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Fireclad Walls Raise the
Stakes on Cost-Saving
A Queensland builder has raised a 52 metre by 4.8 metre wall in one
lift, using three cranes to create what is believed to be the
biggest tilt-up wall ever built in Australia. The lift was made
possible by the high-strength, lightweight qualities of steel
supplied by BHP Building Products. BHP and Boral jointly developed
FIRECLAD walling, a cost-efficient new exterior fire-rated wall
system for pre-engineered buildings.
Jack Hunneman from Oz-Cover Pty Ltd used the construction method for
the first time on the new warehouse building at Logan Village, south
of Brisbane. The client, an importer and wholesaler of giftware,
furniture and artefacts wanted to maximise the available storage
space on his building block, which meant locating the warehouse
right up the boundary. Until Jack Hunneman discovered the Fireclad
walling option, the alternatives were tilt-up concrete panels along
the boundary or concrete blockwork with core fill to achieve the
required fire rating. "As soon as we learnt about the Boral Fireclad
system, it was obviously the best solution" Mr. Hunneman said. "It
allows us to do without the additional tradespeople that tilt-up
concrete panels and concrete blockwork would require, and we can use
a standard footing system".
"The Fireclad system allows us to use our normal design with three
layers of fire-rated plasterboard and TRIMDEK HI-TEN sheeting".Jack
Hunneman and his foreman were confident they could make the entire
wall on the ground and lift it into place.
The 52 metre-long wall was successfully raised into place in one
lift.
The wall assembly included the fireproof plasterboard and external
Trimdek cladding as well as guttering and downpipes. The time saved
in building the wall on the ground far exceeded the cost of the
three cranes. "The method considerably reduced the cost of the wall
over any of the alternatives," Mr. Hunneman said. "It also saved at
least a week in construction time over tilt-up concrete or concrete
blockwork methods. "We are already planning another project with a
25 metre-long and five metre high wall". The Fireclad walling system
provides a fire resistance of up to 90 minutes by interposing fire
grade plasterboard between the girts and the external cladding.
The system will deliver savings of between five and 15 percent on
the tilt-up alternatives.
For more information please contact Jack Hunneman - Oz-Cover Pty Ltd
12 July 1999 -
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