PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART

Contracting Agent:
JPC Group

Project Location:
Philadelphia, PA

Project Highlights:
Atlantic Concrete Cutting was contracted to saw cut a 10' x 10' area of concrete slab located in the basement of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The concrete was being removed as a first step to creating a test pit in order to determine the feasibility of tunneling under the museum to create additional floors. Before cutting started, the floor was scanned using ground penetrating radar by our sister company, Atlantic Subsurface Imaging, to check for any utilities that might have been embedded in the slab. Dust and vibration were a major concern on this job since irreplaceable works of art were stored nearby. Dust was controlled in the usual manor by sawing wet as well as by the use of a negative pressure filtration system which pulled any residual dust out of the room and prevented it from escaping into the museum. Other dust controls included tacky mat on each side of the exit to the work areas. Vibration monitoring equipment was used to keep tabs on the vibrations caused by the sawing operation. If the vibrations had been large enough, sawing operations would have been suspended indefinitely. Fortunately, Atlantic's electric slab saw did not come anywhere near the limit and the sawing operation was a success.