COTA Austin - construction and infrastructure

[hairy_scotsman]

http://circuitoftheamericas.com/article ... on-updates

[Hail22]

I will believe its ready when August Audit comes around (remember they're asking for more govt funding, if its not approved the unions will shut this down).

[bhallg2k]

They've never received government funding.

[hairy_scotsman]

What unions?

[Hail22]

They've never received government funding.

Didn't they just recently request METF funding?

[hairy_scotsman]

They've never received government funding.

Didn't they just recently request METF funding?

Not yet.

They recently announced they intend to re-apply, but they aren't eligible for any reimbursement until after the first USGP has been run.

Also, Texas is a "Right to Work" state. If this project isn't completed it won't be due to unions shutting it down.

[xpensive]

...
Also, Texas is a "Right to Work" state. If this project isn't completed it won't be due to unions shutting it down.

Yeah right, I've seen enough nightly damaged construction equipment to know xactly what that means.

[strad]

You haven't seen any such thing!

[hairy_scotsman]

For those of you worried that the Media Center wouldn't have windows, here's a shot of it from this morning:

[Pup]

I'm sure they'll complain because there isn't a 2nd floor overlook to the pits, but with reporters, you could give them their own cocktail lounge and they'd still whine.

[strad]

I'm trying to remember,,was it China or Bahrain?...there was someplace where they indeed had no windows and couldn't even see the track and only a couple of Internet connections.

[Pup]

I think that may have been Korea. Frankly I think for the reporters to get any benefit from windows, other than just making it a nicer space, would be if they overlooked the pits - and it doesn't look like the building is in a position to allow that. Do they also make available press boxes over the main grandstand, or is that usually all private boxes?

[richard_leeds]

Those aerial pics show a lot of civil works, ie the culverts and retaining walls. There's been a lot of hidden work on that site.

I'm also continually baffled by US use of downstand beams, a form of construction that was pretty much superseded in the UK (and most of EU) by flat slab construction about 20 years ago. Flat slab gives a 1 week turnaround, while deep beams will add a couple of days to that cycle. Also, you can see the wasted space between the beams and the HVAC ducts running under the beams. Now if you delete the beams, the HVAC can run under the slab, that gives a much simpler building for integrating services.

[strad]

I'm no expert but they say...
Down-stand Beam Raft Foundations

They are suitable in stiff clays...The main advantage of the down-stand beam raft foundation is that it provides a level surface slab which can form the ground floor of the building. Another advantage is the saving in excavation costs.

Plain flat slab rafts are suitable for lightly loaded structures such as small houses. They are also be used for heavier structures if the ground condition is good and no differential settlement is expected.

So...Couldn't it come down to the soil and the size??

[Pup]

He's taking about the floor framing. Richard, my guess is that with Houston being close to the Gulf that there are some increased wind load requirements and they didn't want shear walls. Not sure what the seizmic requirements are there either. I will say that I typically only see flat slab used here in condos, low rise hotels, parking garages, etc. where floor to floor hts. are king. I don't have a lot of experience in commercial work though, so someone else might be able to provide a better answer for you. Personally, it seems I see more composite steel frame and slab these days than anything else.

I will also say that my structures professor had a bias for beams and that might be pervasive.

They might also be doing a bit of fast tracking and wanted some flexibility.

edit - actually Richard, if you check the aerial, they've got a massive span and cantilever thing going on in the main part of the garages, aaaand in the interior shot it looks like they've got some column offsets they're dealing with.