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INDUSTRY NEWS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Reach for GreatnessMr. Weingardt’ s Guest Editorial in

the July-August issue of the PCIJOURNAL is both inspirational andpractical — especially the need to attract and educate young professionals,the life-blood of any successful organization.

Richard OwenAtlanta, Georgia

What I like most about RichardWeingardt is that he practices what hepreaches (July-August PCI JOURNAL). Every aspiring member of theprecast concrete industry should readhis article!

Gregory GibbonsCleveland, Ohio

Mr. Weingardt’s out-of-the-boxGuest Editorial (July-August PCIJOURNAL) is thought-provoking fortwo reasons: one, he gives a globalpicture of our industry’s strengths andshortcomings, and two, he provides uswith an action plan to improve our situation. I applaud the editor for inviting the author to speak his mind.

John MillsDallas, Texas

I read with much interest RichardWeingardt’s Guest Editorial in theJuly-August PCI JOURNAL. Asusual, his comments are right on target. His views on precasters as isolationists, the litigious nature of theconstruction industry, the absence ofheroes, and the lack of public appreciation for structural engineers arelargely true. However, I think the tideis changing, and if we follow Mr.Weingardt’ s example and advice, ourfuture will be bright.

Cohn CampbellToronto, Ontario, Canada

Building CodesDr. S. K. Ghosh’s series of articles

in the PCI JOURNAL on code issuesprovide educational and practical information to busy engineering consultants, and a valuable service to theprecast/prestressed concrete industry.While individually these articlesmight not come to the level of anaward, collectively, they certainlymerit a PCI award.

Ed McDougleNashville, Tennessee

It has been said that gifted engineersdo not need a code to create an innovative structure and that the code ismeant for average engineers to maintain minimum standards. The facts oflife, given the litigious nature of theconstruction industry, is that codes arehere to stay. Dr. Ghosh has done awonderful job in simplifying the codelanguage and presenting the significant provisions affecting precast/prestressed concrete industry practice.

Michael BransonMiami, Florida

The Paramount BuildingBob Englekirk is to be congratu

lated for the courage and perserverance he displayed in designing andgaining code approval of a 39-storyprecast, prestressed concrete framedbuilding in Seismic Zone 4, the high-

est earthquake zone in the UnitedStates. (See article, “Design-Construction of The Paramount — A 39-StoryPrecast Prestressed Concrete Apartment Building,” July-August 2002PCI JOURNAL.) The article is well-written, easy to digest, and is destinedto become a classic reference.

Michael KirklandPhoenix, Arizona

With the successful construction ofThe Paramount in San Francisco, precastlprestressed concrete has rightfullycome of age on the West Coast. (Seearticle, “Design-Construction of TheParamount — A 39-Story Precast Prestressed Concrete Apartment Building,” July-August 2002 PCI JOURNAL.) No longer will designengineers have to rely on “emulationdesign” of cast-in-place concrete systems. Precast concrete has its own hybrid moment resisting frame with dryjoints. Congratulations on an epicachievement!

Peter SmithSeattle, Washington

Congratulations, Bob Englekirk, ona superb article and a splendidachievement! (See article, “Design-Construction of The Paramount — A39-Story Precast Prestressed ConcreteApartment Building,” July-August2002 PCI JOURNAL.) The stage isnow set for other design engineers to

New Appointments to PCI CommitteesThe following individuals have recently accepted appointments to PCI

committees. We appreciate their interest and voluntary participation.

• Precast Sandwich Wall PanelsCommittee

Paul CardoneThe Consulting Engineers Group,Inc.San Antonio, Texas

• Prestressed Concrete PolesCommittee

S. Keith ColonnaBayshore Concrete ProductsCorporationCape Charles, Virginia

September-October 2002 121

apply this new technology with precastlprestressed concrete structures inhigh seismic zones.

Bruce BaxterToronto, Ontario, Canada

Since publication of the July-Augustissue, we have received numerous accolades and requests for copies of thisarticle. We are planning to make quantity reprints of the article.

EDITOR

TECHNICAL ACTIVITIESCOMMITTEE NEWS

The Ad Hoc Committee on PrecastDiaphragm Design (Ned M. Cleland,chairperson) met at PCA Headquarters, Skokie, Illinois, August 5. Thepurpose of the meeting was to discussdesign issues related to precast diaphragms and recommend material forinclusion in the Sixth Edition of theIndustry Design Handbook. The following items were discussed:

Elastic vs. Inelastic Design — Thegeneral consensus is that the designfor diaphragms remains essentially

- elastic through the design earthquake while the vertical elementsof the Lateral Force Resisting System (LFRS) become inelastic.There was some discussion aboutthe level of force above the code-prescribed loads that is necessary toaccomplish elastic performance.Some have suggested that thisshould be the overstrength factor(omega) for the system used. Sincesuch factors could be as high as4.5, the feeling was that they wouldmake the design too conservative.Research by Fleischman and practice in New Zealand suggest that afactor of about 2 is more reasonableand correct. It was decided that thisfactor could also be applied to untopped diaphragms with the specialconditions for non-prescribed systems to be met.Diaphragm Aspect Ratio and Span— Limitations to the aspect ratiowere discussed. It was mentionedthat the Nakaki research shows thatlimitations to the aspect ratio aloneare not sufficient to protect the system since at long spans absolutedrift could be excessive even in di-

aphragms with a low aspect ratio. Itwas recommended that aspect ratios be limited to 3 to 1. Further,there is a need for some discussionon the length effects to be includedin the Handbook.Rigid vs. Flexible Diaphragms —

The behavior of diaphragms asrigid or flexible depends on manyfactors, including span, aspectratio, jointing and connections. Aparking structure example with stiffend walls and interior cruciformwalls was used to illustrate that thedifference between rigid and flexible models could produce large differences. The safest approach is toconsider the diaphragm both waysand design the system as an envelope covering the worst conditionsof the two extremes. It is furthersuggested that the best solution willbe to modify the LFRS stiffness sothat the differences between thetwo models are minimized. Theissue needs some discussion in theHandbook. There is concern forlocal overloads. Redistribution tooverloaded elements requires rigidity. Flexibility can reduce the demand on the vertical elements andthe shear and moments in the diaphragm, but actual rigidity maymake this reduction unsafe. If thedesign includes sufficient chord reinforcing to keep the diaphragmelastic, the rigid model is safer because redistribution is ensured.Untopped vs. Topped Diaphragmsin Category D — Inquiries have beenreceived regarding the use of untopped diaphragms in Category Dstructures. An attempt was made tohave prescriptive requirements foruntopped diaphragms in high seismic regions accepted in the lastNEHRP code cycle, but the changefailed to pass and the provisionswere relegated to an appendix. Theprovisions that were included inACT 318 were for topped compositeand topped non-composite diaphragms, so untopped diaphragmswere implicitly written out. Section21.2.1.5, however, includes the general altemative clause that permits asystem to be used if it is shown byexperimental evidence and analysisto be equivalent in strength and

toughness to comparable monolithiccast-in-place systems.

• Field-Topped Diaphragm Recommendations — The issue of localizedinelasticity was discussed. Someductility needs to be provided to accommodate the potential for localoverloads in the diaphragm. It wasalso suggested that some redundancy in the field-topped systemscan be obtained by using mechanical connections between doubletees and between tees and beamsfor erection stability that stay inplace and add to the capacity provided by topping reinforcing.

• Support of Elements — Length ofledges for adequate seating hasbeen prescribed in the ACT Code.There should also be a strong recommendation for positive connections to the supports.

