be used to move the vats and other components around this lab. The north face of the Argon Cube will be all glass and will be column-free for over 60’. To span this distance while supporting the crane, an ap- proximately 70” deep, architecturally-featured castellated beam will be employed. While most cranes run on top of the supporting beam, in this instance, it will be supported on the inside face of the bottom flange. Figure 4 shows the isometric of this lab. Wilson Hall Connection An important part of the collaboration aspect of the IERC is a two- story connection to existing Wilson Hall. The ground floor connection is slab-on-grade construction and aligns vertically. Level 1 and the roof of the connector are steel-framed and require a slight slope down to align with the existing floor elevations. An expansion joint is pro- vided at the interface with Wilson Hall to avoid any vertical or lateral load added to it. A pair of columns are added just before the interface to support the connector, and lateral loads are taken back to the IERC. A feature stair connects the two levels within the connector. Figure 5 illustrates an isometric view of the connector structure. Conclusion When completed in 2022, the Integrated Engineering and Research Center (IERC) will be a fantastic addition to the world-renowned Fermilab campus, allowing for much enhanced collaboration be- tween engineers and scientists. Allowing for flexibility in how the building will be used now and in the future was a major driver in the structural design. high-pressure process called the Japanese Reverse Auction. While common overseas, this was new territory for a geotechnical contractor serving the Mid-Atlantic United States. The first step was for all interested contractors to email a proposal to the owner. The owner then posted the highest bid on the internet for all to see. The Japanese Auction leaves bidders in the blind, so UMA’s Team had no information on the other bidders. Every minute, the bid dropped by $10,000, and bidders would be asked if they were willing to accept that number. Once they confirmed, the timer would restart before the price was lowered again. This process was repeated until the lowest possible bid was achieved. UMA had to determine how low it was willing to go. “Our approach was to predetermine our rock bottom number,” says UMA President Brian DeSpain. “After finding out the bidding process, we went back to our estimate sheet and we creatively found the most cost-effective and productive route to install the piles.”
Figure 5: Isometric View of the Connector to Wilson Hall
Argon Cube At the northern end of the building, there will be a lab known as the Argon Cube. The lab will feature a large, five-foot-deep pit, which will support large vats of liquid argon. A 25-ton overhead crane will
Specialty subcontractors like UMA Geotechnical Construction, Inc. (UMA) rarely get the credit, but the work they do often lays the foun- dation for stimulating the global supply chain. The North Carolina- based contractor worked two shifts to install more than 300 micropiles to support a fabrication facility addition for a manufacturer in Goose Creek, South Carolina. Unique Bidding Process UMA’s Team overcame the odds by procuring the project through a UMA Supports South Carolina Manufacturer's Expansion with Micropiles By Brian M. Fraley
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march 2021
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