Darin Fong

On the Beaumont job, referred to by the owner as Project Cherry, structural wall panel designer HSA & Assoc. went with a load-bearing tilt-up panel that allowed for the perimeter steel to be taken out of the design used in Tulsa. “It’s the same building, same design, just a different [structural] design solution,” explains Cannedy.

In typical tilt-up construction, the slab-on-grade is the working surface for the lifespan of the building. Certain situations, such as otherwise inaccessible panel casting beds, demand the use of the slab as a path of access for construction vehicles like concrete trucks. These trucks, when full, can exert high loads and pose a risk to the slab’s serviceability. An acceptable compromise involves filling the truck only partially when driving over the slab-on-grade. The extent to off-load the truck depends on various parameters including slab, soil, and vehicle properties. For large-scale warehouses and distribution centers, tilt-up construction is the preferred option from a cast-and-schedule standpoint. These buildings tend to have multiple repeatable elements and connections, so all stages of a given project tend to roll at a brisk pace. Typically, once the footings are poured, the slab-on-grade is cast. The slab is used as a casting bed for wall panels, which form the shell of the building. Once the panels are poured, they are tilted up using cranes and placed into … Continue reading