Jean Dimeo

The use of high-tech concrete equipment and enhanced processes is producing more durable and level flooring and improving safety for crews at an Idaho National Laboratory construction project, according to officials.

Allen Nellesen, a site manager for Idaho Environmental Coalition, said in a statement that traditional concrete finishing methods that the company used are difficult and physically demanding, as workers were required to tie rebar by hand.

For the lab project, IEC is using:

1. A remote-controlled soil compactor to prepare the ground surface.
2. An automated rebar tier, which automatically connects the long, steel rods in the floor with wire.
3. A ride-on trowel to evenly spread the poured concrete.
4. An automated laser leveling screed machine to produce an extremely flat floor surface.

“Worker ergonomics and safety are always a concern,” Nellesen said. “But this new equipment is significantly reducing the amount of time it takes to get the work done and removing workers from potentially hazardous situations.”

In early 2023, IEC began construction on a second 20,000-square-foot storage building at the Integrated Waste Treatment Unit at the lab, which will be used to house dozens of concrete vaults containing stainless steel canisters of treated sodium-bearing waste. The new storage building is being built from steel and reinforced concrete, and requires adherence to strict design requirements.

Nellesen said the advanced equipment has saved considerable time in tying more than 60 tons of rebar and pouring nearly 2,000 yards of concrete.

“The concrete pad has to hold up to the weight of full storage vaults, which can weigh more than 320,000 pounds each,” he said. “Also, precision is necessary to get the flatness and final finish required by the design.”

Construction is expected to be completed in 2025.

The contractor said it will use this experience to deploy advanced equipment and processes to pour level concrete pads for other projects.