Construction of the Great Wolf Lodge Arizona, the first indoor water park in the state, utilized tilt-up construction to build the water slide tower, unlike many of the other Great Wolf Lodges across the nation.
Tilt-up construction creates a faster and safer process for workers and has enabled the project to move forward efficiently from concept to operation. Recently, the first slide tower frame panels were lifted into place as the project continues on schedule toward an August 2019 completion date.
Mortenson is working with Suntec Concrete, Gensler, and the erection engineer to utilize this innovative construction method – in lieu of cast-in place construction – as it has been done on previous Great Wolf Lodge projects. Great Wolf Lodge Arizona will be located at 7333 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale.
“The use of tilt-up construction yields a number of benefits to the project and owner, including time and cost savings, increased quality, and most importantly the reduced risk of injury,” said Brad Hughes, Mortenson’s project manager on the Great Wolf Lodge Arizona project.
By using the tilt up panel construction method, the project team was able to sequence the schedule in a manner that allowed work in multiple areas on site by multiple crews, which has maximized efficiency and site usage.
“Tilting these frames has eliminated hundreds of man hours working at heights and allowed us to move the work to the ground where it’s much safer, efficient and easier to control quality,” Hughes said. “We are always looking for a better way to do something, so when we started talking about this method, we knew we had to do it.”
Tilt-up construction is a process by which a concrete panel is formed, reinforced, and cast horizontally on the ground. Once cured, the panels are lifted with a crane and set on a foundation, creating the shell of a building or structure, piece by piece.
Tilt-up construction is a proven method for large, non-residential facilities such as office buildings, retail centers, and warehouses. It remains a strong choice for safer delivery, large structures, flexible designs, and aggressive schedules. It’s application in the construction of the Great Wolf Lodge Arizona is ideal.
Weighing in at a more than 365,000 pounds and measuring more than 78 feet high and nearly 63 feet wide, the tilt-up panel frame will serve as the backbone to the water slide tower.
For more information on the lift and details into the partnership between Mortenson and Suntec, please visit this link.
