Bison provides technical help for new college project
Bison Manufacturing Ltd has underlined the versatility of the precast concrete products it manufactures by providing 5,500sq mts of Hollowcore flooring, roofing and staircase units for the new Budworth Technology College in Weymouth. Bison Manufacturing’s involvement in the early stages of the project helped the final building accommodate a number of key design requirements and demonstrate the versatile nature of the precast concrete products.
The College features a steel-frame construction and is based around a central curved ‘street’ which runs between a pair of 2-storey classroom blocks. “The intention was to allow cherry-picker platforms to be used on this central street area for maintenance purposes,” explains Bison Manufacturing Sales Engineer Robert Early. “We worked very closely with the main contractor, Interserve, to ensure that the Hollowcore units supplied for the floor had sufficient depth and strength to allow the cherry-pickers to be used once the building was complete.”
Similarly, the Hollowcore units used for the flat roof construction also required special attention. A considerable number of large apertures were required to penetrate the roof units so that various building services could be accommodated. Again it was the close liaison between Interserve and Bison that helped bring this about without impairing the structural integrity of the completed roof.
“There are many factors of this nature that can cause problems with a building, either during the construction or even after completion,” adds Robert. “However this project shows that if the design team and the product manufacturer co-operate at a sufficiently early stage, virtually anything is possible with products that are as versatile as Bison Manufacturing’s precast Hollowcore units.”