Highlights of Recent Projects

F
eatured in this section are brief design and construction descriptions of several recent projects using interesting applications of precast and prestressed concrete. These projects include a variety of buildings, bridges and special structures ranging from a single-family residence to long-span overpasses. The various examples show the versatility of precast/prestressed concrete by which functional, esthetic and economical structures can be built. *****

Precast Prestressed Gymnasium Built to Resist Typhoons ......... 120 Precast Panels Form 5 Million Gallon Water Tank .............. 122 Architectural Precast Panels Clothe College Building ............ 125 Precast Wall Panels Give Gymnasium "Classic" Look ............ 126 Hollow-Core Slabs Form Attractive, Spacious Home ............ 127 Prestressed Girders Blend Well With Bascule Bridge ............. 128 Segmental AASHTO Standard Beams Increase Bridge Span ........ 130 Precast Trapezoidal Girders Spliced With Post-Tensioning forHighway Underpass ............................. 132 Prestressed I-Girders in Two Washington State Bridges ........... 134

Precast Prestressed Gymnasium

Precast concrete fin walls were used very effectively to protect the metal louvers that funnel trade winds through a prestressed concrete gymnasium in Guam from possible damage caused by typhoons.

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Built to Resist Typhoons

T
he combination of precast panels, precast prestressed slabs and post-tensioned beams provided an economical solution for the NCS Gymnasium in Guam, the Mariana Islands. Because Guam is periodically subject to typhoons (or hurricanes) with wind velocities up to or greater than 155 mph (250 km/hr), the 18,300 sq ft (1700 m2) gymnasium was designed with concrete fin wall panels to protect the metal louvers which catch the trade winds to ventilate the building. During a typhoon, severe damage can result from flying objects. The fins also create a pleasing pattern along the sides of the gymnasium. The upper, solid panels of the walls are architectural precast concrete also, and the roof is constructed from precast post-tensioned beams and precast prestressed roof slabs. A total of 163 precast components were used: 104 roof slabs, 4 in. x 8 ft (102 mm x 2.4 m), lengths from 15 to 22 ft (4.5 to 6.7 m). 5 post-tensioned beams, 12 in. (305 mm) thick x 86 ft (26.2 m), 5 ft (1.5 m) high at midspan, tapered to 2 ft 8 in. (0.8 m) at the ends for roof drainage. PCI JOURNAL/March-April 1980 11 wall panels, 6 in. thick x 17 ft wide x 12 ft high (152 mm x 5.2 mx3.7m). 43 window/fin wall panels, wedge shape, 4 in. thick x 4 ft wide at widest x 10 ft high (102 mm x 1.2 mx3.0m). A major factor which led to the choice of precast concrete for the gymnasium was the 30-ft (9.1 m) height of the gymnasium: precasting cut construction cost and time. Other factors which made precast concrete desirable were its resistance to corrosion and insect attack, both significant problems on the island. The exterior was finished with a cement glaze coating for ease of maintenance. The gymnasium was completed in September, 1979.

Credits
Architect: Kenneth Lee, Ken Lee AIA & Associates, Tamuning, Guam. Structural Engineer: H. Hsia & Associates, Inc., Agana, Guam. General Contractor: Black Construction Corporation, Tumon, Guam. Owner: Department of the Navy. Administered by Officer in Charge of Construction, Marianas, Pacific Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, FPO San Francisco, California. 121

?29.

Precast Panels Form 5 Million Gallon Water Tank

Forty precast prestressed concrete wall panels, post-tensioned together, form a 5 million gallon (19,000 m3 ) water storage reservoir with an interesting architectural treatment of the exterior.
flat, open landscape B ecause of thewas designedthis be as around Lubbock, Texas, water storage reservoir to attractive as possible from all directions. To do this, the vertically pretensioned wall panels were cast with vertical ribs; horizontal bands at about 5 ft (1.5 m) intervals interrupt the ribs. The 40 wall panels are 12 ft 4 in. wide by 35 ft 8 in. high (3.8 x 10.9 m). The inside diameter is 158 ft (48.2 m), floor area is 20,500 sq ft (1900 m2), and vol122 ume under the dome is 930,600 cu ft (26,355 m3 ). The height to dome apex is 53 ft 10 in. (16.4 m); water level height is 24 ff6 in. (7.5 m). The wall panels were pretensioned vertically by a combination of the "stack cast" method and the "boot strap" pretensioning bench. Using the stack cast method, panel handling equipment is not required at the site during the casting of the complete project. A pretensioning bench, 3 in. (76 mm)

