I’m not sure if you noticed but there were some pretty loud noises emanating from the Lecture Hall construction site this week. You would think those noisy steel workers are getting paid by the decibel and they are looking at getting their money’s worth on this project. Well, next week should be very quiet compared to this past week’s activity. What am I thinking, it is quiet already because those workers are not here today.

The addition will really start taking shape next week as they will be pouring the concrete stem walls for the addition. If you are not sure what a “stem wall” is this illustration can help clear that up.
The only real difference on our project is we won’t be using wood studs or sheathing as shown in the illustration, but you get the picture. The footings for those stem walls were poured earlier this week.

They will also begin pouring the concrete deck for Lecture Hall 1. Lecture Hall 1 will be the biggest space and will have many more levels than the other three lecture halls. Some of the stepped levels will be created out of the metal decking, but additional levels will be constructed out of concrete poured over foam insulation. I know, it might be hard to believe. I assume most of you are most likely saying “WHAT?” to yourself. I will provide photos when the time comes. They should be very cool!

Also next week there may be some backfilling of grade around the building, but that will be brief. Rain is evident today, but the weather forecast for next week indicates dry weather, so hopefully our roofers will take the opportunity to make some great progress with their work.

That is it for now. Have a fantabulous weekend!

Cheers,
Tim

During this past weeks adventure in Busland I overheard something while commuting on route 41 from Evergreen to the Olympia Transit Center. This fellow passage said “I suddenly have really bad motion sickness, I think I’m going to hurl.” This is not something you ever want to hear from the person sitting next to you on a fully packed bus. I’ve previously seen the chain reaction that can occur from just one person tossing their cookies. I want to thank you Evergreen student, whoever you are, for not vomiting on me (or anybody else) that afternoon!

We have reached another milestone this week in construction of the Lecture Hall. The trenches have been dug and footing formwork is being installed for the addition of the workshops and classroom that will be constructed between the lecture halls and Lab I. The photo was freshly taken shortly after 1:30 PM today. I’ve indicated on this photo as to what areas will become the new teaching and learning spaces. You can also see the freshly poured mud in the Rotunda area.

Next week we should see some walls being framed in Lecture Hall 2, 3 and 4. Metal decking installation will begin in Lecture Hall 1. Being so, those noisy metal workers will be using their loud saws again to cut the metal decking for installation. Some more concrete work will take place just outside Lecture Hall 1 for the construction of classroom 2. They will also start pouring the footings for the workshops and classroom 1 after the formwork and rebar installation is complete.

Wow, another three-day holiday weekend is just hours away. Enjoy it!

Cheers,
Tim

Geek alert. The following email contains technical stuff regarding construction. No foolin’.

There are so many rules and regulations when it comes to construction that it can be mind boggling. But it is all in the name of safety. Did you know that every time a concrete truck shows up on site we have a “Special Testing & Inspections” firm do work to ensure the concrete being installed meets the current building code requirements? This is an independent agency the owner (Evergreen) pays to verify that certain structural materials meet the design strengths specified. They check on numerous things done on site such as the steel welding, steel reinforcing placement, and they inspect many different aspects of the concrete being placed. One of those tests is called a “slump test”. The “slump test” is done on-site shortly after the concrete truck arrives. If you want to learn more about slump the following is a good resource: http://www.concreteexchange.com/how-to-center/concrete-mixes-and-additives/concrete-slump-test/

Another thing the agency does is take samples of the concrete from the truck and simulate it’s placement on site with the use cylinders that will be tested at a later date. The attached photos show C.J. Coffey (Mr. Coffee is what I call him) of Pacific Testing & Inspections doing some of his work. He puts a little concrete in each cylinder and then pokes it 25 times with a rod to replicate a vibration tool the contractor uses to get air bubbles out of the concrete (also known as “mechanical consolidation”). Then he adds a bit more concrete and does the same thing again, and then a third time until the cylinders are full. Those cylinders are capped and stored on site to cure in the same setting as the concrete poured for the building. The next day the samples are sent off to a lab and eventually crushed so the compressive strength of the concrete can be verified. If the concrete does not meet the required strength it will have to be removed from the building. Too much water in the concrete mix will make it weak and will increase its likelihood to crack. Not enough water in the mix may create voids in the concrete and again make it weak.

The required strength of the concrete may vary depending on the application. On the Lecture Hall the new infill concrete walls have to meet a designed 4,000 PSI (pounds per square inch) of compressive strength. In one example the crush test performed at seven days after the pour showed a strength of 7,370 PSI. They crushed another sample at 27 days and it measured a strength of 10,920 PSI. That is like Super Hero Strength. Can you say “WOW”? The concrete will continue to slowly build up more and more strength over time. It will eventually reached its peak strength in about 50 to 100 years, and then even more slowly lose some of that strength. I’m pretty sure I reached my peak strength some time earlier.

If you were on campus yesterday you may have noticed a number of concrete trucks coming and going from the Lecture Hall construction site. Well, yesterday was another milestone. We poured 93 cubic yards of concrete in what will become Lecture Hall 1. This concrete installation was for the footings and slab that will support the structure for the new Lecture Hall floor deck. It amounted to ten concrete truckloads! The pouring started around 8 AM and continued until just before 1 PM. Another attached photo shows that installation in process.

Today some more jackhammering will take place as they start clearing paving from around the Lecture Hall to allow for more of the addition. Most work next week will include the excavation and concrete formwork installation for the addition. Roofing weather barrier work started on the Lecture Hall this week and will continue next week as the weather cooperates with us. Formwork for foundation walls will go up for a new classroom east of Lecture Hall 1. Concrete will be poured on the newly installed Rotunda metal floor decking. Some of the excavated areas between Lab II, the Library Building, and the Lecture Halls will be backfilled and compacted, so don’t be surprised if you feel planet earth shaking a bit next week.

Have a fantastic weekend. Don’t forget Chinese New Year begins this weekend; so Happy New Year once again!

Cheers,
Tim