Project:  Portland Tower

Date:  February 2006

Location:  Auckland

Architect:  Clark Brown Architects

Engineer:  Buller George Engineers

Precaster:  Stevensons Precast

Concrete Supplier:  W Stevenson & Sons Ltd

Type of Unit:  Precast balustrades

Reason for choosing SCC:  The units were initially cast using conventional concrete with mechanical vibration, but that resulted in significant damage to the complex formwork.  At the suggestion of the concrete supplier the precaster subsequently chose to use SCC to extend the life of the formwork.

Outcome:  No mechanical vibration of concrete allowed the complex and expensive formwork to be used for the length of the project without repairs.  A high quality architectural finish was achieved which almost eliminated the need for remedial work.

Submitted by:  Michael Khrapko, W Stevenson & Sons Ltd