Precast Solutions - September/October 2008 - (Page 25) CONCRETE, FOR A PROSPECTIVE PROJECT? A. At Delta Engineers, we often encourage owners and design engineers to engage in a study phase prior to full design in order to investigate various materials and systems available so that the most appropriate materials are designed into a project. “GREEN” ADVANTAGES (MINIMUM MATERIAL WASTE, RECYCLING OF MATERIALS AND PROCESS WATER, HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, PASSIVE , ENERGY NON-TOXIC, REUSABILITY) DECISIVE FACTORS IN CHOOSING PRECAST OVER OTHER BUILDING SYSTEMS? Q. DO YOU THINK THE CURRENT A. I think there are clear environmental advantages to the use of precast concrete in building construction. In addition to the traits that you listed, precast concrete is typically made by local manufacturers with local labor and materials, which mean fewer delivery miles, lower fuel consumption and economic benefits. LACK OF DESIGN SOFTWARE FOR PRECAST CONCRETE SYSTEMS (AS OPPOSED TO EXISTING SOFTWARE FOR STEEL FRAME CONSTRUCTION) IS THE BIGGEST FACTOR IN SELECTION OF STRUCTURAL STEEL FOR PROJECTS? A. Although I agree that more can be done to provide software tools to make it easier for engineers to design with precast concrete products, I don’t necessarily believe that the lack of software is a significant issue when selecting material for a project. You have to decide based on the merits of the material, not on how easy it is to design or draw. Q. WHAT ARE THE BEST THINGS THE INDUSTRY IS DOING TODAY? A. There are two things that I believe the industry is doing an outstanding job with: 1) Concrete is not always thought of as a high-tech material, but recent advances in chemistry have resulted in extraordinarily high compressive strengths, greater durability and more attractive finishes. 2) The industry has put a much higher emphasis on quality through certification programs and The Tuscany Reserve Bridge project in Naples, Fla., involved the construction of a new fivespan bridge that spans a lake and provides a view of the decorative waterfalls downstream of the bridge. Delta Engineers was responsible for the structural design of the bridge elements, preparation of the precast concrete shop drawings, performance of specialty threshold inspections, and final certification of the bridge. The bridge consists of precast concrete arch elements with five 42-foot spans. The arch spandrel walls and wing walls are constructed from cast-inplace concrete, and the abutments and piers are founded on 18-inch prestressed concrete piles. Q. ARE PRECAST CONCRETE’S employee training/certification. More and more SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008 | PRECAST SOLUTIONS 25
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