Construction of Brayton Point Cooling Tower uses Precast Concrete

Construction is under way on two massive 500-foot cooling towers at Dominion Energy’s Brayton Point Power Station in Somerset, MA. These cooling towers are aimed at eliminating the environmental impact of heated water released into Mount Hope Bay by the plant.
Unistress’ portion of the overall $500 million dollar project is to provide the first 30 feet of the 500-foot towers. They are supplying 88 precast columns and 88 lintel beams for two new closed loop cooling towers.

2010 PCI Design Awards Under Way

The annual PCI Design Awards competition is under way for 2010 and now is the time to submit your project for consideration. For 48 years, the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute has recognized outstanding projects for excellence in design and construction quality using precast/prestressed concrete.
The two principal award categories are Buildings and Transportation Structures. There are also three special award categories: Best Sustainable Design, Best All-Precast Structure, and the prestigious Harry H. Edwards Award for Innovation. There is NO FEE to enter. Entries must be submitted by the project's architect or engineer of record by May 21, 2010. All entries must be submitted electronically at www.pcidesignawards.org/2010

PCINE Bridge Technical Committee News

Bridge Technical Committee Visits Dailey Precast and Views the First NEXT Beam

Over 100 people visited Dailey Precast during a series of open houses on February 24, 25 and 26 to view the first NEXT beam. Members (shown in photo) of the PCINE Bridge Techncial Committee visited the plant on March 4. The Northeast Extreme Tee, or NEXT beam, was developed by the PCI Northeast Bridge Technical Committee for use on accelerated bridge construction projects. The first bridge to use the new beam is a 510-foot, seven span prestressed concrete bridge in York, Maine.

Precast FAQ Corner

Q: What percentage of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) are used in manufacturing precast concrete that contributes towards LEED Credits MR 4.1 and 4.2?

A: Fly ash, slag and silica fume (SCMs ) that would otherwise go to landfills as an industrial waste by-product can be incorporated into concrete mixes and reduce the amount of cement needed as a binder. SCMs can improve concrete's fresh properties as well as its strength and durability. When planning on using SCMs it is best to consult with a precast producer to finalize the percentage. The maximum allowable dose will vary based upon the producer's product line. This chart will provide some additional guidance:

      Fly Ash:
        - From coal-fired electrical power plants
        - Reference ASTM C 618
        - Recommended Maximum Replace- 20%

      Blast Furnace slag:
        - From steel manufacturing
        - Reference ASTM C 989
        - Recommended Maximum Replace- 20%

     Silica fume:
        - From silicone manufacturing
        - Reference ASTM C 1240
        - Recommended Maximum Replace- 10%

Basic Prestressed Concrete Design One Day Class

The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute Northeast (PCINE) will offer a one day class on Basic Prestressed Concrete Design. The class is geared toward professionals who have not completed a college-level course on prestressed concrete design but have a basic understanding of reinforced concrete design.

Date: April 28, 2010
Location: Branford, CT

Register and learn more at www.pcine.org/seminars

You are Invited to a Free Seminar on Sustainable Design and Construction-June 2, 2010, Washington, DC

Join us for a full day of exciting education. The course will cover design and construction approaches that lead to successful projects, including design-build, integrated design, and sustainable design. Concepts will be highlighted via two case studies of local projects. Attendees will gain insight from different viewpoints as the architects, owners, developers, and contractors present on each project.
This seminar also includes a special presentation on life-cycle assessment and the potential role it can play in sustainable design. Register today!

In this issue:

• Construction of Brayton Point Cooling Tower uses Precast Concrete
• 2010 PCI Design Awards Under Way
• PCINE Bridge Technical Committee News
• Precast FAQ Corner
• Basic Prestressed Concrete Design One Day Class
• You are Invited to a Free Seminar on Sustainable Design and Construction-June 2, 2010, Washington, DC

Education:

PCI is a Registered Provider of AIA learning units and Professional Development Hours.

Featured Presentation Sustainable Design using Precast Prestressed Concrete.
Approved for 1.0 AIA HSW SD credit.

If you are interested in scheduling a lunch seminar, please contact us. A current list of programs can be found on our continuing education page.

Calendar:

• 2010 FHWA Bridge Engineering Conference: Highways for LIFE and Accelerated Bridge Construction - Apr. 8-9 2010
• AIA/CES/PDH Workshop & Exhibits: Innovate-Build-Sustain- Apr. 14, 2010
• 2010 International fib Congress and PCI Annual Convention and Bridge Conference - May 28 - June 2, 2010

Downloadable Design Aids:

• Bridge Design Guidelines
• Maintenance Manual for Precast Prestressed Concrete Parking Structures
• Recommend Practice for Design of Precast Prestressed Concrete Parking Structures
• Sustainable Design Designers Notebook

Complete list at www.pcine.org/resources

Find a Producer:

Please contact a local producer if your firm needs help with budgets or design support, or if you are interested in a precast plant tour.

• Blakeslee Prestress, Inc.
• Coreslab Structures (Conn) Inc.
• Dailey Precast, LLC
• Fort Miller Co. Inc.
• J.P. Carrara & Sons, Inc.
• Newstress Inc.
• Oldcastle Precast Building Systems
• Strescon Limited
• Unistress Corporation
• Vynorius Prestress Inc.

Visit our Producer Directory

PCI Committee Meetings:

• Zone 5 Meeting
  March 25, 2010, Albany, NY
  Register at www.pci.org

• PCINE Bridge Tech. Committee Meeting
  April 13, 2010, 10:00 a–3:00 p
  Publick House, Sturbridge, MA