• Collector Elements and Connections— There is a need to clarify that theomega factor is a requirement forcollector and transfer connections atthe vertical elements. At these locations, the primary anchorage needsto be designed for omega and be inthe yielding of the reinforcing steel.The body or mechanical parts of theconnection must have an additionalsafety factor of 1.5.

The Industry Handbook Committee(Kim Seeber, chairperson) met atWintergreen, Virginia, August 16 and17, to continue work on the Sixth Edition of the PCI Design Handbook. Thefollowing comments can be made:• The committee recommends that

Section R18.4 in the “Standard Design Practice” be revised to showthat current practice allows a temporary tensile stress up to 7.5For stresses above this limit, top reinforcement should be provided.This reinforcement may be designed in a similar manner to thatsuggested in Handbook Chapter 4,except that the full yield strength ofthe reinforcement may be used.

• Neal Anderson presented suggestedprovisions for headed studs in shearto be incorporated into the Handbook. He also presented a casestudy of a connection failure due tobearing and shear (bow induced) ona gravity support embed, makingthe point that bearing capacity is

122 PCI JOURNAL

compromised when a shearing forceis introduced.

• The recommendations put forth bythe Ad Hoc Committee on PrecastDiaphragm Design were discussedin detail. A factor of 2 is being recommended to maintain elastic behavior in the diaphragm. The shearwall design examples have beenfinished. Provisions for frames anddiaphragms still need to be completed. Ned Cleland is currentlypreparing frame connection loadsand configurations for developmentinto connection design examples.

• The section on vibration design willbe modified based on input fromdesign engineers’ experience.

STUDENT EDUCATION

PCI Announces 2002Engineering Design Awards(Big Beam Contest)

At their meeting on August 7,2002, the Student Education Judging Committee selected the Engineering Student Design Awards(Big Beam Contest) winners. Firstplace winners from each of the sixPCI Zones competed for the National Championship. The Nationaland Zonal winners along with theassociated PCI Producers are listedas follows:

. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:

First Place: University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (Team#2)Faculty Advisor: John F. StantonStudent Team: Lee Andrews, GregBanks, Rez Moulla, Jason Flangas,and Brien LindstromPCI Producer: Concrete Technology Corp., Tacoma, WashingtonAward: $2000 along with otherprizes (to be honored at the PCIConvention in Nashville)

Second Place: University of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska (Team # 1)Faculty Advisor: Maher K. TadrosStudent Team: Eric Wesolowski,Audra Hansen and Wilast AmornrattanepongPCI Producer: Rinker Materials,

Inc., Omaha, NebraskaAward: $1750 along with otherprizes

Third Place: University of Utah,Salt Lake City, Utah (Team #2)Faculty Advisor: Chris PantelidesStudent Team: Jonathan Frazier,Daniel Page, Jason Rapich, KarenSantee, and Aaron WhitakerPCI Producer: Eagle Precast Company, Salt Lake City, UtahAward: $1500 along with otherprizes

Fourth Place: Tulane University,New Orleans, LouisianaFaculty Advisor: Paul ZiehlStudent Team: Julie Christiansen,Micah Florea, Brett Ikeda, AdamRidge, and James SheerinPCI Producer: Gulf Coast PreStress, Inc., Pass Christian, MississippiAward: $1250 along with otherprizes

Fifth Place: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio (Team #2)Faculty Advisor: Richard A.MillerStudent Team: Thomas Meyers,David Honig, Aaron Bennett, andMatt SpidarePCI Producer: Concrete Technology, Inc., Springboro, OhioAward: $1000 along with otherprizes

Sixth Place: University of Massachusetts, Boston, MassachusettsFaculty Advisor: Sergio F. BrenaStudent Team: David Camachoand Jason PisanoPCI Producer: Unistress Corporation, Pittsfield, MassachusettsAward: $1000 along with otherprizes

Zone 1 Second Place: Universityof Washington, Seattle, Washington(Team #1)Faculty Advisor: John F. StantonStudent Team: Rez Moulla, JasonFlangas, Brien Lindstrom, GregBanks, and Lee AndrewsPCI Producer: Concrete TechnologyCorporation, Tacoma, WashingtonAward: $750 along with other prizes

Zone 1 Third Place: Oregon StateUniversity, Corvallis, Oregon (Team#1)Faculty Advisor: Keith KaufmanStudent Team: Jeffrey Sedlak,Bridger Johnson and Garth AppanaitisPCI Producer: Morse Bros., Harrisburg, OregonAward: $500 along with other prizes

Zone 1 Fourth Place: OregonState University, Corvallis, Oregon(Team # 3)Faculty Advisor: Keith KaufmanStudent Team: Steven Walker,Matt Tipton, Alison Dooley, JacobDavidson, and Rudy SuminskiPCI Producer: Morse Bros., 1-Tar-risburg, OregonAward: $250 along with other prizes

• Zone 2 Second Place: Universityof Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah (Team#1)Faculty Advisor: Chris PantelidesStudent Team: Ben Coray, MarkDaniels, Lee Fuhrken, JustinNadauld, and Brandt SaxeyPCI Producer: Eagle Precast Company, Salt Lake City, UtahAward: $750 along with other prizes

Zone 2 Third Place: Texas A&MUniversity, Austin, TexasFaculty Advisor: Marty BethHuesteStudent Team: Brent Bartell, PeterSculley, J. J. Sneed, and John SteelePCI Producer: Heldenfels Enterprises, Inc., San Marcos, TexasAward: $500 along with other prizes

• Zone 3 Second Place: Universityof Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska(Team # 2)Faculty Advisor: Maher K. TadrosStudent Team: John Swendroski,Ratul Sarmah and Haosu SunPCI Producer: Rinker MaterialsCorp., La Platte, NebraskaAward: $750 along with other prizes

Zone 3 Third Place: Universityof Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska(Team#3)Faculty Advisor: Maher K. TadrosStudent Team: Shawn Wentworth,Matt Farber and Todd McLochlin

September-October 2002 123

PCI Producer: Concrete Industries,Inc., Lincoln, NebraskaAward: $500 along with other prizes

Zone 4 Second Place: University ofillinois, Urbana-Champaign, IllinoisFaculty Advisor: Dan KuchmaStudent Team: Damon Brandley,December Cowen and ZhenhuaHuangPCI Producer: Illinois ConcreteCo., Inc., Salem, IllinoisAward: $750 along with other prizes

Zone 4 Third Place: Universityof Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio(Team # 1)Faculty Advisor: Richard A. MillerStudent Team: Aaron Bennett,David Honig, Dean Fairweather,Matt Spidare, and Thomas MeyersPCI Producer: Prestress Services,Inc., Melbourne, KentuckyAward: $500 along with other prizes

Zone 4 Fourth Place: Universityof Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WisconsinFaculty Advisors: A. FattahShakh and Habis TabatabaiStudent Team: Neal Benish, EricFeile and James GiddingsPCI Producer: Spancrete Industries, Inc., Waukesha, WisconsinAward: $250 along with other prizes

Zone 5 Second Place: University ofPittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaFaculty Advisor: John F. OylerStudent Team: Nicholas Burdette,Asha Kamat, Stephen Boone, NoahAccord, and Calvin AustinPCI Producer: New EnterpriseStone & Lime Co., Inc., New Enterprise, PennsylvaniaAward: $750 along with other prizes

Zone 6 Second Place: VanderbiltUniversity, Nashville, TennesseeFaculty Advisor: P. K. BasuStudent Team: David Knickerbocker, Julia Barker, PrashanthDumpuri, and Michael AustinPCI Producer: CPI Concrete Products, Inc., Memphis, TennesseeAward: $750 along with other prizes

Best Report Winner: Universityof Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts

Faculty Advisor: Sergio F. BrenaStudent Team: David Camachoand Jason PisanoPCI Producer: Unistress Corporation, Pittsfield, MassachusettsAward: $500 along with other prizes

The PCI Engineering Design Competition (Big Beam Contest) is organized by PCI’s Student EducationCommittee (Alvin C. Ericson, chairperson) and sponsored by Sika Corporation. The objective is for teamsof students to fabricate and test a precast, prestressed concrete beam withthe help of local PCI producer members. Prizes are awarded for the mostefficient design, highest load capacity,best report and other categories.

