Mixed Use Buildings Maximize Flexibility

The Ritz-Carlton Luxury Condos and Four-Star Hotel is a 40-story mixed-use building situated at the southern most tip of Manhattan. A column-free high ceiling ballroom space was accomplished by transferring an entire line of building columns.

Post-tensioned transfer girders with 120 Monostrand draped tendons were used to maintain a depth restriction of 42 inches. The tendons were tensioned in two stages to account for construction sequencing. Post tensioned flat plat floor systems are also regularly used to minimize floor thickness and maximize available floor-to-floor heights and optimize building cost. More

Mixed use includes, but is not limited to, office, hotels, condominiums, retail and parking. Such buildings house varied tenants and provide amenities for multiple uses. This challenges A/Es to provide maximum flexibility in layout and space design. Concrete is frequently employed in mixed-use construction because of the wide array of available structural systems that can be seamlessly incorporated to cater to the unique need and requirements of each use. More.

Fundamentals of Post-Tensioning - Design, Analysis, & Construction

The “Fundamentals of Post-Tensioning” educational seminars are back by popular demand this spring. PCA and PTI have completed arrangements for six major cities and registration is now open and spaces are filling up quickly. Sign up online at www.post-tensioning.org or call 602.870.7540. Attendees can earn 4 PDHs/0.4 CEUs and obtain special discounts on key PCA and PTI resources and publications.

Web Site Promotes Green Building

The Portland Cement Association recently introduced a new resource to promote sustainable construction and the responsible use of cement- and concrete-based products in building projects. The new Web site, www.sustainableconstruction.org, has the tools you need to highlight the positive environmental benefits of cement and concrete in your communications and outreach programs

The cement and concrete industry is actively engaged and committed to sustainable development—a philosophy that focuses on meeting our construction needs today without depleting future resources. The cement industry is embarking on an industry-wide communications program to educate our peers, customers, and the general public on the benefits of concrete for sustainability. More.

Your Chance to Win $1,000

We need your input. In the next few weeks you will receive an online survey via email on sustainable development. Here's your chance to weigh in on green building. Every participant who completes the survey will be enrolled in a random drawing for $1,000 cash.

Fire-Safe Buildings and Masonry Codes

Today’s building code officials should be encouraged to develop code provisions
that provide an improved level of redundancy for life safety, property protection, and welfare of the general public. Owners and designers should be aware of the life safety and property protection benefits of balanced design. The findings of a recent report on the World Trade Center disaster confirm the superior performance of buildings where concrete and masonry were used as passive fire protection of structural elements. More.

Build Your Code Library with Special Combination Offers

For a limited time, PCA is offering the key publications on the design of concrete buildings for seismic and wind forces at special pricing:

• Seismic Classic—Purchase Seismic and Wind Design of Concrete Buildings (LT276) that features the IBC 2000 code provisions and get Design of Concrete Buildings for Earthquake and Wind Forces, 2nd edition (EB113—a $19.50 value) featuring the 1994 UBC code, for free.
  XC035—$75.00
  
• Seismic Collector—Or buy all three publications on the design of concrete buildings for seismic and wind design in accordance with the UBC 1994 (EB113), UBC 1997 (EB117) and IBC 2000 (LT276) for only $99 (a $139.50 value)
  XC036—$99.00
  
  Offer expires June 30, 2004

Progressive Collapse in Reinforced Concrete Buildings

PCA staff will be presenting a special session, U.S. General Services Administration Progressive Collapse Design Guildines Applied to Concrete Moment-Resisting Frame Buildings, on Tuesday, May 25, 2004 at at the Technical Session from 8:30 am—10 am at the Structures Congress and Exposition, May 22-26, 2004 in Nashville, Tennessee. More

Progressive Collapse in Precast Concrete Buildings

This workshop is designed to give engineers the guidance they need to mitigate the damage from the dynamic loading of a blast and prevent progressive collapse of precast and prestressed concrete buildings so that occupants can be evacuated. It will present an overview of current design standards and procedures as well as methodologies for threat assessment. This workshop will take place during PCI Committee Days April 21, 2004 at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, Chicago, Illinois. More