Concrete Saves Seattle Views

The $43-million Waterfront Marriott Hotel is a key component of Seattle's downtown revitalization plan and its goal of inviting back the public to the Port of Seattle as a place to live, work, and play.

The design team identified cast-in-place concrete as the only floor system that could meet the floor height limit and squeeze the required number of above grade levels to make the project feasible. A post-tensioned 7-inch-thick flat plate provided an economical structural system that achieved the necessary floor-to-floor clearance without blocking the park views. Approximately 17,000 cubic yards of concrete later, this durable concrete project was completed in 18 months and contributed to Seattle’s economic and cultural vitality. More.

Today business and vacation travelers are back, and the hospitality industry is nearly recovered from the effects of 9/11. Developers in every major city are employing the flexibility of concrete-framed buildings to combine a myriad of concepts and amenities in hotel and resort design. Hotel owners chose concrete floors for the inherent durability, security, and fire resistance while offering unobstructed floor-to-ceiling views between the floor plates. To read more case studies, click here.

According to the June Producer Price Index, lumber prices grew 2.5% in the month of June. Steel mill products dropped 2.5% but remain very high, while concrete products and asphalt both dropped 0.2%.

Compared to January 2004, steel prices are 35% higher and concrete is 12% higher. Lumber and asphalt are 10% and 9% higher respectively.

The source of these data is the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

San Diego Hosts SEAOC Convention and Expo

The Structural Engineers Association of San Diego will honor SEAOC’s 75th Anniversary by hosting the 2005 Annual Convention (Sept. 28 - Oct. 1). The convention is structured to provide a balance of technical programs and information. The technical program will include presentations on the flat slabs, hybrid frames, and tilt-up walls. The meeting will feature a joint exhibit "concrete alley" where technical literature and software of PCA, CRSI, PCMAC, SCRMCA, and CNCPC will be available. More.

2005 Tri-Service Infrastructure Systems Conference and Exhibition

The conference, in St. Louis, Mo., on August 1-4 is an opportunity to exchange ideas and knowledge within the technical community and includes representatives from the DoD services, other agencies, and the private sector. It will consist of a plenary session on general engineering and construction topics followed by multi-disciplinary break-out workshops. The conference will feature a joint exhibit of PCA's public works, buildings, bridges, and residential programs. Join us for a presentation of a recent PCA study on progressive collapse analysis of concrete-framed buildings. More.

New Engineers Tackle Assembling Loads

The concept of loads acting on a member and the closely related concept of load paths are two of the most critical, and sometimes abstract, ideas junior engineers must grasp. Without attempting to prioritize the relative importance of structural concepts, the new Novice Series published in Concrete International begins with an article addressing this often-trivialized step in design.

“The reality is that many academic programs may not have adequate time to devote to this abstract topic. While most "working stress" era engineers went straight from analysis to design, their fledgling colleagues spent additional time on the concepts of strength and probability. This disconnect widens the gap for passing information from mentor to mentee, because they may not even be communicating in the same engineering dialect.” Summarizing the thought process as an engineer considers load, this article helps bridge the gap between academics and the design workplace. To read the article, click here.

Durability Web Site Launched

Concrete durability is one of the most important considerations in the design of new structures and when assessing the condition of existing structures. PCA’s Durability Web site provides the following resources to assist designers, specifiers, contractors, and educators: (1) Basic information on all durability topics, (2) Test methods, (3) Collection of publications including PCA research reports, (4) PowerPoint presentations and images, and (5) Links to other websites and resources on durable concrete.

Click here for the Durability Web site.

NEW! Specifier's Guide to Durable Concrete

This new publication is an instructional guide and basic reference for those responsible for writing and implementing concrete specifications. It covers the basic concepts of concrete technology as it relates to durability, and is intended to be a companion and supplement to Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures. It provides sufficient information to allow the practitioner to select materials and mix design parameters to achieve durable concrete in a variety of environments. It also warns the user when expert help is needed. Click here for more information or to purchase.

Upgraded pcaSlab and pcaBeam Offer New Time-Saving Capabilities

The new pcaSlab version 1.5 is even more efficient in helping engineers analyze, design, and investigate reinforced concrete floor systems. Like its predecessor ADOSS, pcaSlab now analyzes beams, one-way slab systems, and two-way slab systems. This new version incorporates torsion into shear design and investigation of beams allowing engineers to achieve more economical cross sections where coupled torsion and shear conditions occur. Additional savings in both material and labor can be achieved using the new moment redistribution feature. It allows up to 20% reduction of negative moments over supports reducing reinforcement congestions in these regions.

Also upgraded is pcaBean that includes only beam and one-way slab system capabilities and is available as a limited version of pcaSlab. More.

Visit pcaStructurePoint.com to download your evaluation copy.

ACI 318-05 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary

This most recent edition of the ACI Building Code includes revisions to the 2002 edition. It provides minimum requirements for the design and construction of reinforced concrete structural elements. Written in such format that it may be adopted by reference in a general building code, the 22 chapters and 4 appendices include the latest revisions on a variety of topics. This publication is the most sought-after and most used structural design code. The third edition of the International Building Code (IBC 2006) will adopt ACI 318-05 by reference. More.

Coming Fall 2005— ACI/PCA One-Day Seminars on Changes in the ACI 318-05 Building Code

Attend this seminar to learn the new Code provisions and how to implement them correctly in your day-to-day work. Instructors that served on the ACI Committee that produced the Code will explain each change, why it was made, and what it means to you as a designer and specifier of structural concrete. A portion of the day will be set aside to discuss Appendix D, Anchoring to Concrete, and answer many of your questions. Easy-to-understand instructors will work through several design examples to illustrate applications of the new Code provisions.

With 47 seminars scheduled, you’re sure to find a seminar near you! More.