Tunnel excavation and installing supports, work on the roof and towers, and the removal of two fountains from the Church Office Building plaza are among the latest changes taking place with the Salt Lake Temple renovation project.
The April 2021 update comes two years after President Russell M. Nelson announced major renovation plans for the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Salt Lake Temple closed, and renovation commenced, in December 2019.
The church summarized the progress of the first year in December 2020. The renovation is expected to last four years.
Here are latest details and photos showing the changes, according to the church’s Newsroom.
Tunnel excavation
“As part of the Salt Lake Temple renovation project, a tunnel is being constructed underneath North Temple to connect the Conference Center parking lot to the underground facilities and entrance to the temple. The tunnel excavation is about 80% complete. These photos show the steel arches that are encased in shotcrete (a form of grout) to create the initial lining of the tunnel walls. The steel arches are spaced four feet (1.2 meters) apart. The drilling machine is used to remove the upper portion of soil, which is then hauled away by an excavator. This also removes the lower portion of the excavation as shown in the third photo below.”
Secant wall
“The temple is now surrounded on three sides by a secant wall. The secant walls are installed as close to the bottom edge of the existing footings as possible to contain and brace them in place. The secant wall is built by drilling deep holes where alternating steel and concrete columns are installed. These overlap with each other to create the retaining wall.”
Roof and stones
“The copper roof sheathing of the temple has been completely removed and replaced with a temporary roof. This is in preparation for the installation of additional steel trusses, an important part of the seismic strengthening of the temple.
“The upper stones of the temple walls are being gradually removed to prepare for the structural concrete bonding beams that will brace the walls. The stones that are removed will be reinstalled in their original positions.
“As stones are removed from the temple for repair and cleaning, workers ensure they are properly cataloged and labeled so they can be returned to their exact original placement.
“When workers need to access the higher levels of the towers, they use a variety of safety measures, such as mandatory harnesses, to prevent falls. Harnesses are tied to existing hooks anchored in stones.”
Plaza fountains
“On the Church Office Building plaza, multiple conveyor belts help carry materials and debris for hauling off-site. The two fountains are being removed, along with walkways and planter boxes.”
For more information the Salt Lake temple renovation, visit templesquare.org or ChurchofJesusChrist.org.