North Retaining Walls - Before and After Pictures

First, the process of making those walls:

Arrival of the Concrete Pumper Truck

The pumping process

  The contractor had thought he needed a bigger pump truck.  It was not available, so this 39 meter truck came and it was  just able to stretch to all needed areas.   (It saved some money.) In the photo on the left, the man in the foreground is controlling the concrete being pumped, and the boom on the pump truck.  The man above in the background is doing the final positioning of the 'nozzle' down into the wall area.  The two other men at this point are looking on.  They are waiting to get in there with their vibrator to get air bubbles out. They are working on the East retaining wall on the North end of the house.
Below, the pump operator is to the right.  This is the West retaining wall on the North end of the house.












Now for the before and after pictures.

 

Forming Retaining Walls

The North Retaining Walls are taking shape. The pipe lying on the footer is an earth tube which will go thru the wall.  There is another earth tube under the footer.  These earth tubes will furnish air to the West Annex (upper and lower).

West Retaining wall on North end of house

East Retaining Wall on North end of house

 And the footers on the South end are started.  It is estimated that 6 hours more work to complete the walls and footers for the next pour (of all 4 - 2 footers and 2 walls).

North Footers IN

Thursday was the first pour day.  

North Wall - East side footer

North Wall - West side footer

North Wall - West side footer

 The South Wall footers are being formed and the North Walls are being formed with a possible pour date of Tuesday - Wednesday, though the weather may be a factor in that.

North Wall - East side footer with wall stubs

Supports for Back of North Wall - West side

Form of Back of North Wall - West side

 We had a misplacement of the South Wall footer on the East side due to a misunderstanding of where the actual wall of the house is.  The wooden structure on the South side is the parapet form which is temporary;  so some extra work needs to be done to the key (the lowest part of the footer that is directly under the wall) to 'relocate' it 4 inches.

South Wall - East side footer started

 

Retaining Walls for the House

 We have some more displaced dirt, and some more holes in the ground.  Materials are on site for future use. And contractors on site. The excavating crew is finished digging. Another talented Mexican crew is twisting wire and placing forms and rebar for the footers today. The weather is great and concrete is scheduled to be poured Thursday, TOMORROW at 8:30.

We have some more displaced dirt, and some more holes in the ground.  Materials are on site for future use. And contractors on site. The excavating crew Another Mexican crew is twisting wire and placing forms and rebar for the footers today. The weather is great and concrete is scheduled to be poured Thursday, TOMORROW at 8:30.