FAIR project: Contract awarding for shell constructions on the southern construction site
28.04.2020 |
Another important stage in the FAIR mega project is starting. While the shell construction in the construction area north is progressing continuously, a first major package has now been awarded for the southern construction site. This marks the next decisive steps in the realization of the future accelerator center FAIR, currently being built at GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt.
This major contract in a three-digit million euro range was awarded to the consortium of the companies Züblin and Strabag in Germany. The construction work include the shell constructions for six buildings and a unique experimental facility – the Superconducting Fragment Separator (Super FRS).
Following the construction work already underway in the northern area for the future experiment CBM, one of the four central pillars of the FAIR research program, the construction of a further decisive research area with outstanding discovery potential for science is being started now. The Super FRS will focus on research topics concerning the nuclear structure and interactions of extremely rare, exotic particles. These new isotopes will be produced with highest intensities, separated at the Super FRS and will be made available for world unique experiments to study cosmic matter in the laboratory.
In order to realize this outstanding research infrastructure, the award package also includes the shell construction for further experimental and supply buildings as well as for transfer lines for the beams. The Technical Managing Director of GSI and FAIR, Jörg Blaurock, emphasized: “With the current contract, we are implementing a further building block of our award strategy, which is customized for the mega-project FAIR, in accordance with our planning. Now the second large construction area in the south of the FAIR site and further parts of the high-tech production are moving into focus on our way to the realization of FAIR. We will also continue with our already established integrated overall planning in close cooperation with our partners in planning and execution."
Simultaneously and closely coordinated with the progress on the construction site, the development and production of the corresponding high-tech components continues, items which are required in particular for the Super FRS. For example, these include special high-performance power converters and superconducting magnet units that later will be used in the Super FRS for beam correction to achieve a high-precision particle beam.
The FAIR project is one of the world’s biggest construction projects for international cutting-edge research. In total, the highly complex FAIR accelerator facility will comprise more than 20 structures on a site of approximately 150,000 square meters. Around two million cubic meters of soil will be moved and 600,000 cubic meters of concrete and 65,000 tons of reinforcing steel will be used for the construction project. Scientists from all over the world will use FAIR to gain new insights into the structure of matter and the evolution of the universe with outstanding experiments. (BP)
