ICFs Allow Shows to Go On

A movie complex requires large, straight walls to accommodate screens, soundproofing, and fast construction.  For one developer in Utah, an insulating concrete form (ICF) system met those needs plus more.

For the Megaplex 20 at the District near Salt Lake City, the owner wanted not only the walls between the cinemas to be soundproof, but the structural walls as well.  In addition, the project had a tight time schedule. More.

More ICF building case studies.

For years, ICFs were used almost strictly for residential construction, but not anymore: the method is rapidly gaining popularity in commercial construction. According to the Insulating Concrete Form Association, today approximately one-third of ICF structures are non-residential. More.

PCA Competition Challenges Students to Think Concrete for Sustainable Design

The Portland Cement Association and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) announce the 2008 “Concrete Thinking for A Sustainable World” international student design competition. Sponsored by PCA and administered by ACSA, the contest challenges students to investigate innovative applications of portland cement-based materials to achieve sustainable design objectives. The competition is open to all ACSA-affiliated schools. More.

2007 PCA Student Design Competition Winners Use Concrete Thinking

Entries from the United States and Canada took top honors in 2007 “Concrete Thinking for a Sustainable World” architecture student design competition. More.
View the winners list.

November PPI: Steel Prices Up Sharply

In the wake of four straight monthly declines, steel prices rose a whopping 2.3% from October to November, according to the November Producer Price Index (PPI).

During the same period, asphalt prices decreased 0.3%, concrete increased 0.2%, and lumber declined 2.2% for the third consecutive monthly drop.

Source: Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Concrete is reinforced to give it extra strength; without reinforcement, many concrete buildings wouldn’t be possible. Reinforced concrete can encompass many types of structures and components, including slabs, walls, beams, columns, mats, frames and more. The two main methods for reinforcement are conventional (nonprestressed) and prestressing.

Reinforced concrete is two materials merged together; plain concrete, which is characterized by having high compressive strength but low tensile strength, and steel bars embedded in concrete to provide the needed strength in tension.

PCA offers engineers several technical resources covering the design of different types of structures and structural elements, including books, information sheets, downloadable solved examples, professional development quizzes (to earn continuous education unites) and case studies. Many of these resources are downloadable free of charge from the PCA website. More on reinforced concrete design resources.

PCA Names Novak to Head Building Department

PCA has appointed Lawrence C. Novak SE, SECB, LEED AP, as manager, buildings and special structures. He and his staff will consult with engineers, architects, and contractors to support the use of concrete and cement for buildings, stadiums, environmental, and other structures throughout the United States.

Novak brings to PCA more than 20 years of experience as a structural engineer on some of the world’s most prominent buildings. More.

pcaColumn: beyond just the P-M diagram

The old column P-M diagram that engineers learn in Concrete 101 is usually enough to size and design columns under simple load conditions. But the traditional quadrant of one vertical cut through the full 3-D failure surface is far from giving the engineer the full picture of the column section behavior. Biaxial bending for the full range of axial loads – from maximum compression to maximum tension – is best illustrated by the entire 3-D failure surface. Recently upgraded pcaColumn v4.00 allows you to export internally calculated points from any cut or the full 3-D surface for further processing by third party software. Mathematica was used to generate the 3-D view of the failure surface shown here. To learn more about pcaColumn and to download the fully functional evaluation version click here.

More about software products available from StructurePoint.

Newly Revised Popular Publications

Rectangular Concrete Tanks ( IS003)
This publication presents analysis methods for rectangular tanks containing fluids. It describes the procedure and gives tables of coefficients for moments, shears, and deflections due to uniform and triangular loads.

Simplified Design: Reinforced Concrete Buildings of Moderate Size and Height ( EB104)
This bestseller discusses timesaving analysis, design, and detailing methods for reinforced concrete buildings. Methods presented are applicable to concrete buildings of any size and height, and are particularly economical for heights of one- to seven-stories. Significant guidance is provided for preliminary design and overall structural economy through formwork and reinforcement details.

Additionally, the story advocates “a whole-building approach to design” to maximize the wide range of environmental benefits provided by cement-based materials and highlights several products which contributed to a building’s sustainable design.

The article offers continuing education credits for the design community. Click here to read the article and take the quiz.

Simplified Design of Reinforced Concrete Buildings of Moderate Size and Height

Increase your design efficiency and reduce the time it takes to design small to moderate size buildings by applying the design procedures that you will learn at this seminar in accordance with ACI 318-05, IBC 2006, and ASCE 7-05. More.

Join PCA as a Regional Engineering Manager

PCA is seeking a professional structural engineer (P.E. or S.E.) with analysis, design and construction experience to serve the Eastern U.S. design community by providing technical assistance on high profile projects; perform feasibility studies; conduct seminars; interface with universities, major design firms and practicing structural engineers. More.

• World of Concrete
  January 22-25, 2008, Las Vegas, Nev.
  Click here to get free registration.
  Click here for a digital brochure.

• Manufactured Concrete Products Expo
  February 7-9, 2008, Denver, Colo.

• ACI Spring Convention
  March 30 – April 3, Los Angeles, Calif.

• 2008 Structures Congress
  April 24-26, 2008, Vancouver, Canada

• Concrete Bridge Conference
  May 4-6, 2008, St. Louis, Mo.