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CONSTRUCTION of the National synthetic track and field facility at Leonora on Region Three has reached an important juncture. BK International has begun paving the base for the laying of the track itself and Regupol has brought in its expert to lend technical support to ensure that the asphalt base meets the conditions and specifications for the laying of the track.The importance of getting the foundation accurate to accommodate a track of world-class standard was explained when Sport Minister Dr Frank Anthony led the media on a visit to the site yesterday. Minister Anthony was joined by his Permanent Secretary Alfred King, Engineer of Regupol Burt Hammes and the contractors working on all the components of the synthetic track and field project.
Hammes is the engineer that Regupol brought in from Germany to work with the local contractors to ensure specific conditions such as the stability of the track foundation surface and the right asphalt level for the base are met.
Minister Anthony commended the support the local contractor is receiving from the German company in moving the project forward. “We are very pleased that we are at this stage of the development of the track, and, as you can see, we are making steady progress.
“This phase is a very critical phase because of how well we do here, the track or the synthetic part of the track that will be laid would have more durability or level-ness.”
He expressed his satisfaction over the fact that expertise is being shared
Minister Anthony said that the situation provides the opportunity for the local contractors to gain knowledge from the international expert – who has worked with FIFA and the Olympics – that can guide them in future projects they undertake in Guyana.
“It is a learning experience for the contractors, who are working here with us, and under the guidance of international companies like Regupol they can learn, and when we do other projects, maybe in the future that they will have the standing and expertise to do some of these works.”
Overall, Minister Anthony also expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the entire project. “Generally, I am satisfied because from the last time when we visited, we had some issues with a particular contractor. We have been able to correct some of those problems.
“You recall one of our main concerns was the fence itself, and we were able to deal with that by sub-letting it.
The other concern we had was the contractor that was doing the internal road, the alternative access into the facility. I think they have since made remarkable progress. They are not fully there as yet, they still have more to do, but at least we are seeing that they are making strides in the right direction and that’s a good thing,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hammes explained the details and engineering behind getting the track area stable and the challenges posed in working in the Leonora area, which has marine soil. He explained how he and the local contractors have been working to achieve a ‘balanced settlement’ and support for the synthetic track base.
“The challenge here is that you are on marine clay, marine clay has movement, for road it may not affect that much, in regards of level, but on an athletic track it is absolutely important that there is absolutely no settlement,” he said.
Hammes’ assessment is that the local contractor has gotten the base of the track right. “I have checked this level and the base already done for some time, and the achievements are quite well and of course nobody knows what will happen in nature in the future, but I am very confident that we made the right choice … compaction achievement has been done here very well, based on our design. The contractors followed everything well,” he said.
According to Hammes, the track is being paved using an open graded asphalt mix designed to release moisture pressure that will lie below the synthetic surface of the track when it is sealed. The moisture below the track is a condition of the marine clay soil of the area.
He said that this open grade asphalt mix caters for tiny holes in the surface that release the excess moisture
When you seal the base, there is all this moisture below; when there is hot sunshine, it happens that the air moisture expands – the water can expand by 18 times the volume, so since it is sealed there is a lot of pressure, and would cause bubble. Regupol has a system to use open graded asphalt. This open graded asphalt can release bubble pressure through the holes in the channel,” he said.
He said also that this base that has just started will be installed in the course of eight days, following which the contractors will move to apply dense asphalt before applying the synthetic track. Hammes said the dense asphalt is needed because the synthetic track is partly liquid material and the thick asphalt base provides protection that will ensure the synthetic material is not lost.
Meanwhile, Brian Tiwari said that working with Hammes has been a learning experience. “We have learnt a lot from Burt (Hammes) who I think has a lot of knowledge and expertise in this area, as you see he has a cycle that he rides around to do his testing and when he rides that cycle around and he finishes testing then he tells you, you can pave,” he explained.
“This is a first for us, but we have the equipment and some of the resources, but we are learning a lot … because we have never done this before and one of the things that we are happy about, Minister, is that you chose a local contractor the first time in the history of this country to do a track and field paving,” he said.
Regupol will lay the actual synthetic track itself. (GINA)
Hammes is the engineer that Regupol brought in from Germany to work with the local contractors to ensure specific conditions such as the stability of the track foundation surface and the right asphalt level for the base are met.
Minister Anthony commended the support the local contractor is receiving from the German company in moving the project forward. “We are very pleased that we are at this stage of the development of the track, and, as you can see, we are making steady progress.
“This phase is a very critical phase because of how well we do here, the track or the synthetic part of the track that will be laid would have more durability or level-ness.”
He expressed his satisfaction over the fact that expertise is being shared
Minister Anthony said that the situation provides the opportunity for the local contractors to gain knowledge from the international expert – who has worked with FIFA and the Olympics – that can guide them in future projects they undertake in Guyana.
“It is a learning experience for the contractors, who are working here with us, and under the guidance of international companies like Regupol they can learn, and when we do other projects, maybe in the future that they will have the standing and expertise to do some of these works.”
Overall, Minister Anthony also expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the entire project. “Generally, I am satisfied because from the last time when we visited, we had some issues with a particular contractor. We have been able to correct some of those problems.
“You recall one of our main concerns was the fence itself, and we were able to deal with that by sub-letting it.
The other concern we had was the contractor that was doing the internal road, the alternative access into the facility. I think they have since made remarkable progress. They are not fully there as yet, they still have more to do, but at least we are seeing that they are making strides in the right direction and that’s a good thing,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hammes explained the details and engineering behind getting the track area stable and the challenges posed in working in the Leonora area, which has marine soil. He explained how he and the local contractors have been working to achieve a ‘balanced settlement’ and support for the synthetic track base.
“The challenge here is that you are on marine clay, marine clay has movement, for road it may not affect that much, in regards of level, but on an athletic track it is absolutely important that there is absolutely no settlement,” he said.
Hammes’ assessment is that the local contractor has gotten the base of the track right. “I have checked this level and the base already done for some time, and the achievements are quite well and of course nobody knows what will happen in nature in the future, but I am very confident that we made the right choice … compaction achievement has been done here very well, based on our design. The contractors followed everything well,” he said.
According to Hammes, the track is being paved using an open graded asphalt mix designed to release moisture pressure that will lie below the synthetic surface of the track when it is sealed. The moisture below the track is a condition of the marine clay soil of the area.
He said that this open grade asphalt mix caters for tiny holes in the surface that release the excess moisture
When you seal the base, there is all this moisture below; when there is hot sunshine, it happens that the air moisture expands – the water can expand by 18 times the volume, so since it is sealed there is a lot of pressure, and would cause bubble. Regupol has a system to use open graded asphalt. This open graded asphalt can release bubble pressure through the holes in the channel,” he said.
He said also that this base that has just started will be installed in the course of eight days, following which the contractors will move to apply dense asphalt before applying the synthetic track. Hammes said the dense asphalt is needed because the synthetic track is partly liquid material and the thick asphalt base provides protection that will ensure the synthetic material is not lost.
Meanwhile, Brian Tiwari said that working with Hammes has been a learning experience. “We have learnt a lot from Burt (Hammes) who I think has a lot of knowledge and expertise in this area, as you see he has a cycle that he rides around to do his testing and when he rides that cycle around and he finishes testing then he tells you, you can pave,” he explained.
“This is a first for us, but we have the equipment and some of the resources, but we are learning a lot … because we have never done this before and one of the things that we are happy about, Minister, is that you chose a local contractor the first time in the history of this country to do a track and field paving,” he said.
Regupol will lay the actual synthetic track itself. (GINA)