Applications for the Big Beam Contest 2003 are due at PCI by March 1,2003, and test reports by June 1, 2003.For additional information on this program, contact PCI Research DirectorPaul Johal at (312) 786-0300.

Two New Guides fromThe Concrete Society

The Concrete Society, UnitedKingdom, has published two newguides which are now available formembers and the general public.

The second edition of Technical Report 18, “A Guide to the Selection ofAdmixtures for Concrete,” serves asan introduction and guide to the selection of admixtures for concrete. Designed for site and consulting engineers, architects, and others workingwith concrete who are not necessarilymaterials specialists, this guide encourages the use of admixtures in aninformed and responsible way.

It also provides an overview of ad-mixtures and usage trends and helpsthe reader with appropriate admixtureselection, indicating which concreteproperties can be improved. It contains a series of 17 admixture information sheets, detailing all the maintypes of admixtures with guidance ontheir function, material base, mechanism, use and effects on concreteproperties.

Also available is the new guide for theUnited Kingdom’s concrete industry,“The Concrete Society Source Book2002,” which is a comprehensive classified directory to the key concrete consultants and contractors and suppliers ofmaterials, products and plants. The introductory section covers developments, innovations and current activities, with articles by leading concrete engineers andspecialists. Topics include constructionin hot climates, post-tensioned construction, flat slab structures, ready-mixedconcrete, floors and admixtures. The expertise and areas of activity for over 600group member companies of The Concrete Society are listed under 34 classifications. Full contact details are given in aseparate alphabetical list. Informationsources, associations, trade groups andsocieties are also listed.

For more information or to requestcopies, contact Nick Clarke, The Concrete Society, Century House, TelfordAvenue, Crowthorne, Berkshire RG456Y5, United Kingdom; telephone(+44) 0-1344-466007; fax (+44)0-1344-466008; or e-mail atn.clarke @concrete.org.uk.

RESEARCHPROPOSALSSOLICITED

PCI’s Research & DevelopmentCommittee (Thomas J. D’Arcy,chairperson) invites proposals forconducting research on “Development of Proper Design Methodologyfor Precast Concrete Diaphragms.”

The objective of this researchwould be to develop an industry-endorsed recommended practicefor the design and construction ofdiaphragms that use precast!prestressed concrete components.The recommended practice wouldcover pretopped and topped diaphragms constructed using bothdouble tee and hollow-core units.

The proposals must be received atPCI Headquarters by October 31,2002.

To obtain a copy of the ProjectResearch Statement and RFP, contact PCI Research Director PaulJohal at (312) 786-0300.

124 PCI JOURNAL

Fire Resistance CodeIssues in Highrises

Over the past six to seven decades,building code requirements for fire resistance in high-rise buildings havedecreased, in some cases by 50 percent, according to Joseph I. (Jim)Messersmith, Portland Cement Association manager of regional code services. This contrasts with requirements mandated in standards forflood, wind, and seismic resistance,which have become more demanding.

Mr. Messersmith spoke June 24 at theNational Institute of Standards andTechnology’s (NIST) public meeting togather comments and suggestions related to the scope of the pending building and fire safety investigation of theWorld Trade Center (WTC) disaster.He asked, “Do contemporary buildingcodes provide safer buildings thancodes of the past?” He then answeredhis own question, “Generally,yes.. .though the answer, in my opinion, is a resounding no.”

After the disastrous collapse of theWorld Trade Center towers onSeptember Ii, 2001, Mr. Messersmithexamined how building codes haveevolved over the years. Starting withthe Uniform Building Code issued in1927, he studied hourly fire resistanceratings in codes used throughout theUnited States for key structural elements of high-rise buildings. Codes examined included model building codesand codes written by major cities.

Mr. Messersmith found that sincethe introduction of the first UniformBuilding Code, high-rise structuralfire protection in some areas of thecountry has been cut in half. Thesedecreases have been attributed to twofactors: the belief that most earliercode requirements were excessive,and reductions in fire resistance haveencouraged the use of automaticsprinklers, otherwise known as “sprinkler trade-offs.”

Special code provisions for high-rise buildings were introduced about25 years ago and initially offered twooptions: either compartmentalizebuildings with fire resistive barriers(walls and floors that provide fire containment to a portion of the building)or provide an automatic sprinkler sys

tern. In addition, some codes allowedreductions in fire resistance ratings,reducing the cost of structural fire protection to offset the cost of sprinklerinstallation, namely, by creating“sprinkler trade-offs.” Over time, mostcode-making bodies removed the option to compartmentalize, makingsprinklers mandatory; however, thesprinkler trade-offs were not removed.Mr. Messersmith says, “If a fire occurs and the sprinklers work as designed, no fire resistance is necessary.However, if a fire occurs and thesprinklers do not control the fire, thenthe building’s structural fire protectionneeds to be the same as the buildingwithout sprinklers.”

Mr. Messersmith concluded his presentation with three recommendationsto NIST for use in its proposed studyof the WTC collapse:• Determine likely scenarios that may

render sprinkler systems inoperative.• Determine when it is appropriate to

reduce structural fire resistance because of the presence of sprinklers.

• Determine minimum fire resistancerequirements that should apply inall cases.To obtain a copy of “Structural Fire

Resistance Requirements in BuildingCodes for Tall Buildings: Past and Present,” contact Mr. Messersmith by telephone at (804) 749-3584 or e-mail [email protected].

Bayshore Concrete Changes Guard

W. Vincent Campbell extends best wishes to S. Keith Colonna as he accepts hisnew position of president/chief executive officer of Bayshore.

Bayshore Concrete Products Corporation, Cape Charles, Virginia,has announced W. Vincent Campbell’s retirement as president/general manager.

The new president/ chief executive officer is S. Keith Colonna.Mr. Colonna has been employed byBayshore since 1979. He is an active member of PCI’s Financial Performance Committee, Prestressed

Concrete Poles Committee and theBridge Producers Committee.

Mr. Campbell began working forBayshore in 1988. He has been anactive member of the followingPCI Committees: High Performance Concrete/Durability Committee, Concrete Pile Committee,Bridge Producers Committee andthe Prestressed Concrete PolesCommittee.

September-October 2002 125

Quiroga Opens H. Wilden &Associates Florida Office

H. Wilden & Associates (HWA),Allentown, Pennsylvania, has openedan office in Orlando, Florida. Rene J.Quiroga has joined the firm as division manager. Mr. Quiroga comes toHWA with 20 years of experience inthe precast/prestressed concrete industry. He is responsible for the start-upand development of the new office.HWA is a sister company of Jenkins& Charland, with current offices inFlorida. Together, they comprise partof TRC Worldwide EngineeringHeadquarters in Nashville, Tennessee.

