HAND-E-FORM
EFCO Onsite at
Panama Canal
the
Colon, Panama
The Panama Canal, one of the most well known construction projects on the planet,
revolutionized maritime transportation since its genesis. For the first time, the
Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans were connected to provide a significant timesaving
shortcut that allowed freight barges to avoid the turbulent water around Cape Horn.
Over time, it has become necessary to add to the capacity of the two sets of locks
with a third set of locks, longer, wider, and deeper. Expanding the canal will enable
the clear passage of Post-Panamax ships, the largest cargo ships in the world, whose
dimensions prevent passage through the canal. The expansion project includes the
construction of two sets of locks, one each on the Atlantic and Pacific shores. Both
locks will be comprised of three levels that include water reutilization basins.
The Committee, Grupo Unidos por El Canal, is a joint venture that includes: Sacyr
Vallehermoso of Spain, Impregilo from Italy, Jan de Nul from Belgium, and
Constructora Urbana from Panama. This very experienced group is considered
to be experts in both design and construction and have been awarded the contract to
design and build the third set of locks.
In this first phase of construction, the contractor has already planned the construction
for the support facilities necessary to build the third set of locks, which requires an
enormous five million cubic feet (≈ 142,000 m3) of concrete. These support facilities
include concrete production plants, cooling and drying plants, power generation
equipment as well as bulldozers, backhoes and other earth moving machines. The site
where EFCO forms are being used includes the construction of three tunnels where
conveyer systems will be installed helping move the concrete components.
Rafael Sarmiento........................... Project Manager
Raul Vergara...................Project Assistant Engineer
Antonio Hurtado.............. EFCO Territory Manager
Miguel Domiguez.................EFCO Field Supervisor
Fernando Sicilia............................... EFCO Engineer
A configuration of the SUPER STUD, Giant Steel "Erector Set" concept is this form traveler. The open
center of the traveler allows access in the front and rear. The overhead trolley permits the forms to open
up for cleaning and oiling.
In search of a productive solution to lighten the work of these support facilities on the
Atlantic side, EFCO offered a solution to the GUPC Committee. This solution involved
a traveler system made of SUPER STUD® and HAND-E-FORM® panels, which would
form the walls of the tunnels. Each tunnel has a height of 2.90 m (≈ 9'-6") and a
thickness of 30 cm (≈ 12"). The length of the tunnel was approximately 196.4 m
(≈ 644'-4").
The contractor decided to build two tunnels at the same time, starting with the sand
and aggregate tunnels and then continuing with the coarse material tunnel. The EFCO
engineering solution allowed the contractor to perform a pour daily, without the need of
a crane. The SUPER STUD traveler with its four form faces could be moved manually.
To be a part of the Panama Canal expansion is not just a job, it is being part of history.
An opportunity to take part in one of the largest infrastructure projects constructed
by man, and an extremely important element in maritime commerce.
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