FRIB civil construction nine weeks ahead of schedule; work advances above ground and below

10 July 2015

FRIB civil construction is currently nine weeks ahead of schedule.

Structural steel placement for the linear accelerator tunnel lid was completed in June. So far, 55 percent of the required structural steel for the project has been installed, with 1,550 tons of steel placed. The steel used for the tunnel lid is the largest rolled steel sections that can be purchased in the United States.

Additionally, mass backfill is nearing completion on the east end of the tunnel lid, as crews work to completely enclose the linac tunnel underground. Overall, 50,101 tons of backfill has been placed, marking 71-percent completion.

Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems installation also is ongoing within the linac tunnel, and underground MEP systems installation in the linac support building has begun as well.

The surface building is being constructed in two halves in order to accelerate readiness of the east section of the building. This will allow the front end to be installed 16 months earlier than originally planned in the project baseline. Structural steel for the surface building has been erected at the east end of the building. Masonry work on the exterior enclosure has also started.

In the target area, concrete placements continue. Sixty-one percent of concrete placements for the project are complete, with 26,201 yards placed. Recently, 742 yards of concrete were placed to create the labyrinth wall between the tunnel and target area. Concrete work in the tunnel area continues, with a new wall being placed almost every other day.

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