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last layer cast prior to stressing the next layer. This assured the overturning moments and thrust of the strands of one layer only were applied to the bench at any given time. The panels were removed from the pretensioning bench and erected directly in the tank by the use of a truck crane. After casting the vertical joints between panels, the structure was horizontally prestressed in bands by conventional methods. Finally, the horizontal pre123

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stressing bands were encased in concrete producing the attractive horizontal circular bands that contrast with the vertical pretensioned ribs. The vertical ribs provided the strength to resist secondary moments created by the concentration of the horizontal circumferential prestressing and by differential temperature and dryness effects between the inside and outside faces of the wall. The rib effect was formed by boxes or cutouts placed in the casting bed. The thickness of the wall at the ribs was a constant 10 in. (0.83 m); wall panel thickness ranged from 10 in. (0.83 m) below grade to 4 in. (102 mm) at the top of the wall. The horizontal bands were a case of "form follows function." After erection of the wall panels by crane, the wall was prestressed around the circumference. The high strength prestressing tendons were applied at intervals around the wall. When they had been encased in high strength mortar, the result was the horizontal bands which help create the

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attractive architectural treatment of the tank exterior. In conclusion, the owner was able to achieve beauty for little, if any, additional cost for the water tank and yet retained the engineering and performance advantages of prestressed concrete construction. The structure has been in service, functioning very well, for over two years now and has become an attractive

landmark as one approaches the City of Lubbock. Credits

Architect and General Contractor: Natgun Corporation, Wakefield, Massachusetts (Francis X. Crowley, Project Architect). Engineer: Guy Wilson, City Engineer, Lubbock, Texas. Owner: City of Lubbock, Texas.

Architectural Precast Panels Clothe College Building

classroom/office the Miami-Dade Community A Kassewitz The 28,000 sq ft building forbuilding, which was completedCollege in 1979, South Campus. (2600 m 2 ) total of 121 architectural precast concrete panels were used to clad the Jack uses 75 6-ft x 10-ft x 5-in. (1.83 x 3.05 x 0.13 m) curtain wall panels and 46 9-ft x 8-ft x 5-in. (2.74 x 2.44 x 0.13 m) panels as solar shades. Exposed aggregate was utilized effectively for both the curtain wall and solar shade panels.

Architect/Engineer: Ferendino/Grafton/Spills/Candela, Coral Gables, Florida. (Hilario F. Candela, Partner-in-Charge.) Contractor: Shafer & Miller, Inc., South Miami, Florida. Architectural Precast Concrete Manufacturer: Lonestar Florida, Inc./Stresscon, Hialeah, Florida. Owner: Miami-Dade Community College Board of Trustees, Miami, Florida. PCI JOURNAL/March-April 1980

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Precast Wall Panels Give Gymnasium "Classic" Look

Loadbearing architectural precast wall panels with stylized cornice openings give new recreation center an exterior which harmonizes with the classical style of existing campus buildings.
he sports and activity center TColorado Springs school usedforxthe 8 22 ft (2.4 which are loadbearing except at the ends of the gymnasium, where expansion may take place. The prestressed double tees which permitted the necessary long free spans inside the gymnasium were left exposed. The structure has been functioning with total satisfaction since 1978.

x 6.7 m) precast architectural wall panels effectively and economically to achieve an exterior treatment which is a stylized version of existing campus architecture. The 12,200 sq ft (1135 m2) recreation center also includes 24-in. (51 mm) double tees for the roof. Cylindrical concrete columns and pilasters, precast wall panels with stylized cornice openings, fascia panels, and a color coating were used to visually tie the new building to a neighboring building, the "Petit Trianon," a cut stone building with balustrades, pilasters, and cornices, modeled after the Trianon in France. Custom designed fiberglass forms were used to achieve the desired relief when casting the wall panels,

Credits
Owner: The Colorado Springs School, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Architects: Michael H. Collins, Architect, Inc., and John James Wallace & Associates, Colorado Springs. Structural Engineer: Morgan & Associates, Colorado Springs. General Contractor: Eller Construction, Inc., Colorado Springs. Precast Concrete Manufacturer: Stresscon Corporation, Colorado Springs.

