Construction Technology L2 Meadow View

Question 1

Outline the main construction details of the building you proposed.

Question 2

Explain why you recommended the use of piled foundations?

Answer 2

• Extension located near the edge of ground that falls away, in clay soil and nearby trees.
• Access to rear of site restricted making access for large plant and machinery challenging. Limited space between buildings and trees may result in damage to tree routes.
• Strip or trench foundations would likley need to be at least 2m deep which increases H&S concerns due to nature of site - a SEN childrens home.
• Depth of foundations would generate significant arisings that need to be removed from site and materials (concrete and aggregates to form foundations)
• Raft foundations - xxx
• Piled foundation - reduce risk of settlement and heave problems, potentially cheaper than trenchfill when trench depth exceeds 1.2m (BRE), faster construction, avoids subsoil excavation and exposed deep trenches (H&S)

Question 3

What other types of foundation did you consider?

Answer 3

Strip or trench foundations and raft foundations

Question 4

Explain how the restricted access affected the specification choices you made.

Answer 4

Machinery access for plant, machinery and delivery of materials may prove challenging. There was also a risk of damage to tree roots.

Mini piled foundations reduce the volume of premixed concrete that needs to be delivered to site, reduces subsoil excavation and removal, reduces bulk materials such as aggregates.

Precast block and beam flooring are easier to transfer from the front of the site (car park) to the rear without large wagons.