North Carolina Construction News staff writer
Construction at the Raleigh City Hall site is reaching a new milestone with the assembly of a tower crane. This crucial piece of equipment, featuring a jib, counter jib, and a tower mast, will support the heavy lifting needed for the ongoing construction project.
The tower crane’s jib and counter jib, bolstered by the tower mast, play a critical role in supporting the cabling, trolley, and hook that handle heavy loads. As crews gear up to begin this phase, they are also advancing work on the deep foundation, an essential element of the building’s structural integrity.
A foundation provides a stable base for a building, but when the load-bearing soil or rock is situated deep below the surface, a deep foundation becomes necessary. This type of foundation transfers the building’s weight to stronger soil or rock layers situated further down, distributing the load over a larger area to prevent excessive settlement or movement.
The most commonly used type of deep foundation is the pile foundation, which involves columns of concrete reinforced with steel rebar. This method is currently being implemented at the Raleigh City Hall site. Crews have been busy installing these pile foundations to ensure the structure’s stability and longevity.
As of June 26, 2024, significant progress has been made at the site. Crews have completed shoring and lagging walls on the north and east sides, finished the basement excavation, and established the central building pad. Additionally, test piles have been installed as part of the deep foundation work, a crucial step for assessing the strength and soil resistance, with results expected over the coming weeks.
Visit the East Civic Tower project page for construction updates.