Bolted Down, Moving Up

While the concrete set, we created templates to help install the threaded rod into the footings. A laminated template ensured the holes drilled into the concrete for the threaded rods were in the correct location. The wooden template held the rods in place while the epoxy dried.

The team used the handy-dandy batter boards and plumb bob to find and mark the exact center of where the footing plates would be installed. They needed to ensure footings were spaced exactly 10 feet apart while also lining-up with the critical connection points of the walkway. Although the footing plate holes were oversized in comparison to the 5/8 inch threaded rods that attach the plates to the concrete, the rest of the screen assembly did not have as much tolerance. The tolerance at the footing plates allowed for minor adjustments as the screens were being connected and leveled to each other.

Before the holes were filled with epoxy, all of the threaded rods were marked (the depth they needed to be embedded) to ensure air bubbles in the epoxy weren’t holding the rods out of place. Nuts were threaded to support the wooden template that holds the rods in place while the epoxy dried. Once the epoxy hardened, the footing plates could be lifted into place and re-leveled in relation to other plates.