Nicholson Releases Tension at North Carolina's Fontana Dam
Pittsburgh-based geotechnical engineering and construction firm Nicholson Construction Company was recently awarded the contract for anchor work at a dam in Graham County, North Carolina.
The dam is located on the Little Tennessee River and is the tallest dam east of the Rockies.
Nicholson will be de-tensioning a total of 582 previously installed, post-tensioned bar anchors at the dam. Of these anchors, 561 will be de-tensioned completely from a load of approximately 175 kips to 0 kips and the load bearing assemblies will be removed, thus de-commissioning them.
The de-commissioned anchor holes will then be flushed and grouted.
The remaining 21 anchors will be re-tensioned at a minimum level to permit the load cells on those anchors to track alkali aggregate reaction-induced (AAR) concrete growth over time. AAR is a chemical reaction in the cement and aggregate material that causes concrete to expand slowly over time
Nicholson’s work on the project started in the spring of 2019.
Pittsburgh-based geotechnical engineering and construction firm Nicholson Construction Company was recently awarded the contract for anchor work at a dam in Graham County, North Carolina.
The dam is located on the Little Tennessee River and is the tallest dam east of the Rockies.
Nicholson will be de-tensioning a total of 582 previously installed, post-tensioned bar anchors at the dam. Of these anchors, 561 will be de-tensioned completely from a load of approximately 175 kips to 0 kips and the load bearing assemblies will be removed, thus de-commissioning them.
The de-commissioned anchor holes will then be flushed and grouted.
The remaining 21 anchors will be re-tensioned at a minimum level to permit the load cells on those anchors to track alkali aggregate reaction-induced (AAR) concrete growth over time. AAR is a chemical reaction in the cement and aggregate material that causes concrete to expand slowly over time
Nicholson’s work on the project started in the spring of 2019.
About Nicholson Construction Company
Nicholson has been both a leader and an innovator in the geotechnical construction industry for more than 60 years. With regional offices across the country and headquarters located in Pittsburgh, Nicholson is a nationally renowned specialty contractor, offering proven expertise in the design and installation of deep foundation elements, earth retention systems and ground treatment solutions. We pride ourselves on our ability to consistently provide our clients with innovative, high-quality design-build options for projects of varying size and complexity. Nicholson is the North American subsidiary of Soletanche Bachy, one of the world’s leading geotechnical contractors, and is part of a global network of unparalleled geotechnical resources and expertise.
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