Slopes at Slickrock Dam Stabilized With Nycon-Fibered Shotcrete

April 22, 2002

Contact: Bob Cruso
New Nycon, Inc.
Phone: 401 596 3955
E-mail:bcruso@nycon.com

Westerly, RI

Over 2,000 cubic yards of concrete reinforced with more than 9,000 pounds of Nycon's ProConF fibers are being used for stabilization of the hillsides at the new Slickrock Dam at the Iron Mountain Mine, just west of Redding, California.

The 150-foot-high earthen dam is expected to dramatically reduce the flow of toxins from the Iron Mountain Mine into the Sacramento River. The $22 million project, which consists of a retention reservoir to collect the contaminated runoff from Slickrock Creek and run it through a treatment plant, is expected to be finished late next year.

Crews from the subcontractor, Stimpel-Wiebelhaus Associates (SWA), of Redding, are excavating the area and using concrete to close surface cracks to prevent leaks from the reservoir. The project is located in a very tight, very steep watershed with a very small footprint for equipment to operate, requiring SWA to bring in a portable concrete plant to facilitate work.

Nycon is providing the reinforcing fibers to SWA for the shotcrete stabilization of the exposed stone slopes surrounding the dam. The ProConF fiber dosage is five pounds per cubic yard of shotcrete. It is applied via the wet method, which uses a conventional concrete mix delivered to the shotcrete nozzle for application on the receiving face.

Nycon's ProConF fibers were selected for this portion of the slope stabilization work because of their ability to reduce permeability and micro-macro cracking of the shotcrete, as well as minimize rebound from the receiving face. Nycon's engineers are working with SWA to insure proper application of the shotcrete in light of the difficulties associated with the highly fractured surfaces of the slopes. The shotcrete shell is designed at a 3" thickness, but can be as much as 9" thick to achieve a smooth contour.

Applying Nycon-Reinforced Shotcrete at Slickrock Dam	Stabilized Slope

Headquartered in Westerly, Rhode Island, Nycon, Inc., is a global supplier of synthetic and steel reinforcing fibers for concrete and mortar applications.

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N.B. For more information on the Splitrock Dam and Iron Mountain Mine project go to http://www.redding.com/newsarchive/20010925toplo000.shtml

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