The work site of the future Samsung Microchip Plant expansion in Round Rock, appears considerably like a giant anthill, with men and machines intent on their departmental duties. In constant motion with their paths crisscrossing, they avoid each other with precision skill.

Speed is definitely a factor here. Samsung's Board of Directors formally approved the project on April 13, 2006, and within 10 days of approval, the dirt literally began to fly.

"It is an extremely accelerated schedule," said Matt Murphy, project manager for Rodman Excavation. Rodman attacked the project with three 627 scrapers and eight off-road haul trucks. Within one week, their crew had prepared about half of the 300,000-square-foot pad, so that other contractors could begin their work.

That set the stage for ATS Drilling to begin drilling and pouring the 2,500 piers required for the foundation. Although the rocky terrain of Texas' Hill Country provides a solid foundation, Page Southerland Page engineered the building with stability that goes a step beyond.

"The primary piers, with diameters of 48 inches and 54 inches, range from 25 to 77 feet deep," said Brent Lawler, ATS Drilling operations manager. "We penetrate the tan chalk layer at about 5 feet and at 30 feet go into the gray chalk. The 30-inch diameter secondary piers average about 25 feet deep."

ATS began drilling on May 1, and was required to have the 2,500 piers completed by June 16. "In order to keep on schedule, we must complete a minimum of 60 piers per day," Lawler continued. "That's a pretty tough schedule." Even so, they average 75 piers a day.

ATS moved onto the job site with five Soilmec drilling rigs (two 516 models and three 312 models), two Terex cranes (one 65-ton and one 60-ton), one 28-ton P&H crane, several loaders and skid steers, and a crew of 30. Subcontractor Central Texas Reinforcing brought in an additional crew of 30 to tie the rebar-reinforcing cages for the piers.

This quantity of workers and equipment working full tilt in an area this size could spell disaster without a strict safety program in effect. The crews are instilled with the importance of PPE — wearing their personal protective equipment. John Davis, ATS Drilling safety manager, conducts daily safety meetings for their entire crew before work commences each morning. He makes sure that at least one loader is dedicated to maintaining the haul roads and clearing the work area of debris and spoils as soon as they are deposited. The drilling crew is also charged with placing cages and fall protection around the piers as soon as each is drilled, even though concrete will arrive within minutes to fill the void.

The total value of the plant along Parmer Lane is expected to exceed $3.5 billion; however, actual building construction has been estimated at $220 million. The high-tech manufacturing equipment to be installed within accounts for the difference. This expansion, a three-story structure on a 300,000-square-foot pad, will almost triple Samsung's Central Texas space over their existing plant, which was built in 1998 and expanded in 2004.

Although computer chips are tiny mechanisms, their manufacturing environment requires a structure of great stability and cleanliness. During the construction of the foundation, Walker Engineering installed a copper wire grounding grid beneath the building's footprint in efforts to reduce static electricity.

Serving as its own construction manger, Samsung Texas Construction Inc. (STCI) will contract each of the specialized firms for construction and supply. The first of these contractors was selected on May 10, 2006, for the structural and architectural work for the fab and fab support structures.

The general contractor awarded the project was Hensel Phelps Construction, Inc. Within one week from notice to proceed, Hensel Phelps placed the first concrete for the structure and immediately began erecting six tower cranes to hoist materials that will be used in building this cast-in-place structure.

The challenge set forth is to have 900,000 square feet of cast-in-place structure, including the steel truss roof, complete by the end of the year. In addition to the fab proper, there will be two supporting structures on the east and west side of the fab, each totaling approximately 160,000 square feet. All three structures combined will require approximate 100,000 cubic yards of concrete, 10 tons of steel reinforcement and 5,000 tons of structural steel for the roof trusses.