PWS helps Lafarge to get a keen edge on M1 barrier wall

The first FIBERweigh system from PWS has successfully batched around 2 tonnes of polyfibre in just two weeks. Lafarge Aggregates took delivery of the system in September, trials were conducted in November and, after a few minor ‘tweaks’ the first phase of barrier wall went ahead without a hitch. Specialist contractors PJ Davidson worked round the clock for twelve days to product over 3 miles of barrier wall for the central reservation on the Balfour Beatty/Skanska M1 widening scheme at Hemel Hempstead. For this application, the FIBERweigh unit was placed in a freight container, which was modified at PWS workshops and delivered to site ready to go. Connection and interfacing to the Lafarge batching computer was carried out in a day by PWS site engineers, including installation of the ducting system for fibre delivery to the plant. The two plant operators for Lafarge have welcomed the system, saying “With a combined fifty years experience of operating site plants, this is the first fibre system we have encountered that actually works! Without FIBERweigh we would have had to place almost two thousand bags manually into the mix. Distribution of the fibres into the batch is excellent and this is some of the best concrete of its type we have ever produced. Everyone is pleased with the system”. Graham Keddie, Sector Manager for Lafarge Hertfordshire, commented “We are grateful to PWS for helping us with this scheme. On a project this size it is incredible that fibres are still added by hand. FIBERweigh has automated the process, reducing labour costs and improving health and safety in terms of manual handling. We are also getting excellent dispersion of fibres and full traceability for quality control.”. A spokesman for PJ Davidson said “We are proud to be producing some of the best barrier wall in the country, a major factor is the fantastic quality of the concrete supplied to us by Lafarge”. The M1 barrier wall contract still has several months to run, with some 15 tonnes of fibre still to batch. If you would like to visit the site to see FIBERweigh in action, please contact Phoenix Weighing Services to arrange a demonstration.

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