ACR™ Constructability: Increasing Confidence in Project Objectives

The ACR-700 has been designed with safety, cost and schedule as major drivers. Early in the concept stage it was demonstrated that short construction schedules can be achieved by paralleling activities, using such techniques as extensive modularization, combined with open top construction of the reactor building, as well as using the latest construction techniques available such as climbing formwork, prefabricated rebar, automatic welding, etc. This paper looks at the continued evolution of detailed construction sequences as a planning tool tied to the Primavera schedule. It also looks at examples where cost and schedule become important factors in making engineering decisions associated with the construction method and sequence. Experience on the modularization benefits achieved from the recently completed Qinshan CANDU project is presented. Finally it draws conclusions on the confidence in achieving construction schedules for both the first and nth units of a series.