Weingardt Elected to ASCEHonorary Membership

Richard G. Weingardt, founderand chief executive officer of RichardWeingardt Consultants, Inc., Denver,Colorado, has been elected to Honorary Membership in the AmericanSociety of Civil Engineers (ASCE).This election comes as a result of “hissuperlative contributions to the designof major structures and the enhancement of the professional practice ofstructural engineering.”

Mr. Weingardt, a long-time PCIProfessional Member, will be installed

Poor Joins TindallTindall Corporation, based in Spar

tanburg, South Carolina, has hiredHicks Poor at their Atlanta PrestressDivision as technical sales representative. Mr. Poor received a bachelor’sdegree in education and an MBA witha finance concentration from AuburnUniversity, Auburn, Alabama. He willspecialize in parking decks, wall panelsystems, office buildings, transportation, and other industrial applications.Prior to this position, he was instrumental in opening Tindall’s sales office in Birmingham, Alabama.

Master Builders AppointsThree Senior Managers

Master Builders, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, has appointed threemanagers to newly establishedgeographically centered businessgroups.

The eastern admixture systemsbusiness group will encompass alleastern seaboard states and East-

em and Central Canada. Matt McGlone has been appointed to managethis group from the Baltimore/Washington area. Mr. McGlone received abachelor’s degree in mass communications from Towson University,Towson, Maryland, in 1977. He beganworking in the cement industry in1980 and joined Master Builders in1992, serving as regional manageruntil 1995. For the past seven years,he has been the Eastern division salesmanager.

The central admixture systems business group will be led by KennethKruse. Mr. Kruse holds a bachelor’sdegree in chemistry and a master’sdegree in engineering from the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, as well asan MBA from Lake Erie College,Painesville, Ohio. He held a variety ofsales and marketing positions prior tojoining Master Builders in 1993 asmarketing manager. In 1999, he waspromoted to central division salesmanager. Mr. Kruse is active in PCIand CPCI. He will now serve the Central United States from Minnesotathrough Texas, and will operate fromHouston, Texas.

Ray Minnillo has been chosen todirect the western admixture systemsbusiness unit from Phoenix, Arizona,serving the Western United Statesfrom Colorado to the Pacific Coast,Hawaii, Alaska, and Western Canada.Mr. Minnillo has a CPA degree fromMiami University, Ohio, and an MBAfrom the Weatherhead School ofManagement at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. Hejoined Master Builders in 1984 asmanager of accounting operations andhas held various positions within theorganization. In 2000 he was promoted to controller for the admixturesystems business unit.

Richard Weingardt Kenneth Kruse Ray Minnillo

during the ASCE Annual Conventionin Washington, D.C., in November2002. There are 513 individuals whohave been elected to this distinguishedgrade of membership since 1853.

II SIRKO ASSOCIATES, INC..

II Precast CunreteEngineering pedeliete

• Structural Engineering

• Shop/Production Drawings

• Planning & Design

• Design/Build Projects

• Bridges

• Automated Drawing Software

12130 Pennsylvania Street Suite 102 Denver, CO 80241303.428.0901 . fax: 303.428.4425 web: www.sirko.com e-mail: [email protected]

126 PCI JOURNAL

Coreslab Structures (ARIZ)Inc. Announces Promotions

Coreslab Structures, Inc., Phoenix,Arizona, announces several staff promotions in its Phoenix office.

With the retirement of Stanley J.Ruden as executive vice president!general manager, Clinton A. Calverthas been promoted to general manager.

Mr. Calvert brings 39 years of structural design, engineering and management experience to his position. Aftergraduating from the South DakotaSchool of Mines and Technology, hedevoted 18 years as a consulting engineer, working with precast, prestressed concrete. He worked sevenyears for Stanley Structures and Colorado Concrete Structures, Inc. In1988, he joined Coreslab Structures aschief engineer and by 1994, was promoted to vice president and assistantgeneral manager.

Ronald W. Harman has been promoted to assistant general manager.He joined Coreslab’s Phoenix operation in 1982, serving as a quality control manager, architectural plant manager, and, for the past 14 years, asplant manager.

Rick Reichenberg joined CoreslabStructures in 1993 as project managerand sales representative. He was promoted to sales manager in 1997 andnow is taking on an additional role asdirector of business development.

Charlie LeMaster remains as fieldoperations manager, but takes on theadded responsibilities of the projectmanagement department.

Pete Escobedo has been promotedto plant manager. Mr. Escobedo has27 years of experience in theprecast!prestressed industry startingwith Stanley Structures, Cheyenne,

Wyoming. He was formerly the architectural plant superintendent forCoreslab Structures.

David Baird has been promoted toassistant sales manager. He has 23years of experience working for precast operations throughout the Southwest. Mr. Baird worked six years forCoreslab Structures as a project manager and estimator.

Hamilton Awarded forASTM Paper

H. R. (Trey) Hamilton, III, associate professor of civil engineering at

the University of Florida Departmentof Civil and Coastal Engineering,Gainesville, Florida, has received theAmerican Society for Testing andMaterials (ASTM) Alan H. YorkdaleMemorial Award for a paper he coauthored, “Restraint Effectiveness forUnbonded Tendons in PrestressedMasonry.” Earlier this year, Dr.Hamilton co-authored the article titled“Estimating Post-Tensioning GroutBleed Resistance Using a Pressure-Filter Test,” which was published inthe March-April 2002 issue of the PCIJOURNAL.

Clinton A. Calvert Ronald W. Harman Rick Reichenberg Pete Escobedo David Baird H. R. Hamilton, Ill

Stan Ruden Retires FromCoreslab I Stanley StructuresAfter 33 Years

Stanley J. Ruden has retired as executive vice president!general manager of Coreslab Structures (ARIZ)Inc., Phoenix, Arizona. He obtainedhis bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Nebraska in 1963. Mr. Ruden began hiscareer in the precast industry in 1969as a design engineer for PrestressedConcrete of Colorado (later StanleyStructures). In 1981, he relocated toArizona to start up Stanley’s newArizona operation.

Mr. Ruden was honored as a PCIFellow at the 2001 PCI Conventionin Reno, Nevada. Long active in PCIcommittee work, he has been heavilyinvolved in improving the quality ofprecast products. He was co-chairperson of the Field CertificationCommittee from initiation to 1998and has since been chairperson of theQuality Assurance Committee. He iscurrently a member of the PCI Board

of Directors, Strategic PlanningCommittee, Budget Planning andReview Team, Plant CertificationCommittee, and Field CertificationCommittee.

In 1998, he received a Testimonial Award from PCI “In recognition and appreciation of his outstanding and devoted service to theInstitute. PCI is profoundly gratefulfor his leadership through a mostimportant period in the committee’swork on the Field Certification Program.” Mr. Ruden will maintain anoffice and assist Coreslab International with special assignments on apart-time basis.

September-October 2002 127

Three Contracts for HighConcrete Structures, Inc.

High Concrete Structures, Inc., Denver, Pennsylvania, recently contractedfor three new projects:

Queens Center Mall Parking Structure Expansion, Queens, New York,a 290,000 sq ft (26900 m2) parking

deck, with a precast concrete valueof approximately $7.5 million.

• Montclair University Rail StationParking Structure in Montclair, NewJersey, a six-level parking structurewith an estimated precast concretevalue of $7 million.

• Bergen Community College Parking

Garage, Paramus, New Jersey, a single-level, 190,000 sq ft (17700 m2)parking structure. The precast concretevalue is projected at $8.3 million.

Finfrock Constructs TwoFlorida Parking Structures

Finfrock Design-Manufacture-Construct, Inc., Orlando, Florida, has recently completed one parking structure in Tampa and another in St.Petersburg. Florida.

