Early in 2004, Gary Williams of SunCal Companies contacted Commercial Shotcrete, Inc. (CSI), to assist him with the design of a bridge for a project his organization was developing in Indio, CA, called Terra Lago
Overhead Shotcrete
When you say overhead, people invariably think of fixed costs, salaries, and the general costs of running a business.
Art, Animals, and Architecture: Shotcrete Builds National Aquarium in Baltimore
It has been widely known for several decades that shotcrete is an ideal material for constructing naturalistic habitats for animals. When fresh concrete is freed from the constraining requirements of a rigid form, it can be shaped and carved in much the same way a sculptor handles clay or a piece of marble, but on a dimensional scale that is only limited by money or imagination. Shotcrete is also an incredibly versatile building material, which means it can serve many purposes on a project that ambitiously demands the blending of architecture, engineering, and aesthetic innovation.
America™s National Aquarium is located in Baltimore, MD. The designers for the recent Pier 3 Expansion project aspired to replicate the water-shed forest of rural Maryland and, in contrast, the
Quality Management of Shotcrete in North America
As for all construction materials, a proper program of quality management should be implemented in shotcrete construction to protect the owner™s investment. This article briefly examines typical shotcrete Quality Management (QM) practice in North America. QM can be considered to be comprised of Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) functions.
Advantages of Using Shotcrete for Arch Culverts
A rich structures have been used in various forms of construction for thousands of years. The earliest arch structures date back to ancient times when crude arch prototypes were constructed by building a corbelled arch in which projecting elements from a wall rose in steps to meet at the center. The Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all used the arch for various types of structures, including sewers, aqueducts, bridges, and ornamental architectural buildings such as palaces and churches. The fact that many of these ancient structures are still standing today is a testament to the durability and structural integrity of this design. Fast-forward 2000 years to modern construction practices, and the beneï¬ts of the arch design are still as valuable, relevant, and practical as ever.
Various Uses for Arch Culverts
Among the many modern-day uses of arch culverts are culverts, storm drains, bridges, cut and cover tunnels, pedestrian and equestrian underpasses, golf cart crossings, underground vaults and reservoirs, and environmentally sensitive wash-crossing structures. These types of crossings can be constructed on spread footings and without concrete inverts, thereby maintaining the natural integrity of the wash bed. Detailed engineering studies have veriï¬ed that arch culverts will have a similar life cycle to comparably reinforced concrete box culverts.
Beneï¬ts of Arch Culverts
The advantages of using shotcrete arch culverts over traditional formed and poured concrete box culverts, concrete pipe, and corrugated metal pipe are as follows.
Washington State’s Capitol Seismic Repair
Washington State’s Capitol Seismic Upgrade will surely rank as one of the top restoration projects of this decade and shotcrete proved to be essential to its success. As with most complex rehabilitations, many of the hurdles faced arose after the project had begun. The ability of the contractors, engineers, and architects working together to overcome these issues proved once again to be the crucial factor in the success of the project.
Shotcrete Foundation Walls at the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC
The National Portrait Gallery, located on the campus of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, is one of the oldest government buildings in that historic city. It was the original location for the U.S. Patent Office and it was used as the site of the inaugural ball celebrating the election of Abraham Lincoln in January 1861. When a recent renovation and expansion project was started on the building, shotcrete was selected as the material of choice
The Jardin Zoologique Project Experience
An extension to the Quebec City Zoo in Quebec City, Canada, will incorporate over 100 acres of new landscaping that will house more than 500 animal species from five different continents. The Jardin Zoologique construction project will host a new zoological garden that will be used to exhibit a spectacular expansion of its bird collection as well as an accentuation and harmonization of its horticultural infrastructures. The architects on the project (a European and Quebec collaboration) are specialists in the field of architectural shotcrete and were asked to investigate various available options for the design of the architectural exhibits of this important new zoo expansion. Atelier Artistique du Béton
Concrete Domes- A Flexible Building Solution for the 21st Century
Although concrete domes have been around for a long time, they are still sometimes considered as unique or unusual structures. Insulated concrete domes have been built for a multitude of uses for many years throughout the world. An interest in concrete domes for architectural applications, however, has not been as great as for industrial domes, but that is changing. Domes provide tangible beneï¬ts”safety, durability, and economy”features which are desirable in all structures no matter what their shape. So why are domes now becoming the shape of the future?
Architectural Shotcrete for Residential and Commercial Development
Architectural shotcrete can be used to enhance the environment of almost any type of project, from backyard pool areas and dramatic rock and water entry features to world-class theme parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios. The versatility, strength, and durability of shotcrete can be combined with the natural appearance of rockwork to make a visually pleasing structure in a natural setting.
The use of shotcrete to create natural looking rockwork originated more than three decades ago. One of the earliest uses was in the creation of artiï¬cial boulders for use in museum exhibits in the Southwest. This type of work then evolved into the creation of rock and water features for residential swimming pools to enhance the surrounding hardscape with natural looking, sculpted rock features.
In residential applications, skilled craftsmen work alongside the shotcrete crew while the pool shell is constructed. Depending on the size of the feature, a steel mat is tied into the reinforcing cage of the pool using No. 3 reinforcing bar at 6 in. (15 cm) on center. As the pool is shotcreted, a mound in the rough shape of the feature to be constructed is shot simultaneously. This mound can then be shaped and sculpted by the rock crew until the desired shape and form is achieved. Once that is accomplished, the shotcrete is slick- toweled and then covered with the necessary material used to give the shotcrete a texture similar to natural stone.
Because of the structural characteristics of shotcrete and the natural look of sculpted rock, the project possibilities are endless. This has opened the door to projects incorporating caves, playgrounds, slides, and retaining walls in both residential and commercial settings. As these features become larger and more complex, the structural aspect becomes more signiï¬cant. Structural ledges and overhangs can be con-structed so that water flows over, but can be walked under. Caves can be constructed within the rockwork so that pumping equipment can be housed, protected, and hidden. This type of feature can be constructed by using No. 3 rein-forcing bar at 6 in. (15 cm) on center. A heavy metal lath is placed on the underside of the