The Economist, The Ambassador, The Scientist, The Engineers, The Consensus Builder, The Builders, The Decorative Finisher, The Petrographers, The Listener, The Engineer – all exemplary in their fields and demonstrating the ability to drive an industry. This year Concrete Construction recognizes the accomplishments of two TCA stalwarts in Dave Kelly of Meadow Burke and Bob Foley of Con/Steel.

Lifting panels is always the most exciting time on a tilt-up job, but what comes after lifting is perhaps even more important to the proper performance of the structure.

The latest reporting on TCA activities including: TCA confers safety awards, Maryland students dominate TCA /PCA storm housing contest and Eagle Concrete Systems wins recognition, awards at BIA banquet (TCA Member).

The latest reporting on TCA member activities including: Tilt-Con begins work on Doral project, Bob Moore takes tilt-up south of Dallas and Seretta starts three office projects.

When the building team set out to plan a new police facility in Gilroy, California, the original design called for a concrete tile mansard to match the existing roofs in the neighboring Gilroy civic center. Upon finding that the project was over budget, one of the cost-cutting measures adopted by the architect was to replace the concrete tile with a metal “tile panel” facsimile system from Met-Tile, Inc., Ontario, California.

LEED Gold Tilt-Up Project. Weaver Cooke Construction's corporate headquarters building is the embodiment of the company's progressive environmental philosophy and its passion for art. The company, which recently dedicated itself to becoming a leader in green construction, wanted a headquarters that not only expressed this new mission, but that also highlights the aesthetic qualities inherent in different construction techniques.

The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA)—a nonprofit international organization that serves to expand and improve the use of tilt-up as the preferred construction method—is sponsoring several educational events at the 2008 World of Concrete. To be held in Las Vegas from Jan. 21 to Jan. 25, this year's World of Concrete stands to be one of the largest.

Lifting panels is always the most exciting time on a tilt-up job, but what comes after lifting is perhaps even more important to the proper performance of the structure.

At first glance, the concrete industry appears simple and straightforward. Mix the right materials and put it where you want, let it sit awhile, and soon another reliable dam or highway or building or plant is built. Add up all the pieces and you have the infrastructure we've all grown to rely on. But the reality is much more complex, and like all industries, both large and small, market forces can have significant effects on the robustness of concrete construction.

Once used only for warehouse and manufacturing buildings, tilt-up construction is finding new applications in the industry. Tilt-up construction in the United States has grown more than 50 percent over the past five years, industry sources say. Much of that growth is due to non-traditional uses in smaller projects, according to Tony Biller, president of Harrisonburg-based Nielsen Builders Inc. Buildings that were 50,000 square feet and up have been...

Concrete is a stellar building material. It performs well against storms, termites, fire and the sands of time. But add insulation to it and concrete's list of benefits grows even longer. In both the residential and commercial markets, these concrete contractors have found success touting the energy efficiencies and other benefits that insulated concrete offers customers looking for green building features.

Builders Plus Inc. began as a shell contractor for apartments and residential homes. After nine years in the business, the opportunity to construct a tilt-up building presented itself. Builders Plus not only performed as the tilt-up contractor but as the general contractor for an 110,000-square-foot office warehouse building in Coral Springs, Fla. After the construction of this building, Builders Plus focused strictly on becoming one of southern Florida's premier tilt-up contractors.

Despite my years of experience working as preconstruction manager on numerous projects ranging from office buildings to warehouses and schools, I am still amazed how often tilt-up is mislabeled an “option” over another product or skin type. To compare building construction to automotive manufacturing, I view tilt-up as the chassis—strong, yet flexible—serving as a foundation upon which the entire car is constructed. Although vehicles may have numerous options from which an owner can choose, the chassis is not one of those choices. Such is the case when selecting tilt-up as the building method for a project. It should be considered the construction system and not merely an option.

