We’ll have to bear with the thuds for a bit longer

You’ve probably noticed: they’re back to driving piles at the EUR campus. Again? Yep, the builders have returned to work on the second section of the car park next to the Hatta Building. In the spring, everyone on campus was also treated to the loud pounding of pile drivers, but as it turns out, this didn’t do the job.

Building was suspended in March when one of the weekly readings showed that groundwater was substantially higher than previously calculated. This will result in higher pressure levels on the floor and walls of the newly-constructed car park. On their own, the 480 piles that were driven into the ground earlier this year won’t be able to handle the pressure, says Koos van Kalsbeek of Campus under Construction. That’s why workers are back to driving piles at the site – an additional 200, to be precise.

Six-month delay

The original plan was to take the second part of the car park into use next summer. But as construction has been halted since March, the project is now facing a six-month delay. At present, Van Kalsbeek is unable to say anything about the costs of this extra work, since the University is still conferring with the contractor on the matter.

It is expected things will quiet down again in October – the piling will be over in three weeks or so. TF