Issues in Construction of a Unique Heavily Reinforced Concrete Structure

The owner of a recently constructed facility described in this paper specifically required that a portion of their facility, referred to as the “concrete structure,” be constructed as a self-supporting structure. Additionally, no portion of this concrete structure could bear loads from upper building walls or floors. Structural retaining walls were required to isolate the subgrade portion of the concrete structure from lateral soil loads, while supporting loads of the exterior cladding system and roof structure. These requirements presented a unique construction challenge. The combination of a cast-in-place structural enclosure, exterior tilt-wall panels, and precast double-tee roof members provided a facility that met the owner's criteria.