SCOPE OF WORK

Project Orion is the one of the UK's largest science developments located at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) in Aldermaston, Berkshire. Orion is an exciting, ambitious project to construct a world leading laser facility for the creation and study of hot, dense matter.

Construction of the new Orion laser research facility is well underway, with full commissioning of the state-of-the-art laser expected by 2010. It will eventually replace AWE's existing HELEN laser facility, giving scientists access to extreme states of matter which do not exist anywhere else in the world.

The £100m project is the closest example of extreme engineering in Britain. The world's most powerful laser will be capable of recreating for a fraction of a second the conditions found at the heart of a thermonuclear explosion.

The Orion facility, including associated office accommodation, meeting rooms and laboratories, is approximately 100m long, 60m wide and 25m high. Byrne Bros was contracted to construct sub and superstructure concrete works for the project. This included a 20m high target hall consisting of 1.5m thick concrete walls, a laser hall and office area. Byrne Bros successfully delivered the project whilst achieving the required, stringent tolerance and technical requirements.