efforts of Baker’s crew and the productivity of the pumping system, the company may want to change their motto from If it can be built, Baker can build it to If it can be built, Baker can build it FAST.

Specs:

Owner: Swire Properties, Miami, FL office
General Contractor: Turner Construction, Miami, FL office
Architect: Arquitectonica, Miami, Fl office
Concrete Contractor/Pumping Contractor : Baker Concrete Construction, Fort Lauderdale, FL office
Pumping Equipment: Schwing SP 8800 concrete pump, Schwing SPB 37 Separate Placing Boom