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Hollow-Core Slabs Form Attractive, Spacious Home

A total of 90 precast concrete elements were used by the architect who designed and built this house for his own domicile in Enterprise, Florida.

he structural strength of precast prestressed hollow-core slabs allowed the architect/owner of this house to have a spacious interior, exterior decks and walkways, and a roof strong enough for use as a water collection basin for cistern recharge, with the capability of supporting solar collectors if desired. The house, garage and storage areas comprise 4094 sq ft (380 m 2). A total of 82 6-in. x 3-ft 4-in. (0.15 x 1.02 m) hollow-core slabs were used, with lengths of 13 ft 4 in., 18 ft or 22 ft (4.06, 5.49, or 6.71 m). The remaining precast concrete elements were 8 lintels, of lengths between 6 ft and 17 ft 4 in. (1.83 and 5.28 m). Perhaps the most striking aspect of this attractive house is the use of rectilinear components to achieve a nonrectilinear structure. The angles were formed by cutting the prestressed slabs at 45-deg angles. Both pieces of the cut PCI JOURNAL/March-April 1980

slabs were used, providing optimum eff iciency of materials. The structure is fire resistant and impervious to insect attack. Urethane spray insulation is applied directly to roof slabs. The house was completed in September, 1979. The architect/owner, familiar with the inherent advantages of precast, prestressed concrete, has used it to create a top quality, maintenance free structure.

Credits
Owner, Architect, and General Contractor: Gerald R. Gross, Gerald R. Gross & Associates, Enterprise, Flordia. Precast Concrete Manufacturer: HDW Houdaille, Orlando, Florida.
Note: Another interesting building (a small office/ shop) designed by the same architect and also using hollow-core construction was described in the May-June 1979 PCI JOURNAL, pp. 130-133.

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Prestressed Girders Blend Well With Bascule Bridge

The use of 70-in. (1.8 m) deep precast prestressed concrete girders provided an economical solution for a bridge over a ship canal in Wisconsin with an overall length of 1732 ft (528 m).
he Sturgeon Bay Bridge, crossing a ship canal, is a combination of prestressed girder spans with a concrete slab and a steel bascule unit with open grid flooring. The overpass carries State Trunk Highways 42 and 57 over the canal at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The greatest single advantage to using prestressed concrete at this site was economic. It is estimated that a savings of at least 10 percent was realized by using concrete girders. Since any material would require erection from barges, concrete girders offered the simplest solution. They could be set directly on the piers and did not require the additional supporting equipment that would have been necessary if splices were needed.

Fabrication of the beams was fast and efficient, requiring a minimum amount of construction time for the superstructure. The end result was a bridge that was economical to build and one that should provide many years of minimum maintenance service. There are a total of 13 spans in the bridge. Of the ten prestressed girder spans, three are 114 ft (34.7 m) long and seven are 120 ft (36.6 m) long. The bascule unit is 550 ft (168 m) long, which gives an overall bridge length of 1732 ft (528 m). The bridge has a 34-ft (10.4 m) roadway and a 7-ft (2.1 m) pedestrian-bicycle area separated from the roadway by a concrete traffic barrier. The overall width of the bridge is 45 ft 11 in. (14 m).

Segmental AASHTO Standard Beams Increase Bridge Span

Precast segmental AASHTO Type IV Beams were used very effectively with post-tensioning to increase the span of an overpass in Florida.
recast segmental AASHTO Type IV Beams, post-tensioned together, formed a two-span continuous overpass at 127 ft (39 m) per span, comprising a total length of 254 ft (77.5 m). The bridge was located on Chipola Nursery Road over 1-10 in Marianna, Florida. Four segments per beam were used: two at 52 ft (16 m) and two at 72 ft (22 m). Five lines of beams at 8 ft 3 in. (2.6 m) centers were required. The beam height is 4 ft 6 in. (1.4 m). The following major features were incorporated in the overpass.

AASHTO Type IV Beams were used efficiently to increase the design span by 30 percent for this size girder. Unequal segments were utilized to move temporary supports clear of fast interstate traffic during construction. Shoulder piers were eliminated for safer more graceful appearance. The relatively lightweight segments were easily transported to the site by truck set up in place on temporary supports. The beams were then post-ten-

