045 : Cocktails in Hawaii
Swipe.
“Perfect? There’s nothing to fix with a contract like this.”
Silver signed the contract with a surprised face.
Silver also ate quite a bit of junk food as a field supervisor at BR, so he knew right away how perfect my contract was.
“Everything will be wrapped up in your achievements. What do you think?”
“Good, very good.”
The corner of Silver’s mouth caught on his ear.
Because the contract would say that all the ideas for the half-price construction came from Silver.
If the half-price construction succeeds, Silver’s ransom price will jump dozens of times in one fell swoop.
I only wanted very simple compensation: the sale of surplus US military supplies and double the labor cost.
“Shouldn’t you tell me how to realize half-price construction now?”
“It is very simple. My construction method does not require a landfill or breakwater.”
“What? No need for landfills and breakwaters? Is it a port?”
Silver frowned.
It’s hard to imagine in the 1960s.
“Enough is possible. You just need to build a quay wall connected to the land in an L-shape like this.”
“Are you really trying to build a mooring buoy or a temporary port for floating?”
“What are you talking about, a buoy? This is a cement structure. Not only does it function as a breakwater, but it’s an upright berthing facility, so you can dock a large oil tanker.”
It is to arrange a huge cement structure with a lattice structure called a caisson in the form of a dock.
There are many variations, but it is collectively called the caisson method, and it is a method used as a standard for port construction in the 21st century.
Because it shares breakwaters, harbor quays, docking facilities, and even lighthouses.
Of course, it is cheap, durable, can be used on large ships, and the construction period is drastically reduced.
“Who do you know as an idiot? Building cement structures in the sea without landfills? Do you think Korea has concrete that hardens underwater? ok?”
In the 21st century, underwater concrete admixtures are common, but there is no intention to develop and use them.
“Why do you need underwater concrete? You can make a cement structure on a boat and float it in the sea.”
I sketched the concept map on paper.
Silver saw it and tilted his head.
At first, I thought, ‘Crazy man, is this possible?’ ‘, but gradually ‘I think it’s possible?’ changed into a look of
In the 21st century, caissons are made on land and moved to a special ship called a floating dock ship (FD ship), but here they had to be made on a barge and then pulled out to sea.
This is because there are no hydraulic jacks to move huge structures weighing thousands of tons, and there are no dedicated FD cables.
It was a method that GY Construction, a competitor of Daesei Construction in my previous life, used well, but it was funny that I used it.
“… Yes… Let’s say that we somehow make a concrete structure and float it on water. Still, how long do you think this thin, L-shaped structure will withstand rough waves? It will break in less than a month.”
“The unit concrete structure will be designed to protrude like the head of an oil tanker, and the overall L-shaped quay wall can be made concave. Then, as the waves break (Sofa, 消波), about 20% of the wave energy will penetrate the structure in the form of overturning waves, and the remaining 80% will naturally head out of the harbor in the form of reflected waves. These harbor structures are very safe.”
“How do you know that? Have you tried tapping the calculator?”
Of course you know. The wind direction, water depth, and ocean current here in Quy Nhon are weaker than those off the coast of Ulsan, and I participated in the construction of Ulsan New Port.
I still remember the design dimensions that were applied then.
“Send the design to BR headquarters and calculate it on a computer. The average depth is 21.8 meters, the wave period is 12.9 seconds, and the wave height is up to 8.7 meters in the SE direction (southeast). We measured the data ourselves.”
I wrote down the wind, water depth, and current conditions off the coast of Quy Nhon and handed it out to Silver.
If I had a numerical analysis program on a computer in the 21st century, I would be able to calculate it, but in the 1960s, I would have to calculate it in the mainland of the United States.
“You mean CS calculated it in his head?”
“According to my calculations, a concrete structure with a width of 38m and a total length of 3.5km is sufficient. If in doubt, contact the head office and calculate the incident waves in the S (South), SE (Southeast), and SSE (South-Southeast) directions.”
I was sure
Only 100 caissons 38m wide and 35m long were used when constructing Ulsan New Port, where conditions were harsher.
“But… this… is too dangerous.”
It was an expected reaction.
Rather, it meant that Silver wasn’t reckless, so it was a welcome response.
“Hey, Silver. How many years will you be stuck here in Vietnam? With this method, one year is enough to build a port. Partial opening is possible in 3 months! What would happen if we built a port that could accommodate 80,000-ton Panamax tankers in three months?”
“How is it? If you succeed, that’s a huge thing. The whole world will follow! It’s a great new technique.”
“No, not the public law, but you, you!”
“me? What about me?”
Silver was dumbfounded by my words.
