How Do They Do That? Lower a Large Piece of Mechanical Equipment Below Grande Without Elevators

Months ago after the base isolators were set, work began on the cap slabs that capped off the foundation walls at grade.  After the concrete for the cap slabs was poured, the steel started to rise out of the pit, and as the steel rose higher above grade, the moat around the building became more apparent. How were they going to get the big mechanical equipment down on Level ‘A’, I wondered.? There were no elevators, and the aerial lifts were too small.  One day as I was on Level ‘A’, I noticed a platform under constructed that extended out into the moat. I was informed that when completed, the platform would be used as a dock to receive supplies and equipment lowered from grade. Not long after that platform was built, the carpenters began building a wooden extension on the north side that was anchored to the concrete floor of Level ‘A’, and anchored to the foundation walls. What type of equipment would be lowered onto this platform? I wondered. I knew in recent weeks some mighty big pieces of mechanical equipment had made their way into the mechanical room, but I had not witnessed how it was done. That all changed on November 13, 201:  I found the operation so intriguing, I determined that it had to be included in the “How do They do That” series. 🔨

Ensconced in the southwest corner in the ‘A’ Level mechanical room sits a large pressurized water pump. Note its size compared to the inspector, center left, and the three units to his left. Currently, the pump is resting on wooden blocks will be mounted its spring mounted a platform in the next few days. 🔨

Between the Foundation  and the Building — A Very Tight Squeeze 

Around 3:45 PM, November 13, 2018, a sixteen-wheel low-bed transport truck carrying a large load (see yellow arrow) backed through the rarely used gate that opens to the north of the building. 🔨

Not long after the load was unstrapped, and lifted from the bed by the crane. At the time, I snapped the image, I was unsure as to the load’s destination. Would the crane lower its load to the ground or raise it to the roof? 🔨

Slowly, the load was swung parallel to the building. Ahhh, the crane is going to hoist its cargo to the roof, I mused. What happened next was not what I expected! 🔨

What? This image shows several spotters, and safety personnel as they watch the load as it is carefully lowered down into the moat. 🔨

To place this operation in context, the image above shows the receiving dock as viewed by the spotters and the safety personnel. The crane operator had to lower the load slowly and carefully lowered down through the moat between the foundation and the steel columns. 🔨

The narrow gap of the moat is visible in this image. The yellow arrow designates the receiving platform on which the large loads such as the one illustrated in this post. 🔨

The platform for the loading dock. 🔨

The narrow gap, with the foundation wall on the left, and building structure on the left, as viewed from the platform receiving dock. This image delineates the narrow gap through which mechanical equipment and supplies are lowered.  Once the platform is no longer needed, the cap slab gap (see the yellow diagonal line) will be closed. The mechanical equipment is sinking lower through the gap.🔨

The mechanical equipment is sinking lower through the gap. 🔨

At last, the load touches the receiving dock. 🔨

In the corridor outside of the mechanical equipment room, Nate and his crew pull a piece of equipment off of the receiving platform. Once safely on the dock, this is the same route that the large piece of equipment was rolled the previous day. 🔨

The pressurized water pump, now partially covered, has been mounted on a steel platform that is cushioned by springs bolted to the reinforced concrete. 🔨

It is evident that the architects,  engineers, and contractors had to do their homework to plan out all these intricate details before turning the soil. 🔨