Sixty prestressed girders, 70 in. (1.8 the total number of strands required as m) deep, constitute the framing for the compared to normal stress-relieved concrete spans. The 70-in. I-girder has a strands. This bridge illustrates the way that two 2-ft 6-in. (0.76 m) top flange, 6-in. (152 mm) web, and 2-ft 2-in. (0.66 m) bottom different materials can be blended to provide the most economical structure. flange. The use of this special 70-in. (1.8 m) The steel bascule span satisfies the prestressed girder section provided the navigation requirements while the preopportunity for prestressed concrete to stressed girder spans provide overall be an economical solution to the cross- economy and a minimum maintenance ing of this ship canal. This girder sec- bridge. The girder spans are comtion was developed several years ago to plemented by the massive concrete bascule piers. extend the use of prestressed concrete The bridge was completed and beyond the 100-ft (30.5 m) span range opened to traffic in the spring of 1978 in Wisconsin. The 70-in. (1.8 m) girder and for the last couple of years has been weighs the same amount per foot as the AASHTO 54-in. (1.4 m) girder and the operating with total satisfaction. allowable span length is increased from Credits 100 ft (30.5 m) with the 54-in. (1.4 m) Design Engineer: Bridge Section, Wisconsin girder to 130 ft (39.6 m) with the 70-in. Division of Highways, Department of girder. Transportation, State of Wisconsin, MadiThis extra span length allowed the deson. (Chief Bridge Engineer: William A. signer an economical concrete structure. Kline). The girders were designed as continuGeneral Contractor: Lunda Construction ous beams for live load. This allowed the Company, Black River Falls, Wisconsin. elimination of one line of girders Precast Concrete Manufacturer: F. Hurlbut throughout the seven 120-ft (36.6 m) Company, Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Genspans. An added savings was realized eral Manager: Vishnu Joshi). through the use of low-relaxation strands, which reduced by 15 percent Owner: State of Wisconsin. PCI JOURNAL/March-April 1980 129

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sioned into a two-span continuous structure after concrete in the slab and openings between segments had been placed and properly cured. The segments were prestressed only for the dead load of beam and slab in the prestressing yard. on completion of the segment placement and the slab having been cast, the we re and threaded through the entire length of bridge. Anchor plates were set and the tendons stressed. Each tendon, comprised of thirty %-in. (13 mm) diameter

strands, was stressed with a 500-ton ram. Two tendons were required for each beam. The jacking force on each tendon was 960 kips. The overpass was completed in July 1979.
Engineer-Owner: Florida Department of Transportation, Design-Structures, Tallahassee, Florida, Contractor: Morris-Shea Construction Company, Birmingham, A,abama. Precast Concrete Manufacturer: Southern Prestressed Concrete, Inc., Tallahassee, Florida.

PC1 JOURNAUMarch-April 1980

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tendons were cast into the girders with the proper profile. At the bridge site, the segments were erected on temporary bents (see diagram) and the post-tensioning tendons were pulled through the ducts. Post-tensioning anchorages and end block reinforcement were located in the cast-inplace end diaphragms. Because of the single column pier at the bridge midpoint, the solid portion over the pier was also post-tensioned transversely (see diagram). After placing concrete in the deck slabs, and the solid portion over the pier, the post-tensioning tendons were stressed and grouted and the bridge completed.

The use of p r e c a s t segments minimized the need for falsework and enabled construction to proceed with a minimum disruption of traffic, without requiring additional clearance height for falsework. Construction time was also reduced. The bridge has been in service for just over a year.

credits
Owner and Engineer: Structural Office, Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Downsview, Ontario, General Contractor: Armbro Materials & Construction ~ t d .Brampton, Ontario. , Prestressed Concrete Manufacturer: Precon Ltd., Brampton, Ontario.

Closeup of West Prosser Interchange. Washington State 100 series prestressed I-girders were used.

Prestressed I-Girders in Two Washington State Bridges

Two-span highway bridge (West Prosser Interchange). Note that exposed aggregate wing walls were designed to blend with environment.

Closeup of Chelan River Bridge showing exposed aggregate abutment.

These two Washington State bridges (one located in the countryside and the other in an urban setting) illustrate the versatility of standard precast prestressed I-girders.

ymmetry of design allowed two The "frame" around the exposed Washington State bridges to be aggregate finish in the wing walls gives built using standard precast, prestressed an appearance of supports with end concrete I-girders, helping to hold down cantilevers. Exposed aggregate finish in design time and construction costs. The the wing wall panels was chosen to tie minimal use of falsework was also an the bridge to its surroundings. The douadvantage in both cases. Each bridge ble column support in the roadway mecontains seven I-girders per span. dian recedes within the shadow of the a The two-span bridge at a highway superstructure, so the clean horizontal interchange near Prosser, Washington, lines of the girders stand out. used the Washington State 100 series a The four-span bridge over the girders, cast at 101 ft 1 1 in. (31.3m). Chelan River, 540 ft (165 m) long, used Continuity at the intermediate pier in- 135 ft ( 1.I m) Washington State 120 4 creased the ultimate load capacity of the Series I-girders. Because of the depth of girders. Wing walls at each end shorten the water at the bridge site, building the span lengths. The total bridge length without falsework meant considerable is 210 ft (64m). economy. This bridge also uses an ex-