Devon Energy Center

[kinggober]

Something has occured to me.
Everyone knows that the dirt is gone you see.
So can someone tell me.
Where is all the dirt please?



(the dirt that will fill in the empty holes after construction)

They buried all that dirt under the tower.

[jn1780]

They only have the western side of the "bathtub" left to go.

[jmarkross]

It is great that the Tower is now emerging from the shadow of the east parking structure and with the completion of this floor just about done now (I won't hazard a guess as to it's number) it will be interesting to see the rest of the floors stack up...soon a slight adjustment to the camera will be needed to increase the vertical field visible to allow full viewing of the progress...exciting eye candy...

[OKC@heart]

Something has occured to me.
Everyone knows that the dirt is gone you see.
So can someone tell me.
Where is all the dirt please?



(the dirt that will fill in the empty holes after construction)

Hi Troypin, To answer your question there is a great deal of earth that was removed and most of it will not be coming back. The subgrade level is going to be used as underground parking so most of the volume is taken up by that structure. What is left will be the planted gardens and water features which will require select fill and plant supporting soil to be brought back in. However it is fairly unlikely to see them return the previously excavated or removed dirt back on site. It will likely be sand, gravel and soil that meets a certain quality level that they will use. The sub-grade garage roof deck will have to be treated similarly to any other roof and will need to be waterproofed and sealed with a membrane and drainage system. Then we will see them back fill with the earthen materials that I listed previously.

The original excavation or cut (soil removed from the site) was likely taken to a property owner's land that is advertising free soil dump. They often do this if they are trying to build up the land to a useable level so that it can increase the useabililty of the land.

Hopefully this will answer your questions.

[jn1780]

Their going to need construction elevators pretty soon.

They already have to do a lot of ladder climbing just to get to the current top floor.

[OKC@heart]

I would guess that it will be a few more floors yet before we see that take place.

Anyone happen to be heading out to the site with a camera? I am needing a pre-weekend fix of detailed construction shots showing what has traspired on the North building as well as from the west looking eastward toward the tower and then of course looking westward over the site.

Thanks to all who spend thier own time in sharing these images with the rest of us who are unable to get there.

[Fly on the Wall]

...soon a slight adjustment to the camera will be needed to increase the vertical field visible to allow full viewing of the progress...exciting eye candy...

I was just wondering about that myself; in that how many floors would be constructed before the building was higher than the camera's current vertical view limit. My guess is that floor 14 would be just at or above the upper edge of the current view.

I'd say let's have a pool on that, but some one with the specs could probably do the geometry and nail that.

Fly

[jmarkross]

I would guess that it will be a few more floors yet before we see that take place.

Anyone happen to be heading out to the site with a camera? I am needing a pre-weekend fix of detailed construction shots showing what has traspired on the North building as well as from the west looking eastward toward the tower and then of course looking westward over the site.

Thanks to all who spend thier own time in sharing these images with the rest of us who are unable to get there.

I second the motion...we are always indebted to the good souls that take the pictures that keep us up to date...our eyes on the site...keep an eye out for any red skies in the NW, though...

[jn1780]

Their clearing off the top of the recently poured third floor section. Looks like we may see some of those big form structures moved into place this weekend, if not today.

[Troypin]

Their clearing off the top of the recently poured third floor section. Looks like we may see some of those big form structures moved into place this weekend, if not today.

Do you mean the forms for the elavator cores?

[jn1780]

Do you mean the forms for the elavator cores?

I was talking about the floor forms that they have building and stock pilling over at the staging area west of the tower.

The floor layout from this point on is the same all the way to top of tower with only minor differences. This allows them to use standard floor forms which will greatly speed up construction.

[Popsy]

I thought the floor layout would not become consistent until the sixth floor is reached or the top of the atrium which I thought was six floors. I also would think that all the elevator shafts would not be going to the top. In most high rises of this size one core would go to about the 20th floor, one to the 40th and the other to the top. But, perhaps this building will be different

[jn1780]

I thought the floor layout would not become consistent until the sixth floor is reached or the top of the atrium which I thought was six floors. I also would think that all the elevator shafts would not be going to the top. In most high rises of this size one core would go to about the 20th floor, one to the 40th and the other to the top. But, perhaps this building will be different

I think the atrium and the north building are "loosely connected" to the tower if you know what I mean. There may be some kind of steel structure which handles the transition between the tower, atrium, and south building. The floor layout of 3-6 should be similar enough to start using the standard forms.




The cores are part of the towers structual integrity so they will go all the way to the top.



Edit: I only say that they will start using the standard forms now because they made the point of finishing all the columns on the newly poured floor section. They usual started putting up the shoring system by now. The pattern seems to be different. I could be wrong though.

[jn1780]

Here comes one of the sections now.

[OKC@heart]

Oh yeah and another section is flying as I type! Things are going to really start to pick up now on the tower!

[jmarkross]

As a retired person...with time and boredom as my closest friends...I am able to watch the crane move around and bring things up...saw them do a big blue column frame today...have to wait a minute to see the next frame--but it is fascinating. They are doing a lot at night now...and with the help of observations from others, it enables one to keep up with the logic of it all. Thanks folks!

[jmarkross]

BTW...if anyone is keeping daily cam jpegs like I am...I have a pretty complete set going back quite a ways...I try to get at least one in the AM and one in the PM, and am starting to get night shots when I find myself up for a while in the night...if you need a copy of a date...let me know, I will try to share. Pretty geeky stuff, I suppose--but the time lapse thing from a jpeg folder is cool to watch...

[Platemaker]

yesterday...

[oncendone]

What I have yet to figure out, is how the new blue form system is moved from floor to floor after the concrete has been placed/poured on top of it. Anyone know how this is accomplished?

[Platemaker]

Sure... its just two half cylinders bolted together... they just split it in two, place it on the top with the crane, bolt it back together, and pour... but notice now that they are on floor thre they are square instead of round.

[jmarkross]

Interesting and informative photo Platemaker. Great one, really.

[OKCisOK4me]

Awesome pano Platemaker! I had a dream last night about the tower getting its last panel of glass on it. I said to some guy, "man, that's gonna take a crap load of Windex to clean!" Then we see this guy using this Squeegy that's as big as a semi truck and I then say, "well, I bet that speeds up the process...". Gotta love dreams.

One other thought I need to add:

That concrete pumper on top of the south elevator core looks it may reach the last 1/3 section of our "above ground floor" but what about the building just to the north of the tower? Will the crane just deposit it somewhere else or do they plan on having two pumpers? I'd think the answer would be two as that would definitely speed up the process...

[oncendone]

Sure... its just two half cylinders bolted together... they just split it in two, place it on the top with the crane, bolt it back together, and pour... but notice now that they are on floor thre they are square instead of round.

Platemaker, do you know how they move the big blue floor forms that they have been building and stockpiling, and now they are on the southeast portion of the tower?
Thanks for the info.

[Platemaker]

no idea.

[JIMBO]

Platemaker, do you know how they move the big blue floor forms that they have been building and stockpiling, and now they are on the southeast portion of the tower?
Thanks for the info.

They will use a cantilever landing. This will be attached to the building and then they can wheel the form sections outside the above floor.