In downtown Tampa, the 650-spaceparking structure marks the thirdgarage that Finfrock has providedcomplete design-manufacture-construct delivery services for Post Properties. Physically attached to theapartments that it serves, the structureis an added amenity that Post feels isnecessary to attract residents to theirupscale development.

MAX BIRKENMAIER(1915-2002)

LAJOSGARAY(1 923-2002)

Lajos Garay, structural engineer and prestressedconcrete specialist, died in Budapest, Hungary, in early

Max Birkenmaler, prestressed concrete pioneer, diedin Zurich, Switzerland, in late February at the age of 87.

Born in Zurich, he graduated as a civil engineer fromthe Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in1940. After World War II, he co-founded (together withBrandestini and Ros) Bureau BBR, a study group topromote the application of prestressing in Switzerland.This led to the formation of Stahlton AG, a firm thathas designed numerous prestressed concrete structuresin Switzerland and throughout the world. He served asmanaging director and president of this company formany years.

During this period, he chaired the committee that produced the first Swiss Standard for Concrete and Prestressed Concrete Structures, published in 1968. Astrong supporter of the Fédération Internationale de laPrdcontrainte, he was appointed the Swiss representative on FIP’s Administrative Council and a member ofthe Commission on Steels and Prestressing Systems.

In recognition of his many technical contributions andleadership skills, ETH bestowed upon him an HonoraryDoctorate in 1969. At the 1982 FIP StockholmCongress, FIP presented Max Birkenmaier with theFreyssinet Medal, its highest award. GDN

February, at the age of 79.Mr. Garay attended the Palatine Jozef University of

Technology where he graduated as a civil engineer in1947. Early in his professional career, he became thehead of the structural department of the largest designfirm in Budapest where he was responsible for the design of many innovative precast concrete industrialbuildings in Hungary as well as other countries.

From 1960, he continued his work at the HungarianInstitute for Building Science as head of the StructuralDivision, where he promoted the use of prestressedconcrete structures. In 1961, he was elected head of theHungarian Group of the Fédération Internationale de IaPrécontrainte, where for several years he organized andparticipated in many congresses, symposia and councilmeetings.

In recognition of his many contributions, he receivedthe FIP Medal in 1992 and and was later awarded thedistinction of honorary president for life of the Hungarian fib Group. GDN

61W/smith &rçiiiceriii lire.• Structural Engineering• Precast Concrete Consultants

• Parking Garages• Structural Precast• Wall Panel• Architectural Precast

• Erection/Piece Drawings

State College, PA 16803Phone: 814.867.9150

E—mail: cvlsmithOpenn.com

128 PCI JOURNAL

In St. Petersburg, Finfrock completed the erection of their secondparking structure for Raymond James.The 1340-space, four-level facility isthe second garage on this site withwhich Finfrock has been associated.Several other parking structures are inthe negotiation stage.

Free Finish GuideFabcon Inc., Savage, Minnesota,

has produced a free 52-page finishguide to showcase 22 aggregate designs and 24 different finishes available for commercial construction.

The increase in fmish options for precast concrete allows panels to be usedfor warehouses, sound walls, gyms, andschools to upscale retail stores, offices,hotels and theaters. Architects can nowcreate projects that satisfy both ownerand contractor demands.

Consumers can browse through theliterature or view the guide on line atwww.fabcon-usa.com. M

olin Concrete ProductsCompany, Lino Lakes,Minnesota, has an

nounced the opening of a newstate-of-the-art hollow-core manufacturing facility in Lino Lakes.The highly automated process,known as the “Elematic” system, isa long-line extruded method for themanufacture of prestressed hollow-core slabs.

The system, housed in a new38,000 sq ft (3530 m2) productionhail, is complete with its own batchplant, automated concrete deliverysystem, beds up to 6400 ft (1950m) long, and an outdoor gantry system for final product storage. Production began in mid-June of 2002.

Molin began producing the“Flexicore” product in the early1950s at their site in St. Paul. Thisfirst generation hollow-core product was designed with narrow 12in. (305 mm) wide sections, usingmild reinforcing steel. However,the section size limited the designcapabilities for the product. At thattime, the capacity was 2000 sq ft(186 m2) per day, or the equivalentof three truck loads.

In the early l960s, Molin beganprestressing the Flexicore product,allowing for longer spans and heavier loading, which led to increased

product demand. A new facilitywas needed to keep abreast of theincrease in production.

In 1970, Molin opened a new facility for the Flexicore product attheir site in Lino Lakes. This plantwas designed as a circulating system with 60 ft long x 2 ft wide (18x 0.61 m), self-stressing forms thatmove through the process from assembly to final product. The Flexicore process is a wet-cast methodof production. It offers advantagessuch as a variety of cast-ins, weldplates, angle cuts, and notches,which can be done easily for morecomplicated layouts. The mix designs can also be adjusted for awide range of purposes. This technology has greatly improved efficiency and the volume of production. This plant is capable ofproducing in excess of 10,000 sq ft(930 m2) per day.

With 50 years of hollow-coreexperience and over 60 million sqft (5.6 million m2) having beenproduced, Molin has gone to a newlevel of capacity and design capabilities with this new manufacturing facility. The new Elematic process can provide deeper sectionsand longer spans for applicationsthat could not, until now, be considered with hollow-core slabs.

Molin Opens Hollow-CoreManufacturing Facility

Fabcon Offers

tF111.7 III SIC

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IMMEDIATE CAREEROPPORTUNITIES

United Employment AssociatesNationwide Recruiting

United Employment Associates, LLCis searching for qualified industry

professionals to fill immediate career opportunities in the precast/pretress industry.

Partial Listing of (Available) PositionsPrestress general manager (2) to $1 50k +

Prestress plant manager (2) .. .to $90k +

Arch. precast plant manager (4) to $90k +

Plant superintendent (3) to $70k +

Plant supervisor (8) to $55k +

QC manager (4) to$65k÷Engineer manager (2) to $lOOk+Design engineer (12) to $75k +

Project manager (4) to $65k +

CAD operatorldetailer (8) to $20/hr +

Sales manager/rep (7) to $???** All Fees Company Paid **

Reply in confidence to:Michael S. Stauffer

United Employment Associates, LLC2030 Tilghman Street, Suite 201

Allentown, PA 18104Tel.: (610) 437-5040Fax: (610) 437-9650

Evening: (610) 437-2494E-mail: [email protected]

www.unitedemployment.com

September-October 2002 129

County ConcreteCelebrates Expansion

County Concrete, Roberts, Wisconsin, held an Open House on August27 for its newly expanded manufacturing facility, which houses a double500 ft (150 m) bridge girder bed system. The new beds will be capable ofhandling up to 4 million pounds (18MN) of prestress force. Customerscame to view this new state-of-the-artfacility and participate in seminars,demonstrations and a golf outing.Scheduled for completion by the fallof 2002, the system will producehigh-strength concrete girders up to81 in. (2060 mm) deep and 150 ft (46m) long, with the capacity for longerand deeper girders.

“We like to be on the cutting edge ofconstruction technology,” says DaveRenenson, County Concrete’s Robertsprestress division manager. “Departments of transportation will be soon beasking for 96 in. (2440 mm) high-

strength girders with spans of 175 to180 ft (53 to 55 m). The new designsare already on paper, and we will beready for them.”

To construct this newly expandedfacility, County Concrete’s girder bedproject team worked with industry experts to develop two concrete mixesto minimize thermal cracking and ensure the desired structural integrity.Cement supplier Holcim, Inc.. ofNaperville, Illinois, concrete finisherLewis Construction of Schofield,Wisconsin, and admixture manufacturer Master Builders, Inc., ofGrayslake, Illinois, provided the teamwith the knowledge necessary for executing each phase of the process.

