Innovations E-Newsletter

Innovative Slab System used for Fab 2 Project, Malta, NY

GLOBALFOUNDRIES pushed precast concrete to the limit in order to meet the various unique requirements for building a complex, high tech, facility that will be the shining star of semi-conductor manufacturing.

PCINE Launches redesign of web site

Offering viewers added value thru our easy site navigation and quick links; videos; online webinars; expanded project gallery, resources and sustainability sections; and helpful tools to assist you in getting your answers on precast concrete.

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. The two principal award categories are Buildings and Transportation Structures. There is NO FEE to enter. Entries must be submitted by the project's architect or engineer of record by May 21, 2010.

PCI Webinar

Learn and earn—from the comfort of your own chair. PCI webinars are presented live each month by industry experts on a variety of topics, from design and construction to sustainability and more. Register today and learn more.

Free PCI Sustainable Design and Construction Seminar June 2, 2010 Washington, DC

Join us for a full day of exciting education covering design and construction approaches that lead to successful projects, including design-build, integrated design, and sustainable design. Gain insight from different viewpoints as the architects, owners, developers and contractors present on each project. A special presentation on life-cycle assessment and the potential role it can play in sustainable design.

Queens Blvd. NEXT beam project bid in New York

The first Northeast Extreme Tee (NEXT) beam bridge project for NYS Department of Transportation was recently bid. The Queens Blvd . Bridge over the Van Wyck Expressway in Queens, N.Y. will expand the number of lanes on the bridge and bring it in line with geometric and operational improvements to the expressway. The bridge, one of four being replaced along the expressway, will feature a two-span design incorporating 114 NEXT beams.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can precast concrete members be reused?

  A.  Precast concrete members are unique in that they are individually engineered products that can be disassembled. Designers can easily plan future additions to buildings, because the precast concrete components can be rearranged. Once removed, precast concrete members may be reused in other applications.

Precast concrete is also friendly to downcycling, in which building materials are broken down, because it comes apart with a minimum amount of energy and retains its original qualities. An example of downcycling would be the use of crushed precast concrete as aggregate in new concrete or as base materials for roads, sidewalks, or concrete slabs.

Photo: Project in Maine where building was deconstructed piece by piece.