MPB Concrete Placement Begins
The Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) is placing concrete twice per week for the structural foundation of the Main Process Building (MPB). The placements began on Sept. 11.
“These are not the first concrete placements on project, but they’re the first structural concrete for MPB,” said MPB Area Lead Matt Nuckols. “MPB is the heart of UPF and will provide casting and special oxide production capabilities to support NNSA’s defense and nonproliferation missions.”
The largest of UPF’s three buildings at 252,000 square feet, MPB is also the highest hazard and highest security building being constructed as part of the facility.
The concrete placement on Sept. 11 was the first of 32 similar placements for MPB’s structural foundation that will occur two times per week through March 2019. The full slab will be nine feet deep, which includes a 7-1/2-foot base slab and an 18-inch top slab.
“This is a significant step in concrete placement and a major milestone for the project,” Nuckols said. “It starts the steady drumbeat of concrete placement that will last several months for the foundation and more than a year for the entire building.”
The team incorporated lessons learned from earlier concrete placements on the Mechanical Electrical Building and Personnel Support Building.
“Thorough preparation and incorporating lessons learned from earlier placements is going to help the team complete these placements smoothly and efficiently,” Nuckols said.