The girder bed’s 9 ft 3 in. (2.82 m)base is a specialized mixture of Portland cement, ground granulated blastfurnace slag, sand, coarse aggregate,air-entraining agents, retarders, andwater reducers. For the 9 in. (229mm) top layer, fly ash and steel fiberswere incorporated into a mix of the

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same materials used for the base. Forthe entire concrete pour to set at once,admixture dosage rates were adjustedat predetermined intervals to alter settings times during placement. The resuit is 4500 cu yd (3400 m3) of ready-mixed concrete, poured in six layersover 13 hours. “The 70 percent slagmixture contributes to the concrete’sworkability,” says Renenson. “Crewshandling 200 cu yd (150 m3) of ready-mixed concrete an hour can place andconsolidate it without having to beat aclock.”

Previously, in the summer of 2001,County Concrete completed a nearly70,000 sq ft (6500 m2) plant expansion with state-of-the-art equipmentfor producing hollow-core roof andfloor systems, concrete pipe and otherspecialty precast and prestress products, in addition to concrete block andready-mixed concrete. The expansionalso allowed the company to beginmanufacturing 21,000 concrete segments for the underground tunnels ofMinnesota’s first light rail transit system. This facility helped County Concrete earn the St. Croix Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC)“Business of the Year” title in 2001.

“County Concrete is a forward looking company that seeks out new markets and defines their niches. Theydisplay staying power in achieving desired goals,” says William Rubin,SCEDC executive director.

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130 PCI JOURNAL

Dedication of Bridge Street Bridge, Southfield, Michigan — First CFRPReinforced Bridge in the United States

The City of Southfield, Michigan, held a dedicationceremony on May 8, 2002, for the opening of theBridge Street Bridge — a premier carbon fiber rein

forced polymer (CFRP) bridge. This project marks thefirst time this technology has been used in a highwaybridge in the United States.

The design was based on research funded by the National Science Foundation and conducted at LawrenceTechnological University, Southfield, Michigan, underthe direction of Nabil F. Grace. Dr. Grace was on handfor the opening ceremony, along with Southfield MayorBrenda Lawrence, City Administrator Donald Gross,and representatives of the Japanese CFRP manufacturers.Others collaborating in the construction include Angelolafrate Construction Co.; Autocon Composites, Inc.;Construction Technology Laboratories, Inc.; Hollowcore,Inc.; Hubbell, Roth, & Clark, Inc.; Mitsubishi Chemical,Inc.; Mitsui USA; Sumitomo Corp. of America; The Prestressed Group; and Tokyo Rope Mfg. Co.

This project will provide an objective evaluation of theperformance of carbon fiber reinforcement versus conventional steel. Parallel concrete bridges over the RougeRiver replaced an obsolete steel bridge at the only accesspoint to the Bridge Street Industrial Park. The first newbridge, opened to traffic in the Spring of 2001, was constructed with standard AASHTO Type III bridge girderswith conventional steel prestressing strands. This is thesecond bridge, which has been constructed using twelvedouble tees reinforced with CFRP components. Federalfunding will allow both bridges to be monitored for a period of five years using a sophisticated sensor system.

The design, construction, and monitoring of this project, which recently won PCI’s prestigious Harry H. Edwards Industry Advancement Award, is covered in detailin the feature article beginning on page 20.

Underside view of Bridge Street Bridge showing theexternal tendons and anchorage for CFRP post-tensioningcomponents.

Side view of the first CF’United States.

ge constructed in the

I

I

September-October 2002 131

U.S. Department

of Transportation

Federal Highway AdministrationWashington, D.C. USA

Call For PapersSTRESTSED CONCRETE INSTITUTE

Chicago, Illinois

CONCRETEBRIDGE

CONFERENCE

3rd International Symposium on High Performance Concrete

These events are jointly sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) and the National Concrete Bridge Council (NCBC). They will be conducted together and held inconjunction with the 49th PCI Annual Convention and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida.

The PCI/FHWA International Symposium will address theresearch, design, construction, performance, and benefits ofHigh Performance Concrete (HPC). HPC is engineered toachieve enhanced durability and/or strength characteristicswhile ensuring adequate constructibility. Associated technologies will also be covered.

The Concrete Bridge Conference (CBC) was launched in2002. It has quickly become the premier national venue forthe exchange of ideas and information on all aspects ofconcrete bridge design and construction. The Conference iscomplete with an exciting exhibition of consultants, materials and services suppliers, associations, and agencies. Italso features important meetings including the historic anddynamic PCI Committee on Bridges and the AASHTO Technical Committee on Concrete Design (Technical CommitteeT-10).

Up to 12 technical sessions will feature state-of-the-arttopics fresh from design boards, research laboratories andconstruction sites, presented by experts from all facets ofthe concrete industry. A Proceedings will be published following the Symposium/Conference and will be provided toall attendees.

Socially, the Symposium/Conference will feature ampletime for networking with colleagues and making new acquaintances. Social events include receptions, breakfasts,luncheons, an awards banquet, and guest program.

Call For Papers

Papers are invited on any topic related to concretebridges and transportation structures. Ideas can be found inthe lists that follow. Abstracts must not be longer than one,double-spaced, typewritten page. Your abstract should statethat you will attend and present your paper if it is chosen. Ifmultiple authors are listed, the statement must identify thepresenter. Please identify if high performance concrete is acomponent of your topic even if it is not the subject.

The deadline for receipt of abstracts is March 7, 2003. Email your abstract according to the instructions atwww.pci.org. Written papers are due July 15, 2003. Formore information, contact Paul Johal or John Dick at PCI,209 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60606. Tel.312-786-0300; Fax 312-786-0353; e-mail: [email protected].

Ideas for topics for papers may be taken from the followinglists.

International Symposium on HPC

• HPC History, Background, Definitions• HPC Materials and Mix Designs• HPC Research and Project Monitoring• Quality Control/Assurance Programs and Experience• Construction Techniques and Experience• Designing with HPC• Quality, Fabrication, Transportation Experience• Structural Performance and the Codes/Specifications• Follow-up of the FHWA HPC Showcase Projects• The FHWA Innovative Bridge Research and Construction

Projects• Cost, Life Cycle, Promotion and Implementation Studies• Case Studies• Designing, Detailing and Constructing for Durability

The Concrete Bridge Conference

• Creative Concrete Bridge Solutions• Post-Tensioning Theory/Technology• LRFD Specifications Issues• Monitoring Bridge Condition• Repair and Rehabilitation• Bridge Aesthetics• Public & Customer Input• Segmental Concrete Bridges• Bridge Deck Solutions• Concrete Design Theory• Designing and Retrofitting for Seismic Forces• Contractor Alternates and Value Engineering• Research in Action• Innovative Concrete Bridges• Owner Agency Designs• Uniquely Functional Solutions• Design-Build Projects• Designs to Facilitate Fast Construction• Case Studies• Designer Software

together with the

2nd Annual Concrete Bridge ConferenceOctober 19-22, 2003

Deadline for Abstracts March 7, 2003 NCBC

132 PCI JOURNAL

Unistress Casts Decks for Triborough Bridge

Unistress Corporation, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is producing the precast concrete

deck units, complete with floorbeams, for the Triborough Bridgeproject in New York City. The bridgeis a major highway connector fortraffic between the city boroughs ofManhattan, Bronx and Queens.

