SPANTECH’S LARGEST FREE-SPAN CURVED ROOF

Spantech designed and installed a wide-span roof at the Mount Maunganui Bulk Grain Store. The facility is one of three bulk grain storage facilities that Spantech has constructed in New Zealand for this client.

The Mount Maunganui facility includes over 9,000 sq/m of distinctive Spantech roofing.

Originally owned by ABB Grain, the building is now owned and operated by Viterra.

WIDE-SPAN RECORD

Wide-span roofs normally require large trusses and a lot of structural steel support.

The Mount Maunganui facility comprises two 41.6 metres wide self-supporting arched roofs constructed with the Spantech Pinkenba 370 profile. This means there are no structural steel trusses or beams in the roof, a feature that ensures fast construction and lower costs.

At 41.6m wide, these are not only the widest free-spanning curved roofs at the port, but they are also the largest self-supporting roofs that Spantech has erected to date.

The roofs are supported on 6.5m high pre-cast concrete side walls and a common centre wall. The centre wall also segregates the facility into two large bays for efficient stock control.

All walls are designed to support the roof and carry the load of bulk grains stacked to the full height of the wall.

The roof apex height is 15 metres, high enough to accommodate a semi-trailer tipper.

Other features

The Spantech Pinkenba panels are also use on the large end walls. Both roof and end walls are manufactured from double-sided pre-painted ColorGuard steel for added performance and an extended warranty.

The roof also features a completely sealed internal finish, skylights, actuated controlled roof vents and end wall louvres. The roof supports a roof access system, internal lighting and fire alarm system.

Client
Viterra (formerly ABB Grain and Glencore)

Location
Mt Maunganui, New Zealand

Products
Pinkenba 370

Scope
2009 Engineering design, manufacture and install roof
2019 Fire damage report
2021 Replace damaged roof
2022 Ongoing maintenance

RECONSTRUCTED AFTER A MAJOR FIRE

On May 12, 2019, a mechanical fault in palm kernel processing equipment caused a major fire.

Firefighters from Fire and Emergency NZ arrived shortly after getting the call at 9.01 a.m. It took thirteen fire appliances several hours to contain it and bring it under control. No one was injured.

The Spantech roof was charred and blackened, but did not suffer any major structural damage despite the extreme temperatures within the facility.

Spantech worked collaboratively with (then) Glencore, their site team, and Glencore’s insurers to carefully plan the repair program.

Then Spantech undertook a detailed engineering analysis of the structure, supervised the demolition of the roofs and replaced the Spantech roofs and metal end walls.