Denmark

Cavity filling during construction of basement “Marble Pier”

Year: 2014

Location: Copenhagen

Country: Denmark

Volume: 1.400 m³ expanded clay 10-20 mm

Owner Builder: By & Havn, and PenSam Liv

Contractor: NCC Construction Danmark

Designer: Vilhelm Lauritzen Architechts


Problem / Solution

The Copenhagen North Harbour is a new development area. New and ongoing projects will along with existing facilities in time form a new neighbourhood. 128 exclusive and unique homes are built. Parking facilities for 600 cars is placed under the houses. The parking for the dwellings and the neighbour, the distinctive, star-shaped building that houses eight organizations of the United Nations is partly under water level in the harbour and gave challenges during construction. First a sheet piling wall was established. Then excavation and basement was performed. The space between the basement and the sheet piling was filled with lightweight aggregates and finally the sheet piling was removed.

Experience

Expanded clay 10-20 mm, was pneumatic blowing directly up to 60 meter from the truck. At the construction site this form for delivery need no room for storage just as there is no need for machinery for internal transport.

Why expanded clay?

The construction site was very narrow with no place for storage so our blowing trucks was an obvious solution for delivery and installation. In addition to being an insulating material, expanded clay 10 – 20 mm also is an effective drainage material which withstands high loads from for example earth pressure, and at the same time fulfil the requirements for support around the drain pipes of plastics. In addition, many years of experience shows that rats and mice avoid loose filled expanded clay.

PIC - FILLINGS OF NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL CAVITIES