A total of 553 deck units will becast. Units are 10 ft 4 in. (3.15 m)wide and 35 to 38 ft (10.7 to 11.6 m)long. Each unit is cast with steelfloor beams and connecting diaphragms in place. The units are anominal 8.5 in. (216 mm) thick with10.5 in. (267 mm) thick haunches atthe floor beams.

The units are cast upside downwith steel floor beams with shearstuds supported from above. A rubberliner with striations of 1/8 in. (3 mm)amplitude provides a uniform top surface for the units. The units are rotated with two 25-ton (23 Mg) post-turners before being loaded andtrucked to the job site.

Lightweight 5000 psi (35 MPa)concrete, with Norlite coarse aggregate, is used for the deck units. A calcium nitrate additive is used for corrosion protection. All reinforcingsteel is epoxy coated. The beams, diaphragms, and miscellaneous steelconnectors have all received threecoats of epoxy paint. A bituminous

wearing course will be installed afterthe units are in place.

Work is starting at the Queens end ofthe bridge in a ten-stage plan, whichcalls for the removal of the existingdeck and beams and replacement whiletraffic is maintained in alternate lanes.The work is progressing during theday, in normal working hours.

t—

The Triborough Bridge and TunnelAuthority is the owner of the bridge.Baker/Ammann and Whitney is theengineer and Greenman-Pederson isthe architect. A joint venture of American Bridge / Koch Skanka is the general contractor. Unistress Corporationis casting the deck units at their plantin Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

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September-October 2002 133

Spancrete Completes High-Tech Machine Shop

S pancrete Industries, Inc., Waukesha, Wisconsin,completed precast work on Rotating EquipmentRepair, Inc.’s new 45,500 sq ft (4230 m2) high-tech

facility located in Sussex, Wisconsin. This highly specialized machine shop was needed for the repair andmaintenance of nuclear and electric power generationcomponents. Design/build firm MSI General ofOconomowoc, Wisconsin, designed the facility withSpancrete® Formcast Wall Panels.

The design of the building posed several challenges.The owner requested a high-tech, progressive look forthe project. The function of the facility required that thebuilding needed to be 60 ft (18 rn) in height in someareas. According to Paul S. Schmitter from MSI General,“We needed a building material that could achieve thisheight and meet the requirements of the Village of Sussex and the standards of the industrial park. The owner

required that the exterior be maintenance free. Spancretewall panels were chosen to meet these requirements.” Inorder for the wall panels to meet the criteria, Spancretecarpenters built concrete forms by hand to create thecurves used in the building design.

Over 112 individual precast wall panels were manufactured and delivered to the site. Each Spancrete wall panelcontained an integral layer of thick thermal insulation tokeep the facility energy efficient. Some of the panelswere over 60 ft tall and 14 ft wide (18.3 x 4.27 m). Thepanels weighed over 80,000 lbs (36000 kg) each andtested the limits of precast manufacturing, delivery andconstruction. The matrix of the concrete wall panels wascomposed of a blend of naturally-colored sand and stone.The panels were sandblasted and water blasted to bringout the warm color of the aggregate. This process alsocreated a maintenance-free finish.

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134 PCI JOURNAL

Innovative Precast Paving System for NYS Thruway Project

precast concrete pavement hasbeen used successfully to replace a critical area of pavement

at the Toll Plaza of the New York StateThruway in Tariytown, New York.

More than 125,000 cars pass throughthe plaza daily. Because work on theoperation was limited to off-peak hours,the work was done Mondays throughThursdays between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00am. the following days. Each sectionwas complete and ready for traffic by6:00 am. each morning, avoiding acontract liquidated damage assessmentof $1300 per minute for each minuteafter 6:00 am. that the pavement wasnot open to traftic. Over 156,000 sq ft(14500 1112) of slab was installed inincrements of 2000 to 3000 sq ft (190and 280 m2) per shift.

The slabs were 10 in. (254 mm) thick,varied from 7 to 12 ft (2.1 to 3.6 m) inwidth and were 18 ft (5.5 m) in length.Grout was pumped through ports in topsof the slabs and bedding grout waspumped through similar ports beforeeach section was opened to traffic.

The subgrade topping was screededwith a specially designed subgrade finisher and a procedure known as SuperGradingTM.Laser screeding minimizedthe amount of grout needed for beddingthe slab. Cores taken on the project andfrom previous tests of a prototype installation verified full bedding of thesystem.

The project owner is the New YorkState Thruway Authority (NYSTA).Don Klugo, NYSTA project manager,personifies the outside-the-box thinkingthat drove the success of this breakthrough project. The general contractorwas Yonkers Contracting Company,Inc., Yonkers, New York. The FortMiller Co., Inc., developed and cast theslabs, named SuperSlabTM (patent pending), at their plant and offices inSchuylerville, New York.

A total of 1038 slab units were used.Work started in October 2001 and willbe completed in August 2002. This

project has gained attention from numerous government agencies. A pavement system that can be completedovernight or during shutdown periodsoffers significant advantages for hightraffic areas. While the slabs can bemodified for post-tensioning, there aredisadvantages to be considered,namely, replacement cycle, delayturnover and resumption of traffic.

Peter Smith, P.E., vice president ofmarket development and product engineering at Fort Miller, says, “Our technology also deals with ‘warped slabs,’slabs that change in cross slope fromone end of the slab to the other. Thesubgrade slope for these slabs mustmatch the slabs.” Fort Miller provides

services for the grading of a geometrically correct subgrade, warped or singleplaned, and manufactured slabs to match.

PCI has been tracking the many ongoing paving slab test programs withseveral DOT agencies and airports.Parallel test programs are being conducted with the FHWA/Texas DOT andthe University of Illinois Research Center. Installations are in place at Dullesand St. Louis Lambert airports, and anumber of state roads. As test programscontinue to demonstrate the viability ofvarious precast slab systems, we couldbe experiencing the first major breakthrough in years of a potentially hugemarket for precast concrete products.

TBB

A precast slab being installed on the Tarrytown Toll Plaza project. The bottom photoshows the underside of a slab. Note the foam gaskets, half-round grout distributionchannels, and inverted dovetail dowel slots. Photos courtesy of Fort Miller Co., Inc.

September-October 2002 135

Shockey MastersTight Fit

In August of 2002, The Shockey Precast Group, based in Winchester, Virginia, began erecting a tight addition tothe HBL Mercedes Parking Structure.Located in Tysons Corner, Virginia, thisstructure will be used to store luxury automobiles.

The seemingly insurmountable hurdlethat Shockey managed to overcome waserecting the structure on the existingsite. While the footprint of the structureis 207 ft 8 in. x 120 ft 5 in. (63.3 x 36.7m), the structure is being erected by a450-ton (408 Mg) Leibherr crane, 38 ft(11.6 m) wide from track to track, on avery tight site — the access point of thedeck is 40 ft (12.2 m).

The crane was shipped from Germany to the job site, where it was assembled over a four-day period. Thecrane has a 350 ft (110 m) boom to setthe project’s 156 pieces of precast concrete, which were manufactured inShockey’ s Winchester, Virginia, facility.It is expected this project will be completed before the end of the year.

The general contractor for the projectis Jack Bays, Inc., of McLean, Virginia.The architect is The J3 Design Collective, located in Falls Church, Virginia.

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136 PCI JOURNAL

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September-October 2002 137

Nitterhouse Focuses On Large Target

A unique 12-point pick system was developed by Nitterhouseengineers to handle the large insulated wall panels duringshipping and erection.