“You’re going to be the best harbor engineer of this century. Skip the chief engineer and become a master. So, you can spend your money enjoying cocktails on the beach in Hawaii. That’s life!”
“Hawaii… throwing money… that’s life…”
Silver guy, I started imagining it in my head.
Once imagination begins, it cannot be stopped.
“Please lend me 2 cranes, 4 ready-mixed concrete, 1 pile driver, 2 dredgers and 2 barges each. I will prove it in a month.”
“… is that really possible?”
“If you don’t believe me, just watch for a month. Then when you’re sure, report back then. What do you think. Do you have that much authority?”
“……”
“Silver, why? can’t you believe If you’re going to give up, tear up the contract now. Then I will deal directly with the Corps of Engineers.”
“for a moment. When did I say I would give up?”
As I tried to snatch the contract, Silver caught my arm in surprise.
“Decide. Are you going to do it or not?”
“One month… just one month. There should be results in it.”
“What are you worried about? because it proves I wouldn’t even start if I wasn’t confident. Sign the equipment rental certificate as well.”
Silver hesitated for a moment before signing the equipment rental certificate. OK!!!!
“Use whatever construction equipment you like. Instead, it’s just one month. Absolutely no more than that!”
“Don’t worry, Silver.”
Equipment once in my hands is mine.
The first button fits very well.
***
buzz buzz.
After signing the contract with Silver and driving the truck to the yard, the employees were already gathered.
No one cared about the hot sun.
They brought in 70 dollars a week, at most 100 dollars a week, but no staff cared about burning their faces.
Plus, they’re all wearing polytech face masks and sleeves, so they don’t actually burn very well.
“Is everyone worth it?”
“Yes! president. It tastes good.”
“The rice and meat side dishes are good, and the water to wash is good, so it’s very good.”
“The most important thing is not to get shot! Everyone knows, right?”
“Hahahaha.”
Everyone laughed and responded to my words.
The atmosphere was good. Even my father, who had been shot once, added a laugh, so this atmosphere was possible.
“Now, let’s talk about this. Are you ready to make money?”
“Yeah!!”
“Did you know that the third shift will start today, and after the quota is met, the overtime pay is 1.5 times the hourly wage?”
“aaa!”
“What is the most important thing?”
“safety! safety! safety!”
“What we are going to build is a grid-like concrete structure called a caisson. Think of it as an empty apartment. After making it on a barge over there, I will make a port by floating it in the sea.”
“????”
All the staff had a puzzled look on their faces.
I have no idea what you mean.
“Hang this on the flagpole.”
“Yes, boss.”
I handed over the banner from the truck.
The Korean flag was hung in the yard in Area B.
It’s where the Korean army is stationed… that’s what it meant.
It felt good to hang a banner under the Taegeukgi.
charrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
A large banner unfolded in the sea breeze.
A few staff members fastened the banner strings firmly on their own, making them taut like windblown sails.
Also, our staff are veterans.
I did what I needed to do without having to do it.
“Wowaaa”
The staff cheered as soon as they saw the picture on the banner. Since the rough construction method and caisson structure were drawn on the banner, it seemed to be understandable at once.
Are these new techniques possible? I didn’t have any doubts about it.
When I said I was, they were just people who believed in me.
“Kason said something, and it really is an apartment with only empty rooms.”
“Isn’t it a multi-family house rather than an apartment? Are there 15 rooms? The protruding room over there must be the most expensive.”
“It’s just that Kankan builds a concrete wall by erecting a rebar frame. Nothing difficult.”
“Look, our team just needs to dredge.”
“Our team is a tool team.”
“Uh, our team makes slip-form formwork? Is it a moving mold?”
“Captain, our team is fixing barges. It must have been driven into the sea.”
Teams were busy analyzing banners.
“Okay, I’ve detailed what each team needs to do in this document. Each team leader can check the quality standards and take a break at the end of the day.”
I handed out the unit specifications that I had made in advance.
“Can you give me another job when Yari is finished?”
“Sure. We need to build at least a hundred of these caissons. Work is overflowing. Of course, you have to sleep. If you fall asleep and get hurt, you’re going to end your life thinking you won’t be rich. safety! safety! safety!”
“safety! safety! safety!”
At my words, the employees reflexively shouted safety.
“Everyone shouts. We will definitely return to our families! Earn a lot of money and go.”
“I’m going to make a lot of money and go.”
“safety! safety! safety!”
“safety! safety! safety!”
“Louder! i will be rich aaa!”
“I will be rich. aaa!”
When I shouted at the sea, all the staff followed suit.
