Every once in a while we get a special request at Ghent Aggregates #MasterInStone. For example, in the spring of 2021, Antwerpse Bouwwerken of the Group Eiffage came to us with a technical challenge.

During the renovation of the Administrative Center of the City of Ghent, the building was largely demolished and renovated. Underneath the building is the well-known Gent-Zuid underground car park. The danger lay in the fact that if the above-ground parts were demolished, the downward pressure on the underground parking would disappear. The result would be a lifting of the underground layers by groundwater, among other things, with disastrous consequences for the entire complex.

The question that Ghent Aggregates received was simple: “Can you help us with the supply and ballasting of the underground parking garage?“. To top it all off, we were immediately asked if we could remove the gravel, ballast, reprocess it or take it back.

Ghent Aggregates made more than 300 1500kg bigbags in 5 days with Upper Rhine 16/32 roof gravel and Upper Rhine 8/16 river gravel. This rolling gravel is easy to manipulate and processes quickly. These big bags were delivered to the site in rotations of 5 loads per day, then stored underground at -1 and -2. Then Ghent Aggregates, in collaboration with a subcontractor, blew another 150 tons of river gravel between the salt marshes and scaffolds.

Six months after this, we reversed the whole process: all the bigbags had to be taken back out of the underground and the loose blown gravel sucked back up. After thorough quality check, the material was found to be in fine condition, untouched and not contaminated. The gravel was taken back minus any losses to be reprocessed as a primary raw material. The big bags were taken back to our depot in Ghent for further processing in projects for roofing gravel or drainage gravel.

Ghent Aggregates arranged the complete logistics, from supply to disposal, as well as blowing underground and vacuuming the material! Completely according to initially calculated budget. Thanks to all subcontractors and transporters.

Job well done! A unique project, thanks for the confidence of Eiffage Antwerp Construction Works and the project managers!