The new office complex that will soon be the corporate home of Office Depot posed quite a few challenges as a tilt-up project for concrete contractor Woodland Construction Co., Jupiter, Fla. Not only were the three towers five stories tall, the architect also wanted a stepped look on the exterior with a flush interior. Additionally, the elevated concrete decks had to meet strict flatness factors due to interior track wall systems.

Engineers like to work from the top down, designing the roof, then the decks, the structural supports, and finally the foundations upon which the entire structure rests. Unfortunately, meeting construction schedules often hinges on purchasing certain components early in the process, before the overall design has been created. And the first activity onsite is preliminary foundation work, again for a structural design that has yet to be finalized.

There's general acknowledgement on the benefits of using tilt-up construction. It's fast and economical, it produces a highly durable and energy-efficient structure, and it allows for design flexibility. But recently the designers and builders of tilt-up structures have been pushing the limits far enough to make owners and architects sit up and take notice that this construction method is no longer suited only to low-rise, big box structures.

The Tilt-Up Concrete Association’s (TCA) 2007 Achievement Awards program has honored 33 projects that use site-cast tilt-up concrete to introduce new building types, advance industry technology, and provide unique solutions to building programs.

The tilt-up construction method was once used only in a few areas and only for “big box” distribution centers. It’s now the method of choice for constructing a much broader range of facilities that are taller and more architecturally ornate than those of the past. It’s clear, however, that tilt-up is sometimes used where it is perhaps not the best or most economical choice, and this overuse may be damaging the reputation of this first class building method. A chart is provided to assist in selecting a building system.

A program has recently been developed that streamlines lifting and bracing design of wall panels while eliminating the process of manually entering the data that defines the geometry of each panel. Data entry is automated by importing information from an AutoCAD® DWG or DXF file. The software can be used by structural engineers designing panels and also by drafters producing detailed shop drawings.

To fully exploit tilt-up construction’s flexibility, a designer must have a working knowledge of how tilt-up buildings are constructed. This is especially true when construction errors occur and require modification of the structure in a timely manner. To help facilitate rapid resolution of field coordination issues, several solutions to common challenges are presented.

The 1997 Uniform Building Code slender wall provisions were incorporated into ACI 318-99 to eliminate conflict with the 2000 International Building Code. Although the equations for determining the design moment remained essentially the same, the service level deflection equations were significantly altered, leading to underprediction of deflections compared to test data. Brought about, in part, by a Structural Engineers Association of Southern California Slender Wall Task Group that re-evaluated the original test results, changes to the slender wall design provisions are proposed for ACI 318-08.

The erection of tilt-up wall panels never ceases to amaze. I've seen hundreds of panels erected and there is a certain excitement that always precedes the first lift. As with all aspects of tilt-up construction, new technology and equipment has simplified the lifting and bracing process, but the result of cutting corners can be very costly. However, simple as the process may seem, it does not occur without careful planning, hours of training and experience. Time spent planning for the lift day will minimize time wasted during the erection operation and ensure a smooth lift. Oversights and errors during lifting and bracing can add significantly to the cost of the project.

Shopping in the heart of Windsor, NSW, has been revolutionised with the opening of a new community shopping centre, Windsor Riverview. The centre is now a hub for the local area, offering over 30 specialty stores, a food court with outdoor terrace and contemporary public amenities, in addition to the “full-line” supermarket facilities.
Article provided by EPC Media Group.

Tilt-Up moves from strength to strength in the USA as more and more companies realize its astonishing capabilities is saving time and cost. Notable is the move toward gigantic panels, some weighing as much as 132.5 tonnes. The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) is a non-profit international organization that serves to expand and improve the use of Tilt-Up as a preferred construction method. The TCA has announced the recipients of the 2007 Tilt-Up Achievement Awards and kindly present these to our readers.
Article provided by EPC Media Group.

Malcom Davis of Advanced Building Systems Pty Ltd. has kindly provided his thoughts on where Tilt-Up can provide answers for our construction future. The Australian Construction industry is facing problems in obtaining skilled workers. This is due to full employment, coupled with a lack of skilled, and semi-skilled labour.
Article provided by EPC Media Group.

