Concrete Maturity Project
Riverstone Wastewater Treatment Plant
Sydney Australia
Benefits for all stakeholders
Using conXedge to obtain the right information at the right place and the right time, construction work was completed more quickly, safely and economically.
The Project
In 2017, the Riverstone Wastewater Treatment Plant in Western Sydney was expanded and upgraded, as part of the AUD$450 million Lower South Creek Treatment Program, required to service more than 25,000 new dwellings in the region. Sydney Water engaged Whittens Group as a key contractor.
The Challenge
The scope of the work for Whittens involved the provision of formwork, reinforcement and concrete pouring required for the construction of a Biological Reactor, Biological Reactor Distribution Chamber, Secondary Flow Distribution, Secondary Clarifiers, RAS Pump Stations, Tertiary Flow Distribution Chamber, and Tertiary Clarifier.
The challenge was to accurately determine the in-place strength of concrete during construction, in order to optimise value for money outcomes for Sydney Water and Whittens.
The Approach
Traditional field-cured cylinders do not accurately replicate the temperature profile of in-place concrete. Maturity methods use the fundamental concept that concrete properties develop with time, as the cement hydrates and releases heat.
HM technologies provided the rugged ConXedge monitoring system, which provided uninterruptible and unalterable information, supported the maturity function being used for the project, and allowed adjustment of the appropriate maturity constants.
Using conXedge, the maturity index was digitally displayed in real time, at any time and numerous locations could be monitored simultaneously. HM Technologies conducted on site visits from time to time and provided prompt technical support when requested.
The Results
As a result of using conXedge, Whittens were able to strip the wall formwork a mere sixty (60) hours after casting – much earlier than possible using traditional methods – and prove that 75% of the characteristic strength of the concrete had been achieved prior to stripping.
Significant programme savings were achieved through being able to strip formwork faster, allowing after trades to continue with program works in advance of the allocated time slots. Moreover, formwork was recycled more frequently resulting in considerable savings in formwork hire.
The conXedge maturity testing solution provided significant mutual benefit to Whitten’s and Sydney Water.