Building a proper port here will change history. Ships much larger than in the original history will be docked, and it will develop into a much larger logistics base.
More military supplies will come here than in Saigon, which is leaning toward the southern rear.
I will be able to sell more of my goods more easily, and hopefully, I can bring the Vietnam special that Japan enjoyed. History is for me to change.
In the fall of 1965, we were on fire.
It was still summer in Vietnam.
***
2 weeks later
Udangtangtang.
Quy Nhon Beach was full of all sorts of noise.
We were creating most of the noise.
“Hey, you crazy bastard. I can’t even look at that one! What is the main pump pressure?”
＜It is 20psi.＞
“Several, the pump is clogged. If the pressure is abnormal like that, you should hit the walkie-talkie right away. this bastard.”
＜Sorry! How is it, Chief?＞
“Don’t worry, I have to radio the boss.”
There was an uproar between the team leader driving the dredger and the signalman reading the gauge.
Udangtangtang.
‘Oh, well, you ruin it. Good good.’
I climbed on the roof of the B-area construction office and enjoyed the noise of the construction site.
It was so good to see the equipment getting obsolete while things went smoothly.
It made me feel even better when such an expensive dredger chewed a stone every once in a while.
That was an unintentional accident, no matter who saw it, and the employees were learning something, so it was a win-win situation.
＜Urgent! Emergency! Boss, the dredge hose is clogged. maybe good?＞
As expected, an emergency radio call came in.
There are many types of dredgers, but BR’s dredgers suck sand and soil from the seabed with a vacuum pump and blow them out.
Called nasal pump dredgers, they were a bit more advanced than grab dredgers, which used large tongs to scoop up bottoms.
An evolutionary form is not without its drawbacks.
Scratching the bottom of the sea floor, there are times when you come across large coral reefs or rocks.
At that time, it must be sucked after crushing it step by step with the cutter attached to the snout of the dredger.
But now there is a rock stuck in the intake hose.
It’s like getting sick while eating in a hurry.
“I can hear it from here too. Reverse winch motor, target speed 500 RPM!”
I am an all-around solver in this area.
They put parasols and chairs on the roof and spend most of the day looking down at the site.
If you are a normal person, you will feel the fear of heights, but if you are a jjambab like me, it is a preferred seat.
There is no better place to enjoy the cool sea breeze and watch the whole scene.
＜Winch motor reverse rotation, target speed 500 RPM＞
Reverse rotation of the winch motor causes the dredge to vomit any debris stuck in the suction hose.
Again, rocks of ambiguous sizes bounced out with a crackling sound.
I know just by hearing the sound from afar.Read at noblemtl
Jjambab is great.
“Dredging team leader, now. Take it with a cutter and crush it.”
＜Yes, sir.＞
The cutter on the dredge at the end of the hose began to crush the rock like a fork crushing potatoes.
“Signalman, read the main pump gauge.”
＜12psi is normal, boss.＞
“Check the swing anchor tension (fixing the position of the dredger)”
＜There is no more than 20,000kgf in each of the north, south, east and west. Fixed dredge position is safe.＞
“Okay, stop the winch motor. Restart the main pump!”
＜Yes! boss.＞
“Situation lifted. Dredger signalman warning once.”
＜Sorry. boss.＞
I was warned, but this was a daily occurrence.
It was to prevent major accidents by increasing the tension at the site and to increase the experience level of the employees.
“Hey, CS.”
“Welcome, Silver.”
As soon as I put the walkie-talkie next to me, Silver came to me.
“Would you like a coke?”
“good. Are you cool?”
“Of course.”
Like an American, I came with an ice bucket full of Coke. In the meantime, Silver also came up on the roof casually, saying that he was a field supervisor.
“Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
We toasted with Coke bottles and drank in gulps. Keew, the 60’s Coke is thick and delicious.
I drank as much as I wanted with the excuse that I couldn’t choose Coke Zero.
“Why did you come? You’ve always been interested only in Caisson.”
“I couldn’t believe it at all when it was said that it is a moving formwork and curing concrete in real time.
“What, is there anything wrong? All you have to do is make a skeleton with rebar, pour concrete and harden it, and repeat the same thing on top of it. If it’s strange to do that on a barge, then I’d say it’s amazing.”
“Sheesh! Pretend not to.”
“Isn’t it true that I’m good?”
“… Ugh, yes… I’m here to compliment you. The computer calculations were over at the head office, but there was an uproar. The CS idea is brilliant, and the design dimensions are really safe.”
Finally, BR headquarters contacted me.
Is the response greater than expected?
Silver must have now realized how successful this project is.
“So that’s what I mean…”
Silver hesitated before opening his mouth.
