FtCalhoun

Bechtel project managers needed to create a 30-foot-by-35-foot opening through the 4-foot-thick reinforced concrete wall of the Ft. Calhoun Nuclear Station containment building to remove and replace the facility’s aging reactor head, pressurizer and two steam generators.

CTI began by designing and installing a dust and water collection system that would safely contain all cutting and breaking spoils. Then, a neat line cut that would define the opening’s perimeter was created with a wall saw, scoring the concrete and severing the structure’s tendon sheathing and #11 and #18 rebar. Once this outer cut was done, technicians used robotic hammers to quickly chip away at the wall, gradually removing each layer of concrete and rebar all the way through the void. Lastly, technicians using chipping guns exposed the remaining rebar surrounding the opening, enabling workers to tie in the replacement rebar when repairing the hole upon completion of the job.

With an aggressive project plan, skilled labor and a consistently proven record of safe operations, CTI completed its scope of work one week ahead of schedule, enabling Bechtel to save its client millions of dollars in construction costs and revenue.