Temporary Works
Consultancy for Trade Specialists and Main Contractors
Troubleshooting day to day technical problems
Value Engineering

Permanent Designs
Traditional Design and Design & Build Procurement
Innovative Design
Cost Effective & Practical Design Solutions

Mondial House
Upper Thames Street, London EC4

Contractors Design Services were appointed by John F Hunt to design and prepare all of the temporary works schemes necessary to complete the safe demolition of the existing building which was previously the International Telephone Exchange. We advised on demolition methodology, particularly the removal of the large cantilevered slab & beam sections at 2nd & 3rd floors; provided technical justification for the operation of heavy demolition plant off existing floor plates and designed & detailed the basement retaining wall temporary propping and the sheet piling earthworks support to the extended basement area on the west elevation. There are three levels of basement in close proximity to the River Thames which generate high prop forces.

To avoid complex end plates, which would involve the drilling and fixing of numerous shear fixings into heavily reinforced concrete, we opted to retain nibs or corbels of the existing beams and columns with their associated reinforcement to act as shear blocks. Where possible, we used cantilevered sheet piles installed by a silent, vibrationless, hydraulic push-in system carried out by a specialist sub-contractor, Berryrange Ltd.