PCI Gulf South Newsletter|Issue #27
How Precast Builds
FIU Student Academic Center
Precast courtesy Gate Precast Company
Ninety percent of the campus’ student population are minority/international students. The Student Academic Support Center is the first point of contact for them and their families. The building is designed to provide an easy, navigable way of moving through a complex enrollment process.

Through shade studies, the architect was able to balance natural light with temperature limiting the native heat and keeping temperatures cool. This unique “chameleon” look that changes with different light perspectives was originally designed with metal panels. The precaster achieved this look with polished precast panels that achieved a thinner profile and stronger hurricane resistance than could be accomplished with a metal panel system. The building structure and envelope were designed to meet county hurricane code requirements.
Director's Corner
Why should I be PCI certified? This is a question I’m often asked when a new plant is considering the process of certification. As someone who has experienced the process myself, I understand the task at hand and appreciate the time and effort plant personnel put forth to both secure and maintain certification. It is the very nature of the process itself that I reference as a number one reason to be certified. 
2021 Design Award Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 PCI Design Awards. Three jury panels consisting of architects, engineers, and precast concrete producers selected a total of 28 winners and 12 honorable mentions.
In Memory of Bob Molcany
It is with a heavy heart that PCI Gulf South learned of the recent passing of Bob Molcany. Bob was instrumental in managing the regional activities of GSPCA for many years. The membership has many fond memories of Bob. The full obituary can be viewed at the link below.
Alabama Transportation Conference
The recent 2021 Alabama Transportation Conference was a virtual three-day event that garnered the attention of 990 attendees. Remarks were made by the Honorable Kay Ivey, Governor of Alabama, as well as John Cooper, Director of Transportation. Topics ran the gamut from worker safety to Accelerated Bridge Construction to electric vehicles to case studies for projects throughout the state of Alabama. One showcased project worth noting was an arch bridge replacement project in New Montone, Alabama that utilized precast supplied by Forterra and Jackson Precast.
MDOT/PCI Precast Bridge Design Seminar
PCI Gulf South, in conjunction with the Mississippi Department of Transportation, conducted a three-part design seminar in January 2021. The well-attended seminar concentrated on bridge components and topics such as lateral stability.
Learn@Lunch - Go Virtual!
PCI Gulf South offers a variety of ways to reach the existing design community.
The Learn@Lunch program was developed to allow professionals the opportunity to learn about precast products and systems.

Get the design credits you need all without having to leave your home or office!
Quality Control Schools Are Now Virtual
Today’s business environment demands a high degree of training and certification in all areas of concrete manufacturing and installation. Customer satisfaction is the principal goal in achieving profitability and a thorough quality control program that extends outside of the plant to the point of install.
 
Based on updated recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all in-person Quality Control Schools are canceled. In their place, PCI has issued online training courses for quality control sessions.

Please contact education@pci.org for any questions.
Level I and II - Virtual
  • April 19-22, 2021

Level I and II - In-Person
  • May 10-12, Austin, Texas
  • June 7-9, Las Vegas, World of Concrete

Level III - Virtual
  • July 13-16

Certified Field Auditor - In-Person
  • June 7-9, Las Vegas, World of Concrete
Producer Profile
F-S Prestress, LLC was established in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 1957. Since then, they have expanded their operations to include a plant in Princeton, Louisiana. Both plants produce bridge components, such as precast/prestressed concrete pile, bulb tee, and AASHTO girders, as well as commercial products including double tees, flat panels, precast floor slabs, and temporary traffic barriers
The Winter 2021 issue of Ascent Magazine is Here!
The Winter 2021 issue of Ascent Magazine is now available on the PCI website in digimag format! The current issue features precast's ability to adapt to many different functions and highlights its new and innovative uses.

Articles include:
  • New PCI Architectural Certification Program
  • Transforming the Urban Fabric with Precast Concrete
  • Precast Concrete's Versatility
  • Precast Protects Life: Preparing for the Worst
  • University Profile: Clemson University
Attention Students!
If you are a recently graduated student and want to continue to receive emails from PCI Gulf South, please be sure to update your email address as
most school email addresses expire after 6 months!

To update, simply forward your new email address to
pcigulfsouth1@att.net and we will update it in our system.
Course II - Precast Concrete Mix Design
This course is intended to train personnel in a basic understanding of concrete so that they can create a concrete mix design or evaluate the suitability of a mix for specific applications. The three-part series will explore the mathematics and chemistry behind creating an absolute volume mix design, and how the proper raw materials, sequencing, and production processes can yield high-quality concrete consistently. Also, the course will include how to troubleshoot common mistakes in typical precast mix designs and how to avoid them, as well as adjust concrete mixes to compensate for negative external influences.
Level: Intermediate
Prerequisite: None
Length: Three Sessions (120 min each)
PDHs Earned: 6
Start Date: April 6-8, 2021
Instructor: Paul Ramsburg
Did you know?
The first concrete road was built on Woodward Avenue in Greenfield Township near Detroit. It was built in 1909.
New E-Learning Center Debuts
PCI launched a new learning management system recently. The PCI eLearning Center houses many education courses, including Quality Control sessions, webinars, and more. This learning management system satisfies the continuing education requirements for engineers in all 50 states, and PCI can offer architects approved AIA learning units. New, easy-to-access courses will be added over time.
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Thermal mass is affected by temperature both inside, from things such as indoor lighting or heat transferring through windows, and outside, from the climate. When a building’s envelope is constructed from precast with the interior concrete exposed and not covered by insulation or drywall, the concrete is able to absorb the heat from inside and reduce cooling costs.