Move Details

What does it take to move 3,000,000 pounds?

• This museum and library weighs 1500 tons (3 million pounds) and is constructed of a wood frame with brick veneer. In comparison a fully loaded semi-trailer weighs 40 tons. The weight of the museum and library is equivalent to 37 fully loaded semi trailers.
• This will be the largest museum ever moved for hazard mitigation, the process of making buildings less vulnerable to flooding disasters.

• Patterson first measures everything, determines where the pressure points are, where the weight loads are, then calculates to the pound how it needs to be structurally stabilized.
• Biggest challenge in the NCSML project is the four or five offsets or step outs that are outside the building. It takes 12 hours just to calculate dolly placement.
• Most might think high-tech algorithms on computers calculate what is needed to move a building; however, Patterson uses rulers, pencils, a calculator and notebook to make these calculations.

• The final position after relocation will be elevated three feet above the 2008 flood level. Therefore, to prepare for the move, 30,000 cubic yards of fill dirt has been brought in to the site.
• Rinderknecht Construction has spent months preparing the ground and pouring the foundation. The foundation is not built into the ground, but is above ground to accommodate the parking garage that will be beneath the museum and library.
• If it rains they will have to also use 1/8” steel and Kevlar mats under the wheels to make a more stable platform for moving.

1. Steel beams were hauled to the site and welded.
2. Removing the lower course of brick façade to the first layer of stone.
3. Holes are cut through veneer to slide cross beams. Once the steel beams are in place, and the 2 X 12s (LVLs/laminated wood beams) are in place, they are then screwed into the studs inside. The studs in a building are actually the load bearing points. Unique equipment for this job: They have double acting jacks built within the main beams. The structure is elevated with a machine known as a unified jacking machine. The multiple channel machine features a very strong main hydraulic ram which feeds individual lines going to the jacks. Patterson will be using a 24 jack machine.
4. The building is jacked up six feet. The pounds of pressure to lift the NCSML building are 1500-2000 psi for interior crib. Exterior or the ends are the heaviest points requiring 4,000 to 5,200 psi. The Jacks are each lifting an estimated 50 tons of weight.
5. When everything is braced and secured, the crew of 9 to 14 sets pressure to individual points to raise the building off the ground. Patterson’s crew then repeats the process of elevating until they are high enough to roll in the collector beams and dollies under the building.
6. At that point, it’s just a matter of flipping a lever (joy stick) to move forward. The moving dollies have motors built inside and are jointed in the middle so they can turn. The building moves one-quarter mile per hour.

1. The crew will bring the structure next to the foundation on the long end. Once the building gets to the prepared foundation, it is then elevated by the side of the foundation and the dollies will raise it to 12 feet high.
2. Every six feet, Patterson and his crew will place 2″ X 12″ lateral and vertical bracing to tie the crib together so there’s a platform to walk. A scaffold is built at this time too.
3. The building is jacked up so it’s above the parking garage and then the crew sets the roll beams and rollers down.

1. The building is pushed sideways with hydraulic jacks. Patterson’s crew will set the building to within 1/8 inch of center on the foundation.

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