GEWI® Piles for foundation upgrade in Aluminum Smelter, Aluminum Smelter, Kurri Kurri, NSW, Australia

GEWI ® Piles for foundation upgrade in Aluminum Smelter

VAW Kurri Kurri Pty. Ltd. Aluminum Smelter, Kurri Kurri, NSW, Australia

Each time the molten aluminum product was transferred by crucible trailer across the mezzanine slab, the columns supporting the mezzanine experienced excessive deflection due to settlements in their foundations. After extensive engineering studies, the owner chose to reinforce the foundation with GEWI ® Piles.

The decisive factors for the use of GEWI ® Piles were:

  • installation of the piles and implementation of the required tests carried out under restricted head room (2.8 m clearance only),
  • the simplicity of the system as well as
  • the individual adaptation of the lengths to the local subsoil conditions.

Measures taken at the VAW Kurri Kurri Pty.Ltd.
Aluminum Smelter:

  • Casting enlarged building foundation using GEWI ® Piles, after
  • installation of 54 double corrosion protected compression piles 32 mm dia.,St 500/550,15 m long installed in 2.4 m sections within 2.8 m head room clearance
  • 4-5 m deep drill casing installed to keep holes in sand open until grouting was complete and
  • testing four piles in compression, whereby the two adjacent piles were used as reaction tension piles.

The reinforcement work was successfully completed in April 2002 to the owner’s satisfaction.