Heidelberg Materials has designed and supplied a high-strength 85N self-compacting concrete to help realise the vision of the latest phase of the New Jackson development in Manchester.
Working with Renaker Build, the company has supplied bespoke concrete to the project since 2017. To date, 10 towers have been constructed, with a further two under construction and others still in the planning and design phase.
The design of Contour Towers, the fourth phase of the New Jackson project, includes eight architectural feature columns at the base of each of the two 141-metre-high residential towers.
Heidelberg Materials’ technical team worked closely with Renaker to overcome the structural complexities of the high-strength mix design while meeting the architect’s vision for a light-coloured concrete finish.
“A number of mixtures were designed and tested before the final design was agreed,” explains Concrete Regional Director Elliot Jenkins.
“As well as the requirement for a high-strength light-coloured material, site limitations meant that we needed to supply a self-compacting concrete in order to deliver the desired visual finish.”
Heidelberg Materials’ SmartRock digital concrete maturity sensors were used within the architectural columns to monitor temperature and strength gain to ensure the formwork wasn’t removed too quickly, preventing the risk of thermal cracking due to the high heat generated by such a high-grade concrete mix. The technical and site teams worked closely to ensure the optimum strike time for the formwork.
Paul McKillop, Contracts Manager at Renaker Build, added: “We have been working with Heidelberg Materials on this development for several years and continue to be impressed by the company’s technical and customer service, which has again delivered challenging bespoke concrete for Contour Towers. The team is an integral part of the supply chain.”
In addition to the high-strength self-compacting concrete for the architectural columns, Heidelberg Materials has supplied all the concrete used in the walls, floors and foundations at Contour Towers.
