Location: New Braunfels, Texas

Description: This project was an expansion of CEMEX’s existing Balcones Cement Plant located several miles south of New Braunfels, TX. The project consisted of more than 57,000 liner feet of drilled shaft up to 60” in diameter and 95 feet in depth. More than 25,000 cubic yards of drilled shaft concrete was placed in the 930 plus shafts on the project. The “fast track” “design as you go” nature of the project required detailed coordination between engineers, the owner, contractors onsite, and suppliers to ensure that the overall project remained on schedule. Design changes, scope modifications, changing site conditions, jobsite congestion, and overhead obstructions were all obstacles that are inherent with any fast paced project of this scale. The drilled shaft portion of the project was completed on schedule in under 9 months. The Balcones Fault geologic formation underneath the site provided for a wide array of subsurface conditions. Casings up to 40’ in length, bentonite slurry, and underwater concrete placement methods and equipment were all utilized to install the shafts in a timely fashion. “Low overhead” drilling and concrete pumping equipment was also used to install shafts inside existing materials storage buildings to help reduce the cost of the plant expansion.

General Contractor/Project Manager: Zachry Construction Corporation Andy Power, Project Manager

Civil Site Contractor: CCC Group, Inc. Paul Brunsvold, Project Manager

Engineering and Inspection: Consultec International, Inc. AMEC

Owner: CEMEX Cement of Texas, L.P. Jon Glynn, Project Manager Greg Hein, Project Engineer