Maverick question - early construction thoughts unanswered

djDaemon said:
Wishful thinking must be a powerful drug. Do you have any for sale?

;)

If it will expand offseason then the footers will be poured in the next month or so, before the temperature gets too cold for concrete.

Who cares if its the highest/fastest as long as the coaster is lots of fun. *** Edited 8/30/2006 9:21:45 PM UTC by SFGA=toilet***

You can pour concrete whenever the F you want to. Try again.

Umm halltd, no you can't. In the winter during freezing conditions, the soil tends to expand and contract, due to there being water in the soil. The only way to fix it is to get rid of soil and replace it with rock or gravel, which just makes everything that much more difficult. A coaster would require a very stable footer, thus making winter pourings very impractical. Also digging a hole in frozen ground is about as easy as digging a hole in concrete, while it can be done, it is extremely tedious work.

My thoughts on this coaster now are very mixed. The "end" as far as most people agree is surrounded by supports. Also, the "launch" seems to be on it's way to connecting to the first piece thus making a complete circuit, but that can't happen. There are supports and footers all over the place, which makes it seem like this coaster will either have a mid course launch, or there are actually two coasters being built here, one on top of the other.

You basically proved my point for me coasternut. Thanks! :)

I work in construction and know (because I've done it) that you can dig foundations and pour footings in the dead of Ohio winter.

Is it ideal, no. Is it possible and does construction continue in Northeast Ohio throughout the winter? Yip!

Yes its possible to pour in the winter, but it takes days to set and is not as strong as concrete poured in the summer. It would not be a good idea to make weak footers on a multi multi million doller roller coaster

So, how long will I have to let this concrete set before I can beat my head against it?

Believe it or not, Concrete goes under a chemical reaction while curing, thus creating its own heat. It is possible that it takes longer to cure when its cold but it is by no means weaker. The majority of coasters that I have followed being built around in the past 16 years all have had a good majority, if not all, of theyre footers poured in the winter.

That's why you cover concrete with visquine and straw after you pour in the winter. It keeps the self-created heat like sunfire mentioned around the concrete to keep it warm.

ah visquine...it reminds me of my summer spent working in the concrete industry...tough work, but well worth the extra money...

i remember a time that i had to use diesel fuel to scrub off oil that had been spilled down the front of a recently poured building entrance...that was a fun day

I know that it takes longer for concrete to cure, every year my retarded town pours sidewalk concrete in November when its 45 degrees out. While the concrete takes one day+ to set, local kids draw in it.

I remember hearing about concrete becoming weaker on the Discovery Channel in a show about building a scyscraper in Saudi Arabia. The engineers had to heat the concrete at night so that it wouldn't lose strength at temperatures around 40-45 degrees and below.

That's exactly what is done in road construction, SFGA. The concrete slab is covered with a blanket, and a propane heater(s) is placed underneath to make sure the concrete doesn't cool off too quickly, which would result in a weaker product. So, yes, concrete can be poured in the winter quite easily - especially in the case of footers.

This, however, doesn't mean there will be any concrete poured at the site this winter. If I (or any other quasi-intelligent person) were running the job, all the concrete work would be done before Thanksgiving.

SFGA=toilet said:
I know that it takes longer for concrete to cure, every year my retarded town pours sidewalk concrete in November when its 45 degrees out. While the concrete takes one day+ to set, local kids draw in it.

What's wrong with kids drawing in wet cement? It's a time-honored tradition that kids write a name, or put a handprint in wet cement. :)

-Tambo

I am also one of those who wishfully think that there are more footers to be poured. I thought from the beginning that this ride would venture over next to the MF hill in a series of bunny hops and zero g rolls then come back weaving in and out of the track it took to get there. I got all happy when they posted the "Red track near MF" thread, they we all realized it was just Mantis....

I say incline loop over the swan pond.