Underground boulders caused piling headaches at site of five-block flat building
DILEWORK for Merry Terrace-
a five-block. 15-storey residen- tial building in Seymour Road --was a good example of the problems to be met in this primary building task on Hong Kong island.
Underground boulders. so large that could not be pushed aside or broken through, had to be smashed up and removed.
It is a tribute to the co-operation between between the piling company. Franki Piling and Engineering (Hong Kong) Ltd. and the owners of the building. Merry Investment Co. Ltd., that the job was completed in nine days under the contracted time limit.
"This contract was certainly no straightforward matter." Mr. P. C. van Hauwaert. the manager of the firm. explained.
"Site investigation. carried out soon after we were awarded the con-
tract
on November 20. 1961. in- dicated erratic boulders were to be expected in many places at depths ranging from 131t. to 25ft.
“Where no obstructions were re- vealed, it was found that piles would reach a depth of approximately 60 feet under the existing ground level.
"The contract called for 481 piles. most carrying a load of 110 tons. Piling was commenced on December 27. 1961.
"It was a hit and miss job. When- ever we found an obstruction that couldn't be broken or dislodged by our unique method (dropping a three and a half ten hammer from a 35ft. mast) Merry Investment Co. moved in.
"They had as many as 75 labour- ers and three compressors working simultaneously in several pits up to 32 feet deep.
"While they removed the boulders. we would move to another section of the site. We had to feel our way all the time.”
About 100 piles were obstructed by boulders. Work was eventually completed on March 23, 1962, after 492 piles. 11 more than planned. had been driven to a depth of 66ft. 9ins.
Merry Terrace, an impressive cream and rust coloured structure, is built on a 58.000 sq.ft. site be tween Seymour and Castle Road= (I.L. 576RP).
It consists of five joined. 15-storey blocks containing a total of 196 European type flats, all of which were sold before building was com pleted. The ground floor is devoted solely to an open car park. The total volume of domestic space is 2.213.497 cubic ft.
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THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER-VOLUME 13. NUMBER 2
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