ForConstructionPros.com

Large concrete floor pours can present many challenges, especially if you have to work within walls and a roof. Careful planning, precise execution and the right equipment helped J.P. Cullen & Sons, Janesville, Wis., complete a 32,000-square-foot gymnasium floor for Janesville Craig High School.

This project required J.P. Cullen to place 323 yards of concrete while school was in progress. They decided to start the pour at 4:00 a.m. to eliminate traffic congestion between the school traffic and construction vehicles. The staging area was also set up next to the gym to eliminate inconveniences for the school and students.

The early start allowed J.P. Cullen to complete the floor in one day. "A one-day pour eliminates multiple set-up times that would have been required with several pours," says Dan Swanson of J.P. Cullen & Sons. The result was both cost and schedule savings.

To keep the job moving at a constant pace, nine concrete trucks were always ready so the crew was always busy. J.P. Cullen & Sons worked with LYCON Inc., the ready-mix producer, to ensure that trucks rotated about every 10 minutes.

Another key aspect of the project was the use of a Schwing 31 HT pump truck. The pump truck was small enough to unfold inside the gym which allowed J.P. Cullen to pour the perimeter of the floor while leaving the truck in the middle of the gym. "Ready-mix trucks would not have been able to reach because of the distance from the recessed slab to the exterior edges," says Zach Miller of J.P. Cullen. "The pump allows the crew to lay the concrete where they choose and also allows for two trucks to be set at the hopper, cutting down the time between trucks."