Metal mesh being used during a concrete pour.

Accelerating the construction of a 2m thick basement slab using permanent stopends

Located directly over the London Underground’s Metropolitan line and Crossrail line, One Liverpool Street is a 10-storey office and retail scheme funded by Aviva and TfL.

Our customer required a stopend solution to facilitate the construction of the ground slab and prevent concrete outflow throughout the build of the basement. With a 2m slab thickness, traditional shuttering was not practical due to the size of the excavation that would be required.

 

Traditional shuttering would need extensive propping and a supporting frame, which would need to be removed and rebuilt once the pour was complete. Site space was tight, with a live underground railway line neighbouring the basement and work starting on the floor above simultaneously. With limited time and space to build timber shuttering, the John F Hunt project team were looking for a more efficient solution to speed up the concreting process and conserve space on site.

By introducing our permanent stopend solution, BECOSTOP, we were able to reduce the installation time and eliminate the removal process altogether. In partnership with Richter, we provided a full temporary works design inclusive of CAT 2 checks which enabled the site team to achieve a rate of rise of 350mm per hour.

Installation was simplified by using tying wire as a time-saving alternative to clamps when connecting the units to the rebar.
Metal re bar on a construction site.

Installation was simplified by using tying wire as a time-saving alternative to clamps when connecting the units to the rebar. By delivering bespoke BECOSTOP shutters to site, the units were ready to assemble from the pallet without any additional cutting or adjustments required – a big advantage considering the site limitations.

The perforations on the mesh effectively minimised grout leakage between pours, while our innovative spacer strip, BECOSPACE, ensured zero grout leakage in the cover zone.

Using permanent stopends also helped to reduce material and save vital workspace on site, as external props were not required.

With BECOSTOP’s key profile, our customer was able to achieve full reinforcement continuity, resulting in stronger construction joints.

There is no mechanical scabbling required, which is a big advantage as the surface of the product is designed to create strong connections between joints. Installation was smooth, as we could secure the BECOSTOP panels by using tying wire with no welding involved.
Danious Sountharajah
Project Engineer | John F Hunt
The permanent stop end system for the installation of construction joints.
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The permanent stop-end system for the installation of construction joints.