Nitterhouse Concrete Products,Inc., Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, is producing the

precast concrete panels for TargetCorporation’s new 1.35 million sq ft(125000 m2) distribution center currently under construction in GuilfordTownship, Pennsylvania. The panelsare distinctive in the way in whichthey are being produced and erected.

Nitterhouse needed to erect 793massive loadbearing wall panels averaging 7’/2 ft high x 12 ft wide x 9in. thick (11 x 3.7 m x 229 mm), before the roofing could be constructed. This meant that the precaster had to provide temporarysupport bracing for each panel in thefield.

To save construction time at thejob site and prevent the panels fromdamage during shipping and erection, Nitterhouse engineers developed a fast, efficient shoring and

picking technique for unloading andhandling the panels at the site.

Since each panel would undergoits greatest stress during shippingand erection, a unique 12-point picksystem was designed to carefully liftthe panels from the transport trucksand rotate them into position forerection.

The exterior panels, which varybetween 8, 9, and 10 in. (203, 229,and 254 mm) thick and weigh approximately 30 tons (27 Mg) each,also contained 3 in. (76 mm) ofpolyisocyanurate insulation sandwiched between two wythes of concrete. Many of the panels also havelarge dock openings.

After each panel is moved into itsfinal position, workers secure theshoring system by connecting thetwo 32 ft (9.8 m) long shoringbraces that were attached to the panels before they left the plant to two

anchor bolts that were drilled intothe poured concrete at the job site.The shoring braces remain attachedto the panels until the roof systemhas been constructed.

Nitterhouse has been erecting approximately 21 panels per day underthe direction of Archer Western Contractors, Chicago, Illinois. Alongwith saving site time and costs inerection of the wall panels, theshoring system is also helping tokeep the contractor’s undergroundwork progressing in a timely manner.

Designed by Harris Architects,Inc., Palatine, Illinois, the new Lshaped distribution center will provide adequate storage space within acolumn-free perimeter and a controlled environment.

It will also help Target to achieveworld-class status in distributing itsproducts to its 1081 stores, now located in 47 states.

Special shoring braces were attached to the panels atthe Nitterhouse plant prior to shipment to save timeat the job site.

Target’s new L-shaped, 1 .35 million sq ft distributioncenter will help to increase the speed of distributionof its products to its customers.

138 PCI JOURNAL

Blakeslee Completes Bradley Airport Parking Structure

B lakeslee Prestress Inc.,Branford, Connecticut, participated in the design devel

opment and provided key solutionsfor an efficient precast frame for theBradley International Airport inWindsor Lock, Connecticut.

This new 3500 space, five-storyopen parking structure, made up ofmore than 2300 precast, prestressedconcrete components, has recentlybeen opened. The structure wascompleted seven months early, withfast-track design/build/negotiatecontracts between the owner, developer, construction manager, designer, and precaster.

Design development for the project started in March of 1999. Precast erection began June 1, 2000.All of the erection was completedby December 20, 2000. The structure was opened for business inMay of 2001 for Phase I and inApril of 2002 for Phase 2. This isthree years after the award of contract and two years after breakingground.

The design features that were incorporated include:• Long span pretopped and pre

stressed double tee floor membersdesigned for a 1.5-hour fire rating.

• An Il ft (3.4 m) floor-to-floorheight to enhance the feeling ofopenness.

• A calcium nitrite corrosion-inhibiting admixture in double teesand girders.

• A lateral bracing system using “KWalls” to provide stability in thelong direction.

• An exterior façade that is functional, aesthetic and cost efficient.The approximate footprint for the

structure is 303 ft wide x 722 ftlong (92.4 x 220 m). There are fourstructured levels plus parking ongrade and an adjacent building foradministrative offices for parking atthe terminal. The structure will beconnected to the terminal buildingwith covered walkways andbridges.

September-October 2002

The project required 1184 pretopped double tee members that were12 ft wide x 34 in. deep (3.7 m x 865mm) with a total deck area of821,000 sq ft (76000 m2). The remainder of the precast members weregirders, columns, “K” walls, litewalls, spandrels, stairs, and a varietyof wall panels and slabs.

The owner of the structure is theConnecticut Department of Transportation. The developer was a jointventure of APCOA/Standard &Tomasso Brothers. FE Downes Construction Co. was the constructionmanager. The architect and engineerof record was the Maguire Group.Blakeslee Prestress, Inc., was the precast designer, fabricator and erector.

139

CEG (Texas) Celebrates 20th Anniversary

CEG employees from left to right:Front Row: Patsy Salazar, Juan Rizo, Walter Korkosz, Oscar Carielo, Barbara Rauschuber, Larbi Sennour, CarolynStobaugh, Anna Salazar, Ramiro TrujilloMiddle Row: Jason Robledo, David Nasser, Chris Kercsmar, Richard Perez, Tom D’Arcy, Tomas Lopez, ClarenceMcChristian, Greg Williams, Mark Salazar, Raul Cabello, Abel CotaBack Row: Dmitriy Kirilenko, Jeremy Luera, James Henderson, Paul Cardone, Bruce Hoover, Ray HernandezMissing from picture: Nikolay Kirilenko, Tatyana Kirilenko, Roger Myrvang

The Consulting Engineers Group (CEO), San Antonio, Texas office, celebrated its 20th anniversary inJuly 2002. The CEG Texas office was founded by

Tom D’Arcy on July 1, 1982. Tom has served as thefirm’s president during those entire 20 years. Initially, thefirm had only two employees and was housed in a modesttwo-room office. Today, the firm has grown to 29 employees and occupies two floors of a well-equipped and spacious office building in an affluent section of San Antonio.

CEO’s main line of business has been to serve the precast concrete industry as specialty engineers to precastproducer companies in the United States and Canada.However, the firm also serves as forensic consultants ininvestigations of partial failures and collapses of structures, and as expert witnesses in litigation cases. Over theyears, the firm has been involved in the design of numerous parking structures, office buildings, justice facilities,stadiums and other special structures. Several of thesestructures have won national and local awards. One no-

table structure, the Florida Suncoast Dome in St. Petersburg, won PCI’s Robert J. Lyman Award in 1990. (Seearticle by Tom D’Arcy, Gerry Goettsche and MickeyPickell in the January-February 1990 issue of the PCIJOURNAL.)

To commemorate CEO’s 20th anniversary, a banquetwas held at the Sonterra Country Club on August 8. Thestaff, their spouses, guests, and numerous clients attendedthis dinner and shared many old stories and adventuresduring the evening. Also on hand was Norm Scott, CEO’soriginal founder and recently retired chief executive officer of the main office in Mount Prospect, Illinois.

The celebration provided an opportunity to look backand be thankful for all of the wonderful friends that CEGhas made and worked with over the years. It was also areminder to look forward and embrace the new challenges with the same enthusiasm that inspired the Texasstaff for the first 20 years. The future of CEG and theprecast concrete industry looks bright indeed!

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Alimerica Parking Structure

Northeast Concrete Products, LLC, recently completed the Ailmerica Parking Structure in Worcester, Massachusetts. Thedesign team included The Consulting Engineers Group, Inc., San Antonio, Texas, the Maguire Group, and Gilbane BuildingCompany. The five-level 1400-car parking structure has an innovative design including a lateral load system with specialmoment frames. The moment frames and open ramp wall frames created a remarkably open structure, which eliminated theneed for solid interior shear walls. The exterior spandrels and moment frames were constructed with an architectural whiteconcrete mix and clad with red brick. This scheme, combined with intricate reveal patterns, created a very attractivestructure. The project owners and the design team are very pleased with the outcome of this parking structure.

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