ITER Tokamak complex to welcome the second concrete slab

The works for the second concrete slab of the Tokamak complex are under way. The complex, whose weight is in the range of 360,000 tonnes which is equivalent to the Empire State building, will be hosting the Tokamak, Diagnostics and Tritium buildings, which are the fundamentally important for the operation of the ITER machine. The works are considered a turning point in the progress of the ITER construction platform because the Tokamak pit officially opens a new construction chapter.  The slab is going to support the 23,000 tonnes Tokamak machine and will require 4,000 tonnes of steel and 14,400 m³ of concrete.

The 493 plinths and anti-seismic pads covering the Tokamak pit, which has a surface equivalent to a football field 90 x 130 metres and 17 metres deep, will soon be covered with steel and concrete for the realisation of the second reinforced concrete slab.

Following the successful completion of the works for the ground support structure, the retaining walls and the seismic pads, we are happy to announce that the propping and formwork activities have now started. This is the first step towards the actual floor of the Tokamak complex.

The GTM consortium (GTM Sud, Chantier Modernes Sud, Campeon Bernard sud-est & Dodin Campeon Bernard) is in charge of the works. The main challenges they will have to face will be the complexity and density of the reinforcement inside the concrete and the tight time schedule. The slab is expected to be completed before the end of this year. The basemat, otherwise known as ‘B2 slab’ in the ITER construction jargon, will be 1, 5 metres thick just like the concrete slab below the plinths.