The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) recently updated their “Top Ten” list of projects. This year's lists include the Top Ten Tallest Panels, Top Ten Heaviest Panels, Top Ten Largest Panels, and Top Ten Largest Building (Footprint).

Known for expedient construction time and long-term durability, site cast tilt-up construction structures offer a variety of architectural finishes and lower maintenance, both of which are important attributes to any building owner. With exceptional performance as its goal, it's no wonder why tilt-up construction has an annual growth rate of 20 percent and is used on nearly 650 million sq. ft. of construction every year. Previously known for its frequent use for one-story buildings, advancements in design and construction have enabled tilt-up concrete projects to reach new heights. Four- and five-story and even higher tilt-up structures are seen with increasing frequency and have many designers considering this highly desirable building method for a broader range of applications.

As tilt-up wall panels become taller, temporary erection bracing reactions increase. If these reactions are applied to a floor slab designed for service loads only, the slab may be too thin to resist the sliding and uplift components. The Engineer of Record, however, may consider bracing design and layout part of the Contractor’s means and methods and lack sufficient information to properly design the slab for this condition. Bracing effects and design responsibility are discussed.

Rob Quigley, FAIA will be the keynote speaker for the third annual convention of the Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) to be held Oct. 3-6 in College Park, Md. Building on the theme "Tilt-Up - It's a System," the event will showcase how tilt-up is more than just an option for the building shell, but rather a complete system that should be evaluated for all the advantages it brings to a structure including sustainability, durability, low maintenance, energy efficiency and more.

The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) is co-sponsoring with the Portland Cement Association (PCA) an international design competition, Storm Housing 2007. Students in the field of architecture, currently in graduate or undergraduate programs, are invited to present conceptual designs for a storm-resistant housing complex located along the Gulf Coast using site cast concrete tilt-up panels for their shell components.

As tilt-up construction continues to grow in popularity around the country, it's only natural that the effect made by changes to design standards be balanced by general economics and constructability concerns.

Blue Grass Automotive in Louisville, Kentucky developed a centralized campus for five automobile dealerships. The master plan of the seven acre site included Audi, Porsche, Saab, Land Rover and Jaguar showrooms. Each dealership is based on a prototype design from the automobile manufacturer which was uniquely combined on this site. The dealerships required high visibility to showcase their automobiles as well as product display islands. While the site design required a significant amount of parking surface; it was well screened and softened from the road with landscaping and berms.

For the first time in more than 18 years, the Atlanta-based American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has proposed increases to the minimum required roof- and wall-insulation levels in Standard 90.1 (the national model energy code for commercial buildings). The above-deck roof insulation requirements currently at R-15 would go to R-20 - a 33-percent increase in roof-insulation levels. Similar increases are proposed for walls.

Once used for warehouse and flex space, technique now has many applications for instance, Madden is building a 15,000-square-foot tilt-wall home at Bella Collina in Montverde, Fla., a showcase for home builders. The company set the house in four days. For comparison, Madden said he started his "Street of Dreams" house a month after others started, and it will be complete in 13 months, compared with 18 to 24 months for the rest.

Tilt-wall construction, once used exclusively in commercial building, has now found a home in residential construction as well. One of the first to make the switch was Mike Madden, a longtime commercial developer who has built six-story buildings and shopping centers in Florida and Texas. Madden switched gears in 1994 to form Orlando, Fla.-based River Oaks Development, which decided to build its custom homes using tilt-wall construction.

The first part of this two-part series ran in the April 2007 issue of CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION magazine. After diligent planning of the project-accounting for wall assembly, cranes, choosing the casting surface, panelization of the walls, panel dimensions and weights, and layout and erection sequencing-it's time to take a good look at the final details and successfully complete the project.

The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the American Concrete Institute (ACI) to minimize duplication of activities and to cooperate in areas of technical committees, educational seminars, publications, certification and other related activities.

A commonly heard expression during times of high stress is "keep it together." This phrase can also portray the important role that reinforcement, inserts, and embeds play in the site cast tilt-up process.

Constructive Communication Inc. - a specialist in public relations and marketing communications for professional service firms and members of a variety of technical industries - recently received two prestigious PR awards, including one for work with the Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA).

The aging white chapel on Antioch Road on Kansas City's north side has very little in common with Holy Cross Catholic Church in Porterville, California. One is an ancient wooden structure, a wall flower on a street with little else to see. The other is a posing orchid on a busy street. The little white chapel has become crooked by decay, as if caught off guard by one winter too many. Holy Cross is solid by design, an assemblage of concrete and steel. In both these holy houses the faithful congregations worship their God in peace and serenity. But in the long term, the recently built Holy Cross will outlive the 150-year-old Antioch Church by centuries.

More than ever, women are breaking down boundaries and exceeding expectations in the construction field —and they’re starting with the Tilt-Up concrete industry.

Site cast tilt-up—a construction method in which concrete wall panels are cast onsite and tilted into place—has gained rapid acceptance in recent years due to its speed of construction, cost-efficiency, and advanced architectural treatments. However, like all other aspects of the concrete industry, it is important for engineers and contractors to understand the planning process in order to fully capitalize on the efficiencies of the tilt-up method. From beginning to end—or A to Z—careful consideration of numerous details, figures, measurements, and more will enable you to maximize the potential afforded only by tilt-up.

It's a man's world. So the saying goes, but over the years, as women have risen to positions of power, it no longer rings true. Certain male-dominated industries still support this maxim, one of the most noted being the construction industry. According to a 1999 OSHA study, women made up less than one percent of construction workers when OSHA was formed in 1970 - by 1995, the number was only up to 2.3 percent.

The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) announced the election of its board members and officers for the 2007 year. David Tomasula, structural engineer for CON/Steel Tilt-Up Systems, Dayton, Ohio, was elected board president at the annual meeting in January. Other officers include.

Draftcon Calamar Corp, a full service real estate organization that specializes in site-cast concrete tilt-up construction, was recently recognized with an international award for the submission of Hana America Corporation. Hana America was one of thirty-three projects selected for an award from nearly one hundred submissions. This prestigious award was presented in the retail category by the Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) at the 2007 TCA annual meeting and awards breakfast in Las Vegas during the World of Concrete convention.

The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) awarded five recipients its professional achievement awards at this year's World of Concrete. Selected by the association's board of directors, the winners each received unique awards. They are.

The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) recently presented 33 awards to honour projects that used the site-cast tilt-up concrete to introduce new building types, advance industry technology and provide unique solutions to building programs. In its 16th consecutive year, the 2007 Tilt-Up Achievement Awards were reviewed by a panel of 13 judges representing a combination of TCA membership categories, education, publishing and industry management.

Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center opened in December 2005 and is already acclaimed for its innovative and functional design features, specialized care centers, and practical application of the healing environment concept.

TCA can make that happen if you have some good jobsite photos to share. Although we have a wide variety of finished building photographs from our annual Achievement Award competition (though more photos are always welcome), TCA has a real shortage of good jobsite photos.

The advent and subsequent explosion of digital photography has had a large impact on our photo archives. Obviously, digital technology provides for quick and easy manipulation and development of photographs for website and email purposes. However, most of these images are not suitable for print publications since all most magazines require digital photos to be at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) and 4 x 6 in size - usually in TIF format. And, for cover photographs, a slide, transparency or 8.5 x 11 inch photograph is necessary. With only small digital files to choose from in our archives, the TCA is losing valuable opportunities in the media to showcase tilt-up.

If you have photos you are willing to share, please send them to TCA today. Your company will benefit from exposure as well since the photo caption and cutline will highlight your company and the project. Thank you for helping "build" the tilt-up industry.

For more information on marketing efforts being undertaken by the TCA, contact Ed Sauter, Executive Director for the TCA at (319) 895-6911.