Other Arches - Chicago, USA

The saga of the Littlest Roof

Shown above is the littlest roof section being lifted into place a week ago.

The little roof section is located just to the left of the crane. While put in place in this picture, it did not fit well, and was later tried on the similar location to the right of the crane. It did not fit well there either. It is a tiny bit too wide.

Closer view of the littlest roof section.

The littlest roof sections replaced onto the road. The choices: to make new roof sections ... but the forms have been taken apart. Or to make them smaller: the rebars were removed and the cement sides were cut slightly smaller. But it still did not fit.

The final decision: each of these little roof sections will be cut into four, and inserted carefully from the outside, positioned perfectly, and then glued together with grout, and cemented into place.

Proud work crews

After the highest roof is put in place on June 23rd on the centre peak of the Arch, workers pause for celebratory photographs.

Awesome job

 The crane operator lifting the topmost roof sections onto the arch, pauses to take his own pictures of the ottawa chinatown royal arch.

Earth Trembles in Awe of New Royal Arch

June 23, 2010

Just after one o'clock in the afternoon, as the top-most roof of the royal arch is being installed, the earth trembled in awe of the majesty and beauty of the royal arch being installed on Somerset Street.

Artisans install temporary word shoring that holds the roof sections steady until rebars are linked together and additional cement can be poured in place to lock all the pieces together.

The true height of the arch complex is now apparent to all. It is about 16' to the bottom of the arch, and 33' to the top of the arch. It weighs 130 tons.

This is a view into the foundation hole, taken some weeks ago. It shows the four corner locations where holes and anchors were drilled 28' deep into the bedrock to anchor the structure against earthquakes. Evidently, they work well.

First roof sections installed on the arch

June 18, 2010

A crane positions a roof section atop the beam.

Worker uses a saw to cut off some rebar hanging down from the roof.

North roof section in place, south one being positioned.

Under the scaffolding, bottom of the arch

This is a sidewalk view of the underside of the scaffolding holding up the arch during construction. Note the two short wooden sections in the centre, between the reddish colour long steel beams.

These decorative finials were precast on the Cambridge site, with rebars sticking out of their flat end. These rebars were then inserted up into the future concrete column in the centre of the arch, wired into place, and then the column was filled with cement from the top.

The decorative finials are shown in gold in this photoshop rendering of the arch. Double click to enlarge.

Tomorrow, the lowest six roof sections will be placed on the beam, and their rebars tied into the last bits of beam forms that haven't yet been filled with concrete. The result will be a beam and precast roof sections all locked together with rebar and poured concrete.

Top sections of the beam of the arch

The beam that forms the backbone of the arch over Somerset Street is built up in several layers, corresponding to the eventual roof heights (there will be nine roofs, spread over three different elevations).

Workers construct rebars to reinforce the top most concrete beam. This section will get its concrete likely this Friday. Several of the lower roof sections will have been lifted into place by then, and the last beam pours will lock all the pieces together into a solid concrete element.

Rebar lifted into place by the crane.

Worker with grinder or saw cuts some rebar so it fits perfectly.

Moving the roof sections from Cambridge

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

In the lot behind the Yangtze, a crane lifts up the roof sections by a chain attached to the rebar hooks built into the roof sections

Roof sections are put on the crane bed and on a trailer, ready to move to Somerset Street arch site

The crane backs out of the precast concrete site onto Cambridge Street.

Crane truck drives under the arch to the unloading site, on the Bronson side of the arch

The crane boom is extended, and chains attached to the roof sections.

Roof section lifted up.

Roof section descends over its temporary wooden cradle built on Somerset Street.

Work crews scramble to position it carefully on the cradle so it cannot tip over.

Workers ensure the cradle is doing its job and will hold the roof section securely until it is put up onto the arch, possibly as soon as this Thursday.

Roof sections completed

A few posts ago there were close up pictures of the wooden forms for making the faux boards that appear to hold up each roof segment. The cement has been poured, and the forms removed, leaving the completed roof sections.

The entire cement casting site on Cambridge behind the Yangtze has now been tidied up, with many wooden forms and boards put into a dumpster.

It very much looks like the cement casting section of the project is rapidly nearing completion. Emphasis has shifted to the overhead beam of the arch out on Somerset. The main beam is in place, but still obscured from view by the wooden forms. The beams that hold up the upper sections of roof are now being poured.

Other Arches - Havana, Cuba

Geo-caching IN the Arch

The Ottawa Chinatown Royal Arch will have nine roofs, symbolizing eternal life. Under the roof tiles of the highest arch, cemented into the structure, some treasures will be secreted.

Shown above are the monetary treasures. The coin at the centre top is a current coin with the symbols of the zodiac around the perimeter. (Double click on the picture to enlarge it).

The coin at the top right is a coin made of real gold. While its face value is 10 yuan ($1.50 Cdn) it doesn't circulate as its gold value is much higher than its face value.

Each of the coins is made of a different metal. In addition to the gold coin, there are iron, copper, and tin coins. The two bottom right coins are from Ching Dynasty, about 200 years old.

The coin at the bottom left is from the Tang Dynasty,  and is about 1000 years old.

The picture below shows the coins with the small skeins of wool that will be burried into the cement with the coins. They represent each colour.

Until the ceremonial installation of the coins in the cement, they reside in a Ottawa safety-deposit box.

Other Arches - Sidney, Australia

Forms for the beam

Wooden forms being built on site behind the Yangtze Restaurant.

Symbolic nine roofs

The Ottawa Chinatown arch will have nine roof sections. Nine represents eternal life, a suitable wish for the Emperor, so his Royal Arch has nine roofs. This will be the only nine-roofed arch in North America.

A section of straight roof is to the right. A curved section is being built to the left. Small forms made of wood and wedges is being built into which concrete will be poured.

A section of right roof being formed. From such little wedges of wood, from scraps and off-cuts from the construction site, are the forms made. Once the concrete sets, the forms are knocked out leaving the appearance of wooden beams holding up the roof.

Forms being put in place for the cement roof end.

Supporting structure

The forms for the columns are made of curved steel sections bolted together. Here, the far sides of the columns are in place but the near sides are still open while the steel workers install the rebars. Later, the columns will be completed by bolting on the remaining steel forms, and then filled with cement. When cured, the forms will be removed, revealling the finished concrete column.

Scaffolding has been erected around both columns, and temporary steel beams cross the street. A working platform is being built on top of the steel beams.

Close up of the working platform being constructed across Somerset Street.