Parking Garage 03-04-2010

Quick observations on the Parking Garage.

Above: Site Progress as of 2:30 pm

I noticed waterproofing had begun two weeks ago then abruptly stopped. After paying closer attention to the area that had been completed (below left) I came up with a possible reason why work had stopped. The waterproofing had been added to the precast wall and beam members from the ground floor to the top. I thought it was odd that they would coat the architectural grade precast, but pushed the thought out of my mind and figured they were running exterior stone to the top.

Today the waterproofing resumed on the other precast wall, only it remained only on the precast concrete walls and NOT on the architectural precast. Hence, lesson learned. Confirm area to be waterproofed before allowing sub to execute work. The waterproofing was delayed at least two weeks, which could be due to inclement weather, or due to the error in coverage which led to time being used to find a solution. Notice the waterproofing on either side of the precast wall at the lower-right. I think there was some sort of chemical product used to remove the waterproofing. I would be interested to learn how the issue was trully resolved.

Above: Bituminous waterproofing error

Containerized Disaster Relief Housing

A couple of years ago I did a competition for emergency housing relief. The central idea was What if a Katrina-like storm surged on the coast of New York City. I put this small proposal together after work and on weekends, submitting it just for fun. A couple of weeks later I got an email that I had gotten an honorable mention for my proposal. In light of the current situation in Haiti, I think this proposal is even appropriate for any disaster relief situation.

The structure is composed of a variety of functional containers. A commercial or community space sits at the ground level. The roof level is composed of half-size containers filled with rubble and soil which can provide a small space to raise food.

Above: Isometric View of one unit composed of two containers.
Below: Isometric view of assembled structure.

The rest of my entry, the other honorable mentions and winners can be found at the What If NYC competition site. Look forward to comments or questions.

You Tube Video Test

You tube video about crane lift

ScreenToaster Test Run

I have just tested a newly discovered web-based program called ScreenToaster. I recorded a short video in preparation of a presentation I am supposed to give on Monday (I am going to try it out again in class if I can).

Free online screen recorder

I have the option to load the video either to ScreenToaster website or to YouTube. From ScreenToaster I am able to embed the video here.

Monday January 21 2010
8:30 - 9:50 am
Windy with scattered showers (Heavy rains previous evening)

It has been several weeks since the last update to this blog. According to best practices I am not meeting the frequent update quota of 1-2 per week in order to be a successful blogger. That will change. I am going back to the one-a-week or more postings.

Last night we had sever rains and some flood warnings. There appeared to be de-watering taking place in several locations. The main collection area is at the center of the southern area. The eastern part of the site is being prepared for panels while the western part seems to be finishing. The project appears to be divided into four major sections.

This mornings erection of the precast panels was slowed slightly when a JLG lift had to be pulled out of the mud by the crane.

I watch the crane from about 8:30 to 9:45 while it lifted a panal in place and then lifted the JLG out of the mud.

8:36 am: Crane positions for hoist (2 min)
8:38 am: Crane connections are made to panel (2 min)
8:40 am: Liftoff + hover
8:45 am: Panel is walked toward set location and held (approx. half way)
8:53 am: Panel is hoisted to final position
8:54 am: Panel inserted and adjusted
9:32 am: Cables unhooked from panel
9:37 am: Rigging of JLG lift begins
9:41 am: JLG liftoff from mud
9:44 am: JLG lift set

The job seemed to lose about 10 minutes of time by having to relocate the JLG lift. While it may seem minor 4 workers were needed to rig and coordinate the movement. I'd like to think this delay could have been avoided if the lift had been left on the sidewalk in advance of the previous night's storm.




In addition to this delay the crew for the lifts appeared to comprise of:
1 crane operator
2 riggers
1 welder

More to follow...

Google FusionTables and Construction

Recently I came across a new Google feature called Fusion Tables. Like excel Fusion Tables allows a user to visualize database information. When browsing the possible visualization types I found Maps to be the most intriguing.

When I inserted a database I had listing several construction companies and their basic locations in the US I was able to instantly get a Google Map with points indicating the central office locations
.


Not only does this allow you to generate a map of locations, but it also generates a Google Earth File for additional visualization. So what can this tool do for a project?

I have two examples I'll try and explain. First imagine a project going for LEED accreditation. To demonstrate credits for material locations a database of material suppliers and manufacturers can be input in to FusionTables along with the addresses of said suppliers. This can be used to generate a map to illustrate where the materials are coming from.

The second example involves a major construction company with subcontractors all over the country (or a sub with many suppliers). Input all addresses from a database and generate a map so when a new project is up for bid, local contractors and subs can be used.

The Woolworth Building, Top/Down Construction, & William Starrett

I have passed the Woolworth Building 100+ times in my life. When it was built in 1910, the project was the tallest structure in the world and kept the title for nearly 18 years when it was surpassed by the Bank of Manhattan Trust Building and later dropped to third place by the Empire State Building in 1929. With the 100th anniversary approaching I think that the construction techniques of 1910 were not only impressive for its time, but almost 100 years later are still valid and should be studied by builders.



Persons schooled in architecture and construction are familiar with the basic construction progression of excavation, foundation, substructure, superstructure, and so on up to completion. What struck me when reading The Master Builders (a public-domain book I found on Google Book search) was the innovative method of construction progression used on this project. This project used what is today called Top/Down Construction, but used it 100 years ago to speed the delivery of the excavation, foundation, substructure, and superstructure all at the same time and thus reduce the overall project time.

Excerpts from THE MASTER BUILDERS; by Hugh McAtamney & Co, 1913

BUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS

...the underground work of the Woolworth Building called for the largest single pneumatic caisson contract ever let in New York City or elsewhere. This work consisted of two main items; the sinking of the piers and the deep cellar excavation. Sixty-six reinforced concrete piers from ten to twenty feet in diameter, were sunk approximately one hundred and ten feet deep. They were installed by the pneumatic caisson process, and founded on bed rock. The material penetrated consisted entirely of the most treacherous material known to builders and engineers-quicksand.

... After the piers were completed the erection of the steel work began at once, it being possible to do this because of special cofferdams which had been installed on the tops of the piers. This saved considerable time in the ultimate completion of the building inasmuch as the steel work was not delayed by the general cellar excavation both departments of the construction work being conducted simultaneously.

...this cellar was 55 feet deep. and partly in running quicksand. below water. and that 1.5.000 cubic yards of the quicksand was taken out without interrupting the general work on building. and without jeopardizing the large buildings on all sides the difficulty of the problems will be better understood and the achievement appreciated. This total of the underground work involved an outlay of one million dollars and was accomplished in less than contract time by The Foundation Company of 115 Broadway, New York City.

This project illustrates how Top/Down Construction was executed 100 years ago. First the caissons were drilled. Once they were secured in the bedrock, shoring was installed around the perimeter (although given the contractor, William Starrett, this may have been done at the same time). With the caissons completed structural steel erection could begin. While the steel was moving up, the basement was being excavated.

I cannot describe William Starrett here because I will in no way do him or his career justice. Suffice it to say that William Starrett was the contractor responsible for delivering each of the three tallest structure in Manhattan from 1910 to 1930. These buildings(Woolworth Building, Bank of Manhattan Trust, and Empire State Building) were the World's tallest until the construction of the World Trade Center in 1970, the projects. In addition to these project, Starrett worked for his brother to build the Fuller or Flatiron Building in 1902. So with at least four skyscrapers under his belt it goes without saying that William Starrett deserves some close examination. I have attained a copy of his book 'Skyscrapers and the Men Who Build Them' - 1928 and will eventually post some insights on that text.

To close I want to include a quote from Starretts' Skyscrapers and the Men Who Build Them (1928) which I have taken from editor Carol Lewis' book 'Building the Empire State' (1998):

'Building skyscrapers is the nearest peace-time equivalent of war...The analogy to war is the strife against the elements. ...the service of supply in peace-time warfare, the logistics of building, and these men are soldier of a great creative effort'