Materials Used:
The Barracks are constructed using metal studs, light weight concrete over metal deck supported by steel stud joists at floors, and pre-manufactured wood trusses at the roof structure. The lateral system consists of metal strapping at the walls. The foundation is conventional concrete footings.

Project Highlights:
Phase 1 of this project was the addition of two three-story wings onto existing barrack structures for the Army’s Language Institute. The success of Phase 1 resulted in the team being awarded the 2nd Phase - the construction of additional new barracks buildings. The design-build team was headed by J.I. Garcia Construction, Inc.

The unique design challenge of this project was to implement the intent of the progressive collapse requirements of the Department of Defense Interim Antiterrorism/Force Protection Construction Standards. The structural system required sufficient structural redundancy to allow for localized failures without the continued collapse of the overall building. Detailed computer modeling was used to estimate the extent of movement that will occur if different bearing walls are damaged.

Materials Used:
Existing pilot simulation centrifuge structure with cast-in-place piles and concrete wing walls.

Project Highlights:
Phase 1 of this project consisted of a finite element fatigue stress analysis of the structure along with instrumented testing by Technicon Engineering Services.

Phase 2 resulted from an upgrade to the pilot simulation centrifuge. In order to achieve a faster application of flight “G” forces, a new motor with a larger torque and a new transmission were installed into the existing module. Our office analyzed the CFET structure with the new motor. We determined if the deflections of the structure were within allowable tolerances if the counter-weights were removed and unbalanced forces were resisted. The cast-in-place piles and concrete wing walls were modeled using compression only soil springs using elastic foundation parameters that varied with the depth and soil type.