2001 GLFEA Awards
Significant steel construction projects recognized with very high honors
A trio of highly interesting structural steel framed construction projects were showcased recently before the annual meeting of the Michigan Society of Professional Engineers (MSPE). The winners of the Great Lakes Fabricators & Erectors Association's 2001 Steel Systems Excellence Awards were presented to the engineers by James Walker, the GLFEA's executive director, as representative of the high degree of sophistication and technical ability practiced by association members.
In addition, the American Institute of Architects/Michigan has announced the winner of its 2001 Design Award for Steel Construction. Its award is cosponsored each year by the GLFEA.
Co-sponsored by the MSPE and the Structural Engineers Association of Michigan, the GLFEA Steel Systems Excellence Awards competition covers three categories - large projects, over $5 million in value; medium projects, ranging from $500,000 to $5 million; and small projects, under $500,000. This year's competition featured individual winners in each:
Large Project
Douglas Steel Fabricating Corp., Lansing, took this award for its work on Michigan State University's Biomedical and Physical Sciences Facility. The approximately $85 million project also featured the SmithGroup, Detroit, as architect and engineer, and the Christman Co., Lansing, as general contractor.
Containing over 390,000 sq. ft., the new building houses MSU's microbiology, physics and astronomy, and physiology departments. It has a seven story laboratory wing and a four story office wing and is connected to the university's adjacent Chemistry and Biochemistry Buildings by underground tunnels and two steel bridges. Nearly 3,000 tons of structural steel were used to frame the structure which features a masonry, glass, and metal panel exterior.
MSU worked carefully with The Christman Co. and several key trade subcontractors to reduce construction costs. Through value engineering nearly $8 million were shaved. Almost $500,000 in savings were achieved through the replacement of precast concrete exterior panels with a insulated panel skin attached to a vertical steel tube support system erected to very tight tolerances.
The steel tube bridges that connect the new facility to existing buildings posed unique challenges. The north bridge spans over 105 ft. and cantilevers the last 50 ft. to the existing Chemistry Building. Douglas Steel Fabricating Corp. had to build trusses for the north bridge in one piece, ship them to the jobsite, and set them in place using a single, large crane.
While shorter, the east bridge had its own hurdle to overcome. Upon completion of the field survey, it was discovered that the existing Biochemistry Building was not precisely located where originally thought. In order to connect the trusses between the two buildings, they had to be lengthened prior to shipment and set at a slight, unnoticeable skew to complete the installation. This was all accomplished without any delays or added costs to the project.
Erection of the building's structural steel was performed during the winter over a three and a half month period. It was completed three weeks ahead of schedule.
Medium Project
The six story, 170,000 sq. ft. Blue Cross Blue Shield Customer Service Center in downtown Detroit was framed in structural steel by H&G Steel Fabrication Co. of Grand Ledge. Completed in October 1999, the building was designed by architect Neumann/Smith & Associates, Southfield, with Desai/Nasr Consulting Engineers Inc., West Bloomfield, serving as structural engineer.
Some 1,763 tons of structural steel were used in the building which is linked to the adjacent 22 story high Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan tower. The exterior of the lower three stories of the center is mostly brick with punched windows, matching the height and fenestration of nearby historic brick structures and of the Detroit Cornice & Slate Building located directly in front of the service center. The horizontal windows and precast concrete exterior panels of the upper three stories of the center are intended to complement the tower. The center also has a tower of its own - a steel framed, brick clad structure rising 118 ft. - designed to visually anchor the service center to the corner of Beaubien and Lafayette streets.
Soft soil conditions required the placement of over 70 caissons sunk to an 80 ft. depth. Grade beams connect each caisson, creating an underground grid to support the building above.
A series of transfer trusses were used to distribute column loading around a large, two story auditorium inside the center, eliminating the need for interior columns that would interfere with a clear view of the podium. The bottom chord of the trusses had to be configured to match the ceiling profile which didn't allow bottom chord lateral bracing. Desai/Nasr's design was based on the use of W14 steel with the web in the horizontal plane to meet this requirement.
Massive cantilevered trusses at both the north and south ends of the building were needed, with a total of six installed, three at each end. Installation of the large trusses required the use of a crane with a capacity exceeding 300 tons along with a crew of ten experienced iron workers. Normally two or three iron workers would have been used.
The trusses were designed to support floor loads from the fourth, fifth, and sixth levels, as well as a number of precast concrete pieces, each weighing 20 tons or more. Concerns were raised about the heavy weights of each truss as well as the possible deflection of the trusses at their cantilevered ends. Deflection had to be less than half an inch or alignment problems could have developed with the precast concrete pieces as the incremental loads were applied.
To meet these strict requirements, the structural engineer deviated from using the normal pratt or warren type diagonals in its truss design. Instead Desai/Nasr designed an X-shape diagonal to control deflection without increasing the chord weight of the truss.
Wide flange truss verticals were designed as cantilevered beams to provide the required lateral bracing firce. In addition, deflection equalizers were added at the corners to ensure that deflection occurred equally to eliminate the effect of differential loading on the precast connections.
Small Project
Work on the design and construction of the new Door Delivery Conveyor Trestle at DaimlerChrysler Corporation's Windsor Assembly Plant won praise for structural steel fabricator and erector McCrindle Steel Industries Ltd. of Windsor, Ont. BEI Associates Inc., Detroit, served as architect and engineer, with Ryco Alberici Inc., Hamilton, as construction manager.
Originally built in 1928, the plant currently assembles the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans. Many additions have been made to the plant since and the new conveyor was completed in December 2000.
The new trestle was erected on top of a previous bridge/trestle and connects two sides of a second floor space in the plant. It was built above the main ground floor production hall without impacting plant operations.
Due to the extreme distances that had to be spanned, a 400 ton long boom crane was used to reach over the plant's second story. Some of the new trestle's structural steel was beyond that crane's reach and had to be placed with the assistance of a Sikorsky 558-T heavy lift helicopter.
A total of 150 tons of structural steel was erected during two weeks in the middle of winter. The foundations required underpinning and existing columns needed to be reinforced. That work was accomplished during the three day Canadian Thanksgiving holiday. A 16 inch steam line also needed to be relocated prior to steel erection.
AIA/Michigan Honors
The AIA/Michigan award was presented to the Joseph L. Heirman University Center project at Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba. The building was designed by the Troy architectural firm of Straub, Pettitt, Yaste, with Robert Darvas Associates, PC, Ann Arbor, as structural engineer. Closner Construction & Sales, Marquette, served as general contractor, with steel erection by SPE Inc. of Neenah, Wis.
Completed in January 1998, the center was singled out for its innovative uses of steel in enhancing the total building environment. Steel is used as both a structural and architectural element as it frames a covered entrance canopy. It also dresses up the building's signature entrance atrium leading to the center's central brick core. The steel framing supports extensive glazing that allows natural light to penetrate deep into the building.
The center provides education for youth and the unemployed along with continuing career and professional education for adults. In addition it provides bachelor and master degree programs through partnerships with universities around Michigan.
