PT Beam versus Steel Beam
PT Beam versus Steel Beam
In 2014 on a project in Albany, New York we helped a client solve a challenging issue on the renovation of a 50,000 SF space at the bottom a four-story building within the Crossgates Mall. The project involved removing two steel columns at the base of the building to accommodate a future auditorium and create a new unsupported span of approximately 75FT for a new tenant. The original design called for an engineered steel beam 5Ft in-depth brought in to the site in segments and reassembled on-site to complete the span. That design created several challenges because of the depth of the beam (5FT), the logistics of bringing it in segments, reassembling on-site, and last cost. The cost was $963,000 and cost-prohibitive for the client, tenant, and construction schedule.
After initial analysis, we worked with an industry partner Base4 Engineering to develop a cost-effective solution that involved design and implementation of a post-tension concrete beam. The proposed beam was 18” smaller in-depth and required installation of new column pads and columns to support the design. The new design involved transferring 1000 kips (1,000,000 lbs) of load to the new columns all while maintaining the operation of the Best Buy store on the 2nd Floor, Movie Theatre at the 3rd Floor, and Comedy Club at the 4th Floor. We worked with design partners to minimize the impact of the columns and shortened the depth of the beam to 42” which allowed the Audio/Video system to be installed as planned. This engineered solution took 3 weeks to design, 2 months to implement in the field and cost $413,000 in lieu of $957,000, saving the owner $544,000.
