The test tower is part of Thyssenkrupp Elevator’s new North American headquarters at The Battery Atlanta.
Slip-form construction was used to create the core of the tower at a rate of more than 2.1m per day.
The Innovation and Qualification Center (IQC) and adjacent Corporate Headquarters (CHQ) are on schedule for completion in 2021 with final move-in by early 2022.
“The completion of the IQC slip-form process is an important moment in our company’s history as it not only symbolises a brighter future for our organization and the local community, but will be a beacon of engineering excellence that will help transform an industry in need of modern innovations,” said Thyssenkrupp Elevator CEO Peter Walker.
Slipform had also been used for Thyssenkrupp’s 244m-tall elevator test tower in Rottweil, Germany, though is relatively rare in the USA.
Construction of thyssenkrupp Elevator’s new test tower, including the slipform construction, is being handled by its general contractor, Brasfield & Gorrie. Subcontractor Gleitbau – Salzburg provided the design, engineering and oversight over the slipform construction process.
“Self-performing concrete work is one of Brasfield & Gorrie’s areas of expertise, and it gives us superior control over the cost, quality, and schedule of a project,” said Brasfield & Gorrie vice president and division manager Ben Norton. “We constantly seek opportunities to innovate so we can better serve our clients, and the slip-form process has allowed us to maximize efficiency while building this quality concrete structure.”
The test tower, which has 18 shafts, will be used to trial new concepts and product pilots, including high-speed elevators and Twin, the company’s system that features two cabins working independently in one shaft. The IQC will also test Multi, Thyssenkrupp’s rope-less and sideways-moving elevator system. In addition, the test tower will also conduct tests to ensure compliance with safety requirements for standard elevators.
To showcase the elevators at the test tower, the IQC will feature a glass exterior façade, allowing visitors y to view operations that are normally hidden behind concrete walls. In addition to the elevator test tower, the IQC will also feature event and meeting spaces located at the top of the building as well as a digital showroom, software lab, engineering offices and training facilities.
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