Director’s Corner ...  With recent weather events in TX, LA and FL, the issue of re-occurring costly catastrophes has once again made its way into the news. The endless cycle of build/rebuild in the same communities forces the building industry to examine how we are building and if there are better ways to secure both life and property. As members of the precast building community, we already know we hold the answer to many of these reoccurring devastating losses. The benefits of our products are so obvious to us that it’s difficult to comprehend why it isn’t more widely used in our region. After a year of traveling the region and observing the industry, I am fully convinced that our product is the best kept secret around. Concrete has been designed to withstand blasts, winds and even water. It’s a durable material and weathers well. It is the one thing still standing in all the pictures after a catastrophe. As a community of precasters, it is our DUTY to stand on the forefront of needed changes in the development/redevelopment of the coastline. My mission is to continue to spread the message of PCI Gulf South. It’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks but it’s not impossible. People don’t know what they don’t know. Let’s bring the message of precast front and center and accept our role as a solution to these repeating tragedies that plaque our region. Helping the public understand that spending a few extra dollars on the front end of a project far outweighs having to start from scratch after a fire or natural disaster. What can you do to spread the message? 

Dan
FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! FREE! More downloadable content from PCI is now available free of charge to architects, engineers, universities and the building community. A matrix of the available information is on our website.
ASCE/APWA Alabama Section Summer Meeting was held July 17-19 at Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, AL. PCI Gulf South had the opportunity to exhibit and present at the joint meeting of ASCE and APWA. The event was well attended by engineers and public works personnel from all over the state of Alabama. With topics ranging from ALDOT’s Transportation Programs, to an explanation on President Trump’s infrastructure plan, to a discussion on bridges, it was easy to see why the event packed a crowd.
PCI Gulf South’s attendance at the event provided a valuable opportunity to network with other trades, engineers and university students. There was a combination of 40 sponsors, 37 exhibitors and 29 speakers present. I presented an overview of concrete bridge construction this year and will be attending the 2018 event as well to further represent PCI Gulf South.
  PCI Website: Friday, September 1st marked the official unveiling of the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute’s new and improved website. The new website is more interactive with new graphics, the new campaign slogan“ How Precast Builds” and additional design resources. On the heels of the national website change, PCI Gulf South will be updating our website in the coming months to the same type of format. We are optimistic that the newly implemented changes to the website make it a more widely used resource for designers and builders. 

 
Product Highlight: Precast Wall Panels ( Part 2 of a 3 part series covering 3 types of walls )
Sandwich Walls
Insulated sandwich wall panels can be strictly architectural, strictly structural, or a combination of both. The difference between typical panels and insulated sandwich wall panels is that the latter are cast with rigid insulation "sandwiched" between two layers, or wythes, of concrete. The insulation thickness can vary to create the desired thermal insulating property ("R" value) for the wall.
The structural behavior is either:

  • · Composite in which the wythes are connected using ties through the insulation that fully transfer loads. The structural performance is then based on the full thickness of the panel
                                                                  or
  • Non-Composite in which the wythes are connected using ties through the insulation, which limits performance to the individual capacities of each wythe.
Whether the panel is composite or non-composite depends on the configuration and material used for the ties. Insulated sandwich wall panels can be designed to be loadbearing and support floor and roof components. They make an ideal structural element for this purpose by casting a thicker interior wythe to provide the necessary support. They can also be non-loadbearing to complete a façade.
Finishes : As with most wall panels, the sandwich panels are cast in a flat orientation, so the form side is the side that will be exposed to view in the final construction. This face can be made with virtually any type of finish. The back face is usually troweled smooth, but is not left exposed. The back-up systems are often used to attach drywall and/or other finish materials.
Typical widths:  4 to 15 ft.
Typical heights:  8 to 50 ft.
Typical thicknesses:  1.5 to 3 in.

 
Upcoming Events:

PCI Gulf South Fall Board Meeting
September 19th, 2017
Hattiesburg, MS
MS ASCE Learn @ Lunch
Pascagoula, MS
September 20, 2017
  2017 PCI Committee Days
October 4-7, 2017
Rosemont, IL
Transportation Meeting-MDOT
November 1, 2017
Jackson, MS
1st Annual PCI Gulf South Golf Classic
Location: Windance Country Club, Gulfport, MS
December 6th, 2017
PCI Gulf South Winter Meeting
December 6th, 2017
Beau Rivage
Biloxi, MS
Did You Know?
Before the development of radar in World War II, the British erected  parabolic acoustic mirrors – commonly called ‘listening ears’ – to detect incoming aircraft. A network of these enormous concrete sound reflectors was constructed along England’s coast during the early days of World War II and can still be seen today.
Tiltwall Inc.
 
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Dan Eckenrode,
Executive Director 
228-239-3409
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