Senedd Building History - 2004

December 2003/January 2004

Works Progress

• Piles have been cut down and final integrity testing is now being completed.
• The concrete frame contractor has made good progress with a substantial number of columns being cast to first floor level. The walls are progressing well and works to construct the first floor slab above the debating chamber are commencing.
• The reinforced concrete base for the Committee Rooms has now been completed. The pillars separating each room have been erected and are in the process of being filled in with reinforced concrete.
• The formwork for the beams spanning between the columns and the ring beam of the Debating Chamber are now visible.
• Ground works are still underway at the front of the building. The progress of the frame can be seen with shutters set up ready to pour further walls and columns.
• From the early part of January the decking to the first floor is progressing well. Reinforcement for the slabs and beams is being pre-fabricated ready for rapid installation once the deck is complete.

February 2004

• Casting of the plenum ground-bearing slab continues following striking out of the first floor slab. The first floor slab main area is now complete, with the fore section decked ready to pour.
• The work to form the terraced seating to the committee rooms has progressed well in the month. The slab to the offices has now been cast. Columns and walls to second floor have made good progress.
• Perimeter masonry has been laid up to existing ground level.
• Drainage to the perimeters has been installed, allowing the 'hole' to be backfilled. This releases the slate cladding to the external walls. The service crossings and entries into Crickhowell house are on-going. The base to the woodchip bunker is now being formed.
• Boardwalk design is complete and Dean and Dyball (TW's Specialist subcontractor) have mobilised their barge and commenced works. Initially this has involved excavating to clear the obstructions in the dock entrance area. Piles have commenced for the Boardwalk structure.
• SH Structures are in manufacture with the steel frame for the roof, for deliveries to commence in March 2004. They have developed their erection method statement for this complex structure, this is to erect 2 bays at a time for stability of the structure in its temporary state.
• Visits to the works for key items are taking place. A recent visit to works viewed the steel fabricated including the cast nodes.

March Progress:

• Perimeter external walls have been back filled to level ready for the above ground blockwork and masonry.
• The service crossings and entries into Crickhowell house are complete and the service road back filled. This road will be opened as an alternative temporary haul road for the next stage of the works.
• The woodchip bunker is on-going with just the lid to be cast.
• The courtyards have been progressed including foundations and services. These are now being back filled. The Columns and walls to the second floor are nearing completion. Casting of the plenum ground-bearing slab continues following striking out of the first floor slab. The plantroom walls and columns have made good progress in the month. The roof slab will follow in the next month.
• Removal of the tower crane will follow in early April leaving the area free for the steelwork. The final elements of the concrete will be completed using a mobile crane. The convey of cranes to erect the steelwork is expected to arrive on site mid April.
• The Boardwalk around the inner Harbour is currently being extended from Mermaid Quay along the Dock Wall to a point adjacent to the Atradius Building (formally NCM). The foundations have been pilled and construction will continue over the spring with a view to being ready to open in July 2004.
• The piles have since been trimmed or extended to level and surveyed ready for the structural steel which is in fabrication. Work continues with the concrete bases to the ends and the cleaning of the dock wall.
• Structural steel to the second bay is in fabrication. Steelwork is expected on site by the end of this month.

Forest Stewardship Council

• The Forest Stewardship council was set up in 1993 to certify sustainably managed forests. Currently 40 million hectares around the world provide FSC certified wood Mr Gavin Franklin the Design Manager on the contract and TW's own' Timber Champion' said "We are committed to procuring all of our timber from well managed, sustainable sources wherever practicable. FSC certified timber is the preferred choice."

Focus on the facts

• The construction industry uses 70 per cent of all timber consumed in the UK.
• The world loses the equivalent of 32 football pitches of natural forest every minute.
• Forest loss directly affects the livelihoods of over one billion people in the developing world who live in extreme poverty.
• The World Bank estimates that illegal logging costs the governments of timber-producing countries between £6 and £10 billion every year.
• In Brazil, Bolivia and Peru in South America and Gabon and Liberia in Africa 80 percent of logging is illegal.
• Over £8 billion is spent on importing wood to the UK every year. 10 per cent of which is from illegal sources.

 

April Progress:

New Assembly Building - Progress of the Works

• This update covers the period up to the end of April 2004 and provides a brief summary of activities during the preceding time. The main new works this month are the start of the slate cladding to the exterior walls along with the roof steel erection.

Concrete Frame and Slabs.

• The casting of the ground-bearing slab continues following striking out of the first floor slab. Columns and walls to second floor are nearing completion. The plantroom walls and columns are complete. The roof slabs have made good progress in the month.
• The first part of the second floor slab to the central area has been cast and the preparation of the remainder almost complete. The tower crane has now been removed leaving the area free for the steelwork.

Ground works.

• The service crossings and entries into Crickhowell house are complete and the service road reinstated. This road will be an alternative temporary haul road for the next stage of the works. The courtyards have been progressed including foundations and services. These are now being back filled. The bunker for storing the woodchips at the rear of the site is on-going with just the lid to be cast.
• Perimeter external walls have been back filled to level ready for the above ground Slate cladding to the external Walls. This is being carried out by CB Watson, the stone masons from Barry.

Roof steel Commences

• The 421t of steel to form the roof has started to be delivered and fabricated on the ground prior to erection. There are exactly 21,090 bolts in 2088 connections within the roof, as can be seen below.

Boardwalk Works

• Dean and Dyball have installed the steel piles for supporting the boardwalk. These piles have since been trimmed or extended to level and surveyed ready for the structural steel to support the main deck which is in fabrication. Work continues with the concrete bases to the ends of the boardwalk and the cleaning of the dock wall. Taylor Woodrow are in continuous liaison with CADW and The Harbour Authority to ensure that the works undertaken are to everyone's satisfaction.

May 2004 Update

• This update covers the period up to the end of May 2004 and provides a brief summary of activities during the preceding time.
• The groundworker has returned to site to complete below ground works in the courtyards, and will be on site from early July for the external works start in the summer.
• The plenum slab and concrete superstructure, including the, plantroom is complete.
• All the structural steelwork is now in place for the Boardwalk and the timber decking will be delivered and installed in the first few weeks of June.
• Steelwork to the first 2 bays is erected. The erection of the 3rd bay is well advanced and progress has been good.
• Ancillary steelwork continues with bridges, stairs and plenum slab steelwork.
• Slate walling is progressing on all elevations.

June Update

• Steelwork to the first 5 bays is erected. The erection of Bay 6 is underway and will be erected this month. Bays 1 - 4 have been handed over for roofing.
• Ancillary steelwork continues with bridges, stairs and plenum slab steelwork.
• The slate walling is progressing well on all elevations.
• The timber decking and the handrails for the Boardwalk is nearing completion. The Boardwalk will be opened formally to the public on 1 July.

Road Closure

• Pierhead Street and Harbour Drive are to be closed to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic from 19th July 2004. Pedestrian access along Pierhead Street will be available from the beginning of October 2004, and the road will re-open to vehicular traffic in May 2005. This is due to the completion of the landscaping works, overhanging roof and re-alignment of the road for the New Assembly Building.
• Alternative access for pedestrian traffic will be via the newly opened boardwalk from Mermaid Quay and Pierhead to Britannia Quay while Harbour Drive is closed.

 

July 2004

Concrete Frame and Slabs:

• Whelan and Grant have completed their works to the reinforced concrete frame and now only have a small gang carrying out concrete finishing to the exposed areas to ensure the quality is to the required standard.

Ground works:

• Churngold returned to site in June to complete below ground works in the courtyards, and then continued onto the external works which started in July. This coincided with the extension of the site to include Harbour Drive and Pierhead Street.

Boardwalk Works:

• Dean and Dyball completed the boardwalk for the Official opening by the Finance Minister, Sue Essex and Presiding Officer, Lord Elis-Thomas. The weather was fine and four schools attended along with a large crowd to be the first to utilise the completed boardwalk. These works were completed prior to the closing of the pedestrian way across the top of the boardwalk and was handed over 1 year to the day after the signing of the contract between Taylor Woodrow and the Welsh Assembly.

Roof steel Completes:

• The imposing steelwork to the roof is now complete. Testing on Loading out of the frame is complete. The photo across shows the jacking rig used to apply tension to the 76mm diameter tie rods. The jacks are tensioned to the set level and then the threaded nut on the bar is tightened and the jacks then removed. Further Photos of the Steel work can be found at the bottom of the document. The Steel erection gang will now commence on the steelwork framing for the glazing. Lakesmere, working over the top of the fully netted steelwork are progressing with the secondary steelwork and sheeting to the highly insulated roof.

Services:

• MJN Colston are close to completion of the services in the underfloor service voids, with testing underway prior to the installation of the ground floor slab. High level works on the ground floor and first floor have also commenced.

Slate Works:

The slate walling is progressing on all elevations including the installation of the 95kg coping stones. These were required to be installed mechanically utilising a suction device to lift and place the stones. Blockwork is progressing to the main plantroom and also on dividing walls.

Miscellaneous:

• Interest in the Boardwalk Opening resulted in Newyiddion shooting a piece for transmittal with the Presiding Officer.

August 2004 Update

• Work is progressing well on site. The groundworker has recommenced on the external works following access to Harbour Drive and Pierhead Street. The lightweight fill to the front of the building has been prepared and there has been extensive work to identify existing services and remove any redundant supplies.
• Whelan and Grant continue with their concrete finishing.
• Ancillary steelwork continues to progress to suit other works. The main progress this month has been the erection of Lift Group 3 and Stair B.
• MJN Colston continue to make good progress in the underfloor void. They are also progressing high level works on the ground floor and first floor. The water tank has been installed.
• The Slate walling is substantially complete on the north and east elevations and is progressing well on the south and other miscellaneous areas.
• Blockwork walls are now well advanced to all plant areas.
• Steelwork to the roof is now complete and tensioned. Lakesmere have made very good progress in the month, with the bottom deck well advanced and work on gutters and ancillaries progressing well. The top sheeting will be continuing on the first bays over the coming weeks to provide a weathertight roof. Temporary roof drainage is being installed as the symphonic system will not function in the temporary condition. The lantern has been lifted to the top of the roof cowl.
• Preparation work on the break through to Crickhowell House for the Link Bridges will commence at the end of the month.

September 2004 Update

• Works on the Link Bridges have commenced.
• The groundworks to Harbour Drive continue, well, with the concrete paving base in progress.
• Whelan and Grant continue with their concrete finishing.
• The steelwork is substantially complete and timber decking well advanced.
• Ancillary steelwork continues to progress to suit other works. The next areas to be progressed are the remaining works to the undercroft in Committee Rooms and Debating Chamber.
• MJN Colston continue to make good progress in the under-floor void. They are also progressing high level works on the ground floor and first floor. Works are now starting on the underside of the roof and in the plant-rooms.
• Slate walling is substantially complete to all the external elevations. The masons continue with other miscellaneous areas and final snagging.
• Internal block-work is substantially complete, including fire stopping and insulation. Works below the ground floor slab are nearing completion in advance of the decking.
• Façade steelwork has been erected, with S H Structures working for Haran, completing the lining, levelling and fixing. Scaffolding will now be erected for the glazers